democracy
Free speech? Not everybody loves it, this map shows
In some countries, people want more freedom of speech. In others, they feel that there is too much.
How important is civility for democracy? For Habermas, not very.
The public sphere should be open to conflict.
Politics desperately needs hope, so why does it no longer inspire it?
For some philosophers, hope is a second-rate way of relating to reality.
What democracy and science demand: The ‘Smartmatic vs Fox News’ case
The opening lines of Smartmatic's $2.7 billion lawsuit against Fox News lay bare the culture of denial in the US.
Rousseau explained: What his philosophy means for us
The philosopher who praised a simple life and inspired the worst of the French Revolution.
10 pieces of wisdom from Roman emperors
Even tyrants and despots offer wisdom worth heeding.
What are the limits of free speech?
7 scholars and legal experts dissect what you can and can't say in America.
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What early US presidents looked like, according to AI-generated images
"Deepfakes" and "cheap fakes" are becoming strikingly convincing — even ones generated on freely available apps.
Twitter turns to the hive mind for moderation via its Birdwatch program
The platform experiments with letting users decide what content needs flagging.
This is your brain on political arguments
Debating is cognitively taxing but also important for the health of a democracy—provided it's face-to-face.
Survey shows Congress is more religious than America
A new survey shows who believes what and how it differs from what Americans believe as a whole.
In 1988, Bernie Sanders outlined the key problem with news media today
"The function of private media is to make money for the people who own the media. It is a business," Sanders said.
The issues and ideas that mattered most to Americans in 2020
Google's "Year in Search 2020" results reveal a year when "why" was searched more than ever.
How Benjamin Franklin tried—and failed—to form a union
It was a concept borrowed from the Iroquois, and one that America never quite mastered.
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Last five American presidents seen as illegitimate in dangerous trend
Recent American presidents have all faced a crisis of legitimacy in a trend that threatens the health of our democracy.
One century ago, women’s suffrage swept America
In this 1915 map, Lady Liberty shines her light in the West on women in the East, still in electoral darkness
New study shows which states make it easier (or harder) to vote
States set their own voting laws, so where does this make voting easiest?
End gerrymandering? Here’s a radical solution
Why not just divide the United States in slices of equal population?
Is the US actually a democracy?
Law professor Ganesh Sitaraman explains why America has never achieved true democracy—and how it can.
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Here’s why narcissists become leaders, according to two psychologists
Psychologists W. Keith Campbell, (Ph.D.) and Carolyn Crist explain why narcissists rise to power and how to make sure your support is going to someone making effective, positive change.
‘Global democratic recession’ has been eroding freedoms since 2006, says study
The 20th century was marked by waves of pro-democracy revolutions. Now, the future of democracy looks uncertain.
Is this the end of the myth of American exceptionalism?
In his new book, "American Rule," Jared Yates Sexton hopes to overturn a centuries-long myth.
Will social media’s impact on the elections be different this time?
Will nefarious players use social media to sway public opinion again this November?
4 lessons from Bhutan on the pursuit of happiness above GDP
The Himalayan Kingdom best known for its concept of "Gross National Happiness."
Can sending a postcard to eligible voters increase turnout?
A simple postcard can improve voter registration rates. Who knew?
We need highly formal rituals in order to make life more democratic
Comfort has won, and most formality is gone.
Ancient Greeks devised a way to fight disinformation
Sophists used rhetoric and debate to arrive at practical truths.
Politics really do alter your perception of reality
According to Harvard economists, Democrats and Republicans both perceive reality very wrong.
Politics is now a dating deal-breaker, according to new research
A massive Dating.com study reveals just how important politics are in the dating world right now.
Here are 3 things white people can do right now to help #BLM
Remaining silent is being complicit.