Policy & the Economy
April 24, 2025
Policymakers Are Relying on Science More Than Ever
But there’s little common ground in the research that Republicans and Democrats cite.
Alexander C. Furnas, Timothy M. LaPira and Dashun Wang
January 13, 2025
The Cold, Cold History of Political Conflict
Sustained temperature shifts during the “Little Ice Age” led to wars, mass migration, and instability. What does this mean for our current moment?
Murat Iyigun, Joris Mueller and Nancy Qian
September 26, 2024
Take 5: How to Talk Politics (Constructively)
Research-backed advice for your next conversation.
Eli J. Finkel, Michalis Mamakos, William Brady, Jacob D. Teeny and Nour Kteily
August 12, 2024
Would Trump Escalate the U.S.–China Trade War?
If former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House, he would likely impose sweeping tariffs against China. His policy agenda would harm lower-income households the most.
Nancy Qian
July 1, 2024
How to Spot Political Deepfakes
AI literacy—and a healthy dose of human intuition—can take us pretty far.
Matthew Groh
June 3, 2024
Why Did Early Governments Emerge?
Was it about cooperation—or exploitation? A new study turns to archeology for answers.
Robert C. Allen, Mattia C. Bertazzini and Leander Heldring
March 1, 2024
How Trolls Poison Political Discussions for Everyone Else
Online political debate isn’t inherently toxic, a new study of Reddit commenters finds. Instead, it becomes toxic because of the kind of commenters who opt in.
Michalis Mamakos and Eli J. Finkel
October 2, 2023
How the Electoral College May Curb Election Fraud
This distinctive aspect of American democracy has come under increased scrutiny. But the very quality that most vexes its critics comes with an underrecognized upside.
Georgy Egorov and Konstantin Sonin
September 28, 2023
It’s Election Season. Here Comes the Morally Charged Language.
In the U.S., presidential candidates across the political spectrum lean on value-laden rhetoric—but emphasize different values.
Kobi Hackenburg, William Brady and Manos Tsakiris
April 10, 2023
Are People on Social Media Actually That Outraged?
One reason we think Twitter is such a polarized place: we’re bad at inferring how angry people are from their posts.
William Brady and and coauthors
January 1, 2023
Partisanship Doesn’t Just Color Our View of Facts—It Alters How We Think about Hypotheticals
New research sheds light on how polarization can shape our counterfactual thinking.
Kai Epstude, Daniel J. Effron and Neal J. Roese
December 1, 2022
4 Science-Backed Strategies to Curb Partisan Animosity
Vilification of the other side is at a fever pitch. But research suggests ways to bridge the gap.
Eli J. Finkel and and coauthors
October 28, 2022
Why Are So Many Politicians Embracing Conspiracy Theories?
Conspiratorial thinking has always been attractive in times of uncertainty—but it’s become more mainstream. An expert explains why, and whether anything can be done.
Cynthia S. Wang
October 1, 2022
When Do People Protest and When Do They Just Grumble? History Offers Clues.
A tradition of anti-government uprisings can impact communities centuries later.
Meng Miao and Jacopo Ponticelli
October 1, 2022
How We Justify Our Unpopular Opinions
The tactic makes controversial views more palatable to others—and has implications for the rampant spread of fake news.
Leonardo Bursztyn, Georgy Egorov, Ingar K. Haaland, Aakaash Rao and Christopher Roth
September 28, 2022
China’s Future Will Reflect Russia’s
China learned from Russia’s post-1991 experience and pursued its economic liberalization with more care. But it ultimately could not avoid the political implications of pro-market policies and is now following Russia down the road to autocracy—continuing a century-long pattern of mirroring its neighbor’s historical trajectory.
Nancy Qian
September 6, 2022
One Nation, Too Divided?
Political sectarianism is rampant in the U.S. Three experts discuss whether we can remain united.
Eli J. Finkel, Cynthia S. Wang and James Druckman
September 1, 2022
Could Your Political Views Stymie Your Career?
From being hired to getting a promotion, new research shows you may be penalized for disagreeing politically with the boss.
Emanuele Colonnelli, Valdemar Pinho Neto and Edoardo Teso
July 8, 2022
When Political Discussions Get Heated, Is It Best to Just Stay Out of It?
Keeping your head down when hot-button topics arise could come at a cost to your reputation.
Ike Silver and Alex Shaw
June 8, 2022
Take 5: Democracies and How They Thrive
A look at this form of government at a time when democracy is under stress around the world.
Georgy Egorov, Ameet Morjaria, Sandeep Baliga, Nancy Qian and and coauthors
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May 13, 2025 · 15:49 minutes
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