Civilizationalism, the idea that world politics revolves around culturally bounded civilizations led by great powers, is energizing the Right on both sides of the Atlantic. It is key to the effort to dismantle universalism and remake the international order.
Israel’s Economy Has Problems, but It’s Not Collapsing Yet
In spite of the Gaza genocide, Israel still has plenty of customers for its high-tech exports, especially the weapons it produces. But it is experiencing a debilitating brain drain as secular, highly educated Israelis are emigrating in growing numbers.
Survivor Has Become a Bleak Mirror of Modern Capitalism
When Survivor debuted in 2000, its appeal stemmed from the tension of clashing values, with some contestants taking a nakedly transactional approach and others appealing to the common good. In recent years, market logics have won.
Gambling on the Wisdom of Crowds Is a Bad Bet
Prediction market cheerleaders want us to put our money up, invoking the wisdom of crowds to justify betting on everything from sports to elections. But the probabilities are shaped by speculation and market design, not reliable forecasts.
South Korea’s Would-Be Coup Leader Has Been Jailed for Life
Yoon Suk-yeol, the disgraced conservative president who tried to mount a coup against South Korea’s democracy in December 2024, has received a life sentence in prison. The popular resistance to Yoon shows the way for other countries facing authoritarian threats.
If Zohran Mamdani is serious about delivering on his promises, he needs more than policies — he needs institutions that empower working people. Popular assemblies offer a way to build a new, bottom-up political culture in New York City.
The Power of Power Structure Research
Emerging in the 1960s, power structure research — mapping who holds power in society, how those entities are connected, and how they use their resources to shape major decisions — has been an important weapon in civil rights, antiwar, and labor struggles.
The Fallout Series Hits Close to Home
While streaming on Amazon is a little on the nose, the Fallout television series admirably embraces the anti-capitalist critique of the original video game franchise. Its apocalyptic alternate America feels less far-fetched every day.
Canada’s Oil Province Wants Out
Alberta’s sovereigntists are flirting with the Trump administration while promising freedom from Ottawa. But independence would expose the province’s narrow oil economy to capital flight, brain drain, and serious fiscal strain.
Wall Street–Backed Lawmakers Want to Help Banks Gouge You
State lawmakers across the US have moved to shield residents from sky-high interest rates charged by out-of-state banks. Two GOP congressmen, both heavily financed by Wall Street, are pushing federal legislation to override those state protections.
Neoliberalism didn’t win an intellectual argument — it won power. Vivek Chibber unpacks how employers and political elites in the 1970s and ’80s turned economic turmoil into an opportunity to reshape society on their terms.
Trump’s Intervention in Iran Will Be a Disaster
Iranians have been trying to complete their democratic revolution for over a century. Every time the US gets involved, it sets that project back by decades.
NYU’s Full-Time Contingent Faculty Are Poised to Strike
After trying to bargain a first contract for over a year, the union for 1,000 full-time contingent faculty at New York University is voting on authorizing a strike. Contract faculty say NYU is refusing to budge on pay raises and job security protections.
Reassessing the People’s Hospital in the Bronx
After a militant 1970 hospital takeover birthed a pioneering detox program in the South Bronx, New York City is now studying what it dismantled, and what redress requires amid an ongoing overdose crisis.
Sócrates Showed Us the Best Way to Bring Politics Into Sports
Today would have been the birthday of the late, great footballer Sócrates, who challenged the military dictatorship in his native Brazil — an example needed today on the eve of a World Cup designed to be a Trumpian propaganda showcase.