Why Older Voters Are Prone to Nationalism

Nostalgia, Risk Aversion, and Economic Priorities Foster Parochial Loyalties Among the Elderly

Just a few decades into the latest wave of globalization, the “nation-state” is striking back with a vengeance. From the United States and the Russian Federation, to Hungary, the Philippines, Poland, Turkey, the U.K., and elsewhere, an emerging class of politicians is setting out to make their countries “great” again. Their resentment of multilateral, globalist institutions is loud, and they make no accommodation for others whose patriotism is seen to be deficient.

Nation-centric programs have gained considerable support recently, particularly from older people. In the United States, in election after …

By Harun Onder | May 4, 2018

How the Suffragists Used a Few Good Men to Help Get the Vote

Lampooned as Hen-Pecked Wimps, Male Supporters of Crusading Women Reinvented Themselves as Dashing Trophy Spouses

By Brooke Kroeger | March 5, 2018

The early rap on men who found themselves married to hard-working, hard-core suffragists must have been downright humiliating. Cartoonists portrayed them as gents in tie-and-starched-collared misery, shirtsleeves up, infants in …

Hawaii Isn’t So Beautiful at the Ballot Box

How Did the Aloha State End up Last in the Nation in Voter Participation?

By Reed Johnson | November 30, 2017

During Hawaii’s early days as an American state, the late U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye would boast about its high voter participation rate.

But since that mid-20th-century high watermark, Hawaii has …

To Make California a True Democracy, Give Non-Citizens the Right to Vote

If You Root for the Dodgers, Pay Taxes, and Battle Traffic, Are You Any Less Californian Than Me?

By Joe Mathews | August 8, 2017

President Trump claims that California allowed millions of non-citizens to cast ballots in the 2016 elections. This allegation, while totally bogus, has put California and its political leaders on the …

As Trump Targets Immigrants, Their Families Are Pushing Back at the Ballot Box

Running for Office and Backing Progressive Causes, They’re Solidifying the State’s Political Map

By Fernando Guerra | August 8, 2017

Since the onset of the Trump era, we’ve been witnessing a very strong and measurable response by immigrants in Los Angeles. This response includes Latino, Asian, and other immigrants. It’s …

Vulnerable Voting Machines Are Putting America at Risk

How Antiquated Equipment Could Imperil Democracy Itself

By Lawrence Norden and Christopher Famighetti | November 25, 2016

Although more than half the country may be unhappy with the results, America dodged a bullet on Election Day. That is, our voting machines generally held up. The tabulations they …

The Philosopher Who Coined the Term ‘Nationalism’ Also Preached Inclusivity

275 Years Ago, Johann Gottfried Herder Imagined Nations Forming Around a Common Language and Culture, Not a Common Enemy

Why the ‘New Nationalism’ Can Only Flourish in Conflict

Built on Hatred, and the Need for an Adversary, It Thrives on Contempt for Other Cultures, Religions, and Even Languages

How Globalization Engenders Ethno-Religious Nationalism

From Myanmar to the United States, Growing Transnationalism Is Weakening Secular States While Driving the Spread of Ideology

Here Are Two Voting Reforms That Could Counter America’s Hyperpolarization

When Used Together, ‘Ranked Choice’ and ‘Top Two’ Elections Would Strengthen Major Parties and Favor Moderate Politicians

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