SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Polarization " 136 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Political Polarization Science Is Stuck on America, Landmark Review Warns
A landmark Nature Communications review warns that nearly half of all political polarization research focuses on the United States, producing findings and interventions that may not apply to the rest of the world.
Stressed out by politics? You’re not alone. Political stress is rising, therapists say
After several years as a clinician helping couples and individuals navigate the struggles of daily life, therapist Amity Heyborne began noticing a new source of distress among her clients: political polarization.
Local political polarization is rising sharply ahead of the midterms, survey finds
Cost-of-living issues are driving up tensions in local communities, while immigration is the most polarizing issue nationally, local government officials said in a new survey.
Layla Zaidane: The politicians who can fix America’s polarization problem will win
Political predictions are notoriously unreliable, but here is one I am willing to stand behind: the elected officials who figure out how to govern across difference will dominate the next decade of American politics. With dysfunction and paralysis having become the status quo in Washington, elected officials who work together
New book explores how political polarization affects close relationships
Political polarization's effects on the homefront explored in new book
Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation announces Sports, Democracy, and Civic Health Initiative
The Reimagining Democracy Program at Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation has announced an expanded initiative examining how professional sports and fandom can strengthen civic health and democratic life in the United States. Led by Tova Wang, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center, the Sports, Democracy and Civic Health program brings together scholars, election officials, democracy advocates, professional sports organizations, leagues, athletes, and civic organizations. The initiative will explore how the shared identity and sense of belonging fostered by sports can build trust, reduce polarization, encourage civic participation, and strengthen connections across differences.
Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation announces Sports, Democracy, and Civic Health Initiative
The Reimagining Democracy Program at Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation has announced an expanded initiative examining how professional sports and fandom can strengthen civic health and democratic life in the United States. Led by Tova Wang, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center, the Sports, Democracy and Civic Health program brings together scholars, election officials, democracy advocates, professional sports organizations, leagues, athletes, and civic organizations. The initiative will explore how the shared identity and sense of belonging fostered by sports can build trust, reduce polarization, encourage civic participation, and strengthen connections across differences.
Party leaders widening Washington's political chasm
Most of the polarization currently roiling Congress comes from political parties rather than individual politicians, a study co-authored by University of Miami Business School associate professor Chad ...
What's behind the rising polarization in German politics?
Recent state elections in Germany saw wins for parties on the political fringes, while parties in the center struggled. What is behind this realignment? And is it here for good?
Three state elections throw German politics into disarray
Three German state elections may have ushered in a new era of polarization, volatility, and fragmentation.
Political psychology: Why extremist parties are thriving and what democratic politicians can do
Far-right and far-left parties are celebrating success after success, leaving moderate politicians in the dust. Many Germans worry about this. Political psychology helps us understand what's behind growing polarization.
The same AI-chatbot could validate opposing political views. Could that deepen divisions?
A study shows chatbots mirror users' politics, part of a broader tendency known as AI sycophancy. Researchers fear this could deepen polarization.
The same AI-chatbot could validate opposing political views. Could that deepen divisions?
A study shows chatbots mirror users' politics, part of a broader tendency known as AI sycophancy. Researchers fear this could deepen polarization.
At Rutgers, Talking Across Difference Aims for Civil Dialogue in a Divisive Political Climate
An initiative at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is helping students develop the skills and confidence to engage in meaningful conversations during an era marked by political polarization, social division and declining trust in democratic institutions. Through Talking Across Difference, a program developed within the Rutgers Democracy Lab at the Eagleton Institute of Politics during the 2024-2025 academic year, students, faculty and staff are learning how to engage in productive conversations
OPINION: How the Political Divide is Changing Gen Z
Libby Ferguson discusses the impact that political polarization is having on Gen Z and our college campuses.
The shape behind the Einstein problem just revealed strange new physics
A mathematical shape famous for covering a surface without ever repeating has revealed an unexpected ability to twist light into unusual chiral patterns. The discovery could lead to new ways of controlling light, polarization, and advanced optical devices.
The Young State Lawmakers Who Might Fix Our Polarization Problem
Gen Z and millennial legislators are more open to bipartisanship and compromise than many might think.
When everything is politics on campus
Sociologist Neil Gross argues polarization undermining education opportunities, lays out how students might change things
Researchers create polar wurtzite nitride semiconductor NbAlN
Polar wurtzite nitride semiconductors such as aluminum nitride and gallium nitride underpin high-power and high-frequency electronics. Researchers have now achieved the first epitaxial growth of niobium aluminum nitride (NbAlN) on GaN while preserving its polar crystal structure. Used as a barrier layer, NbAlN increased the interfacial two-dimensional electron gas density from 5.1 × 1012 to 1.7 × 1013 cm−2, opening new possibilities for polarization-based materials design in future GaN electronic devices.
Utah Gov. Cox: Americans ‘desperate for something better’ amid heightened polarization
Gov. Spencer Cox spoke with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz one year after Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah.
Science Tokyo Details Nanoscale Control Of Magnetic Polarization
Science Tokyo researchers achieved reliable reversal of magnetization in 190 nm structures of BiFe₀.₉Co₀.₁O₃, a multiferroic material offering potential for low-power data storage.
The politicians who can fix America’s polarization problem will win (Opinion)
The elected officials who figure out how to govern across difference will dominate the next decade of American politics. With dysfunction and paralysis having become the status quo in Washington, elected officials who work together to get…
Beyond the 'Great Divide': What we really know about political polarization
Americans are deeply divided. At least that's what we've been told for years. But how divided are we really? A new review suggests the answer may depend on how researchers ask the question.
US politics is not the world's template for polarization, experts warn
Common global narratives about political polarization are skewed because of an overreliance on literature about the U.S., leaving governments unprepared to tackle the problem at home. In new research ...
Toward an integrated and globally equitable understanding of political polarization
Nature Communications - Nearly half of all polarization research focuses on the United States, yet many American findings are global outliers. A globally equitable understanding requires bridging...
C-WIN: Uniting against data centers : The issue that transcends politics
Commentary from the California Water Impact Network Seldom have our political differences been more pronounced. Republicans and Democrats are at odds on a myriad of issues, and the bitter polarization of the American polity is the result. That’s how it seems, anyway. But semblances can be deceptive. Yes, the schism between Right and Left appeared irreconcilable in 2024, when Donald Trump was re-elected to the White House. But much has changed since then. Trump’s polls are at their nadir, with […]
‘The Necessary Conversation’ Puts Family Political Arguments On Full Display
“The Necessary Conversation,” a podcast and YouTube show, is a very public example of the political disputes families are having all across the country.
North Africa's 'Youth Bulge' Will Remain a Significant Factor in the Region's Politics
Large numbers of young people in North Africa are not inherently destabilizing, but weak job creation and deteriorating public services will deepen social polarization, and make young people an increasingly important driver of economic pressure, protest, violence and migration. In 2025, approximatel
How Geopolitics Has Rewired Brazil's Business Risks
Brazil’s 2026 elections, polarization, and U.S. trade pressures make political risk a core strategic variable for businesses operating or looking to operate in the country.
How Geopolitics Has Rewired Brazil's Business Risks
Brazil’s 2026 elections, polarization, and U.S. trade pressures make political risk a core strategic variable for businesses operating or looking to operate in the country.
Big Pivots: Ambition, affordability and the nexus of climate change politics
In Crested Butte, Republican voter registration barely breaks 5%. Given this political makeup, Crested Butte might seem like a strange venue for dissecting American polarization over climate change. The national pace of climate action, however,...
How people decide who’s deserving in politics
It turns out we're more likely to support policies that benefit people we assume share our political views.
How to Ease Polarization Using Science
New research suggests that a surprisingly simple intervention—reminding people of their shared values—can nudge them toward less extreme views.
The Jackpod: The politics of us against them
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how “affective polarization” and partisan hatred has come to define American political culture.
Govs. Kevin Stitt and Wes Moore say civility can win general elections but primaries promote partisanship
Stitt and Moore both said social media contributes to negativity and polarization in politics and urged more in-person connections.
Algorithms of Hate: How AI Is Rewriting Identity Politics
Identity-based hatred has evolved into a profitable digital industry driven by social media algorithms, political polarization
The primary political reform and precondition for all others
In its current state, the American political system has no end of ailments. Far too many factors accelerate polarization and work against moderation and narrowing the differences. Media, and the way so many citizens limit themselves to agreeable, reinforcing sources, only dials up the division. Congress has become performative and is essentially crippled in carrying […]
NGA, Dignity.Us Launch Center for Dignity in Politics to Strengthen Democratic Leadership and Promote Civil Discourse
New bipartisan center will equip governors with tools to foster respect, reduce political polarization and strengthen democratic culture OKLAHOMA CITY – The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced the launch of the Center for Dignity in Politics, an initiative that will equip governors with the tools, training and resources to strengthen democratic culture, reduce political polarization and […]
What's the Antidote to Political Polarization?
As the United States commemorates 250 years of independence in 2026, the landmark event has arrived during a time of increased political polarization. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 69% of Americans are dissatisfied with how things are going in the U.S., and 59% believe the country’s best days are behind it. Yet a majority (68%) still feel hopeful about the nation’s future. Bestselling author, social scientist, and Vanderbilt University professor Dr. Arthur Brooks shares that optimism—in part because he sees a clear path out of the divisiveness.
Here’s how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative got politicians from both parties on board
In a time of political polarization, it’s easy to forget that the vast majority of Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs — 80% or more, depending on the poll — value environmental conservation. One success story is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Investigating the Roots of Political Polarization
The 2026 class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows will conduct research into the causes of division in America
Science and the public are learning the wrong lessons from Covid
“Post-pandemic polarization threatens to lock our memories into attractive, untrue conclusions that will leave us unprotected next time,” write Marc Lipsitch and Sara Cody.
Shared values, democracy and politics in a fragmenting world
Analysis L21 | As polarization deepens, Latin America and Europe face growing challenges to democracy, trust and collective leadership.
Fixing America’s polarization with proportional representation
Presidentialism plus single-member districts is a bad combination that incentivizes leaders to consolidate power by fueling division.
Integrated photonic polarization synthesizer and analyzer
Light: Science & Applications - A single photonic integrated circuit enables both generation and analysis of arbitrary optical polarization states using a polarization-splitting grating coupler...
Fireworks, heat, hot dogs and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
WASHINGTON — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple states
Fireworks, heat, hot dogs and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple sta…
Fireworks, heat, hot dogs and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway on Saturday.
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple sta…
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
WASHINGTON — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple states as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday. The signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of history’s
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
WASHINGTON — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing...
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple sta…
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
America celebrates 250 years with fireworks, heat and politics
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
AMERICA AT 250: COMPETING CELEBRATIONS REFLECT NATIONAL POLARIZATION, SAYS SMU POLITICS EXPERT
DALLAS (SMU) – As the nation marks its 250th anniversary with separate celebrations in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson says the split reflects a deeper reality about modern America: the absence of a shared national narrative. Wilson argues that what should have been a unifying moment of national pride has instead become a symbol of the country's growing political polarization, with rival groups promoting fundamentally different visions of Amer
America Rings In 250th Birthday Amid Deep Polarization and Political Rifts
How does a deeply polarized country come together to have a birthday party?
How Bridge Entertainment Labs' Steven Olikara Is Building Community Across America's Deepest Divides
Steven Olikara identifies a "division industrial complex" where media and politics profit from societal polarization, fostering hatred based on false narratives. To counter this, Olikara, drawing from...
How Bridge Entertainment Labs' Steven Olikara Is Building Community Across America's Deepest Divides
Steven Olikara identifies a "division industrial complex" where media and politics profit from societal polarization, fostering hatred based on false narratives. To counter this, Olikara, drawing from his experiences in music and politics, founded Bridge Entertainment Labs.
New study: Americans’ perceptions of the health harms of climate change
Awareness of climate change as a health issue is increasing, but polarization on the topic is, too.
Politics in the logistics mix: How tariffs and polarization alter corporate supply chains
How do political ideology and perceived ideological alignment influence supply chain professionals' evaluation of operational decisions involving politically charged macroeconomic issues such as tariffs?
Listening to political opponents who share common values can ease polarization
Americans are more willing to engage with opposing views than popular narratives about echo chambers presume, and perceived common ground can help moderate positions.
Experts on uptick in political assassinations and polarization in recent years
Immediately after the shootings of two state lawmakers, some called it part of the rise in political violence they have been observing for some time across the country. Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke again with two of those experts a year after the attacks.
In a Divided America, the Road from Obama to Trump | FRONTLINE | PBS | Official Site
Newly available on YouTube, part two of FRONTLINE’s archival documentary series ‘Divided States of America’ traces the rise of the polarization and division that continue to define U.S. politics today.
🗞️ Julián Álvarez's NO to Florentino makes Wednesday's headlines
This Wednesday morning will go down as a genuine earthquake at Spanish newsstands. The front pages of the country’s main sports newspapers offer a crystal-clear reflection of the polarization, irony...
Should personal scandals matter at the ballot box?
How much do democrats really care about questions of character for potential political leaders? And in an era of hyper-polarization… has the calculus changed?
What to know about Pope Leo's trip to Spain, from political scandal to Barcelona's architectural gem
Pope Leo XIV’s weeklong visit to Spain will bring him to a once-staunchly Catholic country that has long been in the throes of waning religious practice. Leo is expected to double down on his messages of unity amid polarization, peace as war rages, welcome for migrants and hope for young Spaniard...
For country, not party: A PAC for veterans confronts our political polarization
It is hard to think of a force that is more sorely lacking and desperately needed in American politics today.
'Fjord,' Norway-set drama about political polarization, wins Palme d’Or at Cannes
"Fjord" found wide admiration for its engrossing tale of what Mungiu called "left-wing fundamentalism."
Surprising lessons for democracy from the Latin American left
Polarization is often created by political elites aiming to gain popularity, but it can also be caused by social conflicts rooted in extreme inequalities, according to a new book about Latin America politics co-authored by two Cornell professors.
Will AI cause mass political polarization? Maybe not
Dartmouth political scientist Brendan Nyhan says fears of AI-driven political persuasion may be overstated.
Why a lack of civic education is making US politics toxic
A lack of civic education is making American politics toxic, leading to polarization and even justifying political violence.
The political polarization of health outcomes in the USA
Nature Human Behaviour - Using individual-level medical data and death records, this study finds that conservatives in the USA experienced worse health and higher mortality than liberals during the...
Political Polarization in America: Causes, Consequences, and Paths to Unity [ENCORE]
Co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina delve into the latest news in politics.
Ask Inside Wisconsin Politics: Polarization, ideology, money
What questions do Wisconsinites have about government, elections and candidates?
Calling political balls and strikes
Non-partisan reporting essential during times of increased polarization, says Hagerty Lecturer and UND alum Ian Swanson, editor-in-chief of The Hill
Divided in Politics, United in Science?
Amid growing U.S. polarization, there exists a small slice of research both Republicans and Democrats turn to for policy decisions.
Divided in Politics, United in Science?
Amid growing U.S. polarization, there exists a small slice of research both Republicans and Democrats turn to for policy decisions.
Political Scientist Named 2026 Andrew Carnegie Fellow
Chris Warshaw, professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy, is one of 24 fellows selected to study the causes of polarization in the U.S.
24 Scholars Awarded Research Fellowships to Understand and Reduce Political Polarization
Carnegie Corporation of New York announces nearly $5 million in grants to the 2026 Class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows
Yale’s HoSang awarded a 2026 Carnegie fellowship
For the third consecutive year, the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship will support scholars who are studying political polarization and how to address it.
Adam Bonica named a 2026 Andrew Carnegie Fellow
The Stanford political scientist is one of 24 outstanding scholars and writers to receive the honor. This year’s fellows will focus on political polarization in the U.S. and solutions to mitigate it.
James Druckman elected to the National Academy of Sciences
The University of Rochester professor is a renowned expert in political polarization and American democracy.
Staged? Why Conspiracy Theories Are Stupid, but Also Bad Politics
The attempted assassination at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner exposes America’s deepening polarization,
Analysis | Trump is a target of political violence, but he’s hardly its only cause
Social upheaval, deep polarization and social media are primary drivers of the phenomenon, which has touched Republicans and Democrats alike.
Latest attack threatening President Trump reflects rising political violence in US
The moral dimension of political polarization in the US, where each side views the other as immoral, helps fuel attacks like the one against Trump at the Washington Hilton.
'Pretty stunning': Data shows political division is a top concern for Americans
'Common Ground': UNITE CEO Tim Shriver analyzes the alarming rise of political polarization in America on 'Special Report.'
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
When the CEO Becomes the Brand
Research suggests that Elon Musk’s political stance appears to have reshaped how different groups perceive Tesla. Overall sales trends hint at trouble. The company’s growth stalled in 2024, and deliveries fell 8.5% in 2025. But those headline numbers hide what is happening beneath the surface. When the data is broken down by political orientation and by changes in views of Musk, a more complicated pattern emerges. Among right-leaning respondents and those whose opinion of Musk has improved, Tesla’s brand appeal is significantly higher and willingness to pay exceeds that for many competing brands, including Ford, Chevrolet, and Rivian. Among left-leaning consumers and those whose view of Musk has worsened, the opposite is true: Preference and willingness to pay for Tesla drop sharply. The outcome is not a uniform decline but a polarization of demand. Some consumers appear to feel alienated, while others feel more aligned with the brand. This raises an important strategic question of whether companies can influence purchasing decisions across these divided segments by strengthening the underlying value proposition.
The State of Education Politics Today
What does partisan polarization mean for schooling and higher education?
OPINION: Gen Z’s political frustrations are causing an analog counterculture
Gen Z’s frustrations with political polarization and life in the digital world have led to a new counterculture. In seeking to divert from the mainstream, they have popularized rock music, tangible media, and analog systems. This pattern is as old as time, though its most unique aspect is the technological regression in the effort to be more present.
Why Do Deliberative Discussions Reduce Affective Polarization? Evidence from a Deliberation Experiment in Honduras - April 7, 2026
Deliberative democracy advocates argue that deliberation can strengthen democracy in part by reducing partisan hostility and affective polarization. Yet - Why Do Deliberative Discussions Reduce Affective Polarization? Evidence from a Deliberation Experiment in Honduras April 7, 2026
KU researcher proposes strategies for political depolarization in, outside classroom
In two recent publications, a University of Kansas communication studies researcher prescribes constructive approaches to political polarization both in the classroom and in society more broadly.
Pete Buttigieg Calls For a Politics of ‘Belonging’
A Kennedy School panel discusses polarization and the uncertain future of American democracy.