The Thread
Where policy, equity, and culture come together
Becoming America: Marielena Hincapié on Writing Her Family’s Immigration Story
The Night Shift at Reykjavik: What ‘The Brink of War’ Tells Us about Arms Control
Could the Iran War Accelerate the Energy Transition?
What’s In Your Wallet? If You’re a Parent, It Should Be a Library Card.
Editor’s Picks
The SAVE Act Is the Wrong Way to ‘Nationalize’ Elections. There’s a Better One.
Four Ways to Protect Yourself from the Deepfakes Taking over the Internet
Is Trump Really a Fascist? Examining the Controversial Claim
The Cost of Beauty: Inside the Broken Promise of Cosmetology School
How Netflix’s ‘A House of Dynamite’ Might Change Our Thinking on Nuclear War
On-Screen Representation Means More Than Just Identity. It’s About Context.
The Latest
How Your Conversation with ChatGPT Contributes to Climate Change
As artificial intelligence use becomes ubiquitous, developers must consider how to offset the environmental toll of these AI models.
Learning in Overdrive: Resources for Understanding the Cyber Landscape
#ShareTheMicInCyber Fellows share top resources for cybersecurity news and staying informed in the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape.
U.S. Bill Targets TikTok’s Future and Threatens the Open Web
Banning TikTok won't solve privacy and security issues, and risks legitimizing China's model of internet control and curtailing innovation.
Oscars’ Diversity Efforts: Progress or Empty Gesture?
Despite increased diversity at the Oscars, the new requirements are easily achievable and fail to address the industry's larger issues.
If Democracy Is Really At Stake, More of Us Should Experience It
With low participation expected this Super Tuesday, it’s vital to expand democracy and make it a meaningful part of everyone's lives.
Our Democratic Dilemma: How Partisanship Shapes Americans’ View of Democracy
The lack of a shared understanding of democracy allows authoritarianism to flourish, undermining the strength of democratic institutions.
The Case for Direct Democracy: Citizens’ Assemblies
Faith in our democracy has eroded. Could citizens’ assemblies help restore civic trust and build long-term participation in our democracy?
The Role of Art in Our Collective Freedom
Us@250 Fellow Melchor Hall talks about an art exhibition that showcases Black feminist visions of shared liberation and racial reparations.
Protecting Democracy in an Age of Deepfakes and Disinformation
In the world of tech policy, Prem Trivedi outlines why a focus on guardrails that protect democracy is vitally important.
Utilizing the Online Crowd: How Swifties Could Keep Us Safe From AI
Taylor Swift’s fans respond en masse against explicit deepfake images of the singer & provide us with a meaningful lesson for combatting AI.
I’d Never Owned a Computer. After 17 Years in Prison, I Finally Have One of My Own.
When I work on my laptop, I can see a future I’d never before imagined.
Will America’s Care Crisis Take Center Stage on the 2024 Ballot?
Care could be a key issue for voters heading to the ballot box, and may play a larger role than ever in the 2024 presidential election.
The Resilience of Rice: The World’s Most Important Food
2019 National Fellow Lisa M. Hamilton’s new book dives into the resilience of the crop that is critical to the daily survival of billions.
Making the Internet Work for Everyone: Preserving Section 230’s Critical Protections
Although Section 230 comes with its own unintended consequences, preserving the policy is key to maintaining the free and open internet.
The Longest Table: How Civic Space Can Foster Inclusion and Belonging
Social isolation is a threat to our health. In Albany, New York, the Westminster Commons provides a space to bring people back together.