Is the American Dream Dead?
Is the lack of the American Dream the fault of the individual or of systemic factors? What role does partisanship play in individuals’ beliefs about meritocracy? Why do we justify unfair systems?
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Big ideas, bold solutions. Explore the latest research, analysis, and policy insights from our experts.
How Does Transformation Lead to Regression?
How have presidents shaped racial norms? Why was President Andrew Johnson a “backlash president”? What role does Congress play in coalition-building and norm shaping?
Episode 18: Tech and Labor
Amanda Ballantyne explores how past technological transitions reshaped work, why some communities were left behind, and what
Episode 17: Dismantling the Department of Education
Zahava Stadler and Jeremy Bauer-Wolf explore why the Department of Education was created and what’s at stake if it disappears.
Episode 16: Consequences of Government Shutdowns
Government shutdowns have grown more disruptive. Mark Schmitt explains how they became central to American politics what history tells.
Episode 15: The Weaponization of Data
Sydney Saubestre of New America explores how history shows the power and peril of data, and what it means for democracy today.
Episode 14: Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks
As peace talks between Russia and Ukraine resume, New America’s Candace Rondeaux and Ben Dalton explain the tangled context.
Episode 13: What Are Ballot Initiatives and How Are They Used?
How can citizens put laws to a ballot vote and what’s threatening that right? Maresa Strano and Chris Melody Fields Figueredo explain.
Episode 12: How Governments Use AI
How is AI shaping government now and in the future? Lilian Coral and Amen Ra Mashariki explore its evolving role in public decision-making.
Episode 11: What Does It Mean to Be an American Patriot?
How have our shared visions of American ideals influenced the meaning of patriotism? How has this definition evolved over time?