New & Noteworthy

Political memes and jokes connect people with candidates, encourage engagement, and make complex issues more accessible. Humor can rally supporters, soften criticism, and reveal tensions in a way that feels less confrontational. Yet, it also risks misinterpretation, losing impact if it feels insincere or too harsh. Check out TSP Board member Jordyn Wald‘s Humor and Memes in Politics during your monitoring of election day results.

What “They” Don’t Want You to Know About Conspiracy Theories by S Ericson covers society’s belief in conspiracy theories, often fueled by mistrust in powerful institutions and rising during uncertain times. These theories suggest hidden groups control events, and as people share them online, they spread across different issues and become part of popular thinking.

Our weekly Clippings includes a piece from The Atlantic with Julia Sonnevend on her new book on political charm, Charm: How Magnetic Personalities Shape Global Politics, noting how charm fosters a sense of authenticity through media proximity, unlike charisma. City Journal reviewed Musa Al-Gharbi’s We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite, critiquing progressive elites’ disconnect from marginalized communities. Laura Patterson explained in CPR News how horror films create a “safe space” to experience empathy and connection, resonating amid industry shifts. El País reported on young people seeking alternative work as a response to unstable traditional jobs, with Mariano Urraco Solanilla describing the search for control. Lastly, The New York Times covered Arlie Russell Hochschild’s Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right, which examines the economic decline of non-college-educated white men and its impact on their sense of purpose.

From the Archives

Residents in Spain, Valencia experienced a series of floods and the death tolls have increased into the hundreds. Thousands are going without reliable access to food and water, with the hardest hit areas being unable to be accessed. Learn about The Emotional Toll of Natural Disasters from our 2018 piece by Jasmine Syed.

The New York Times put a spotlight on Alabama’s prison labor program, where incarcerated workers face harsh conditions, little to no pay, and punishment for resistance. Learn more about the complexities of prison labor and the fight for reform in our 2018 piece covering research on this topic by Isabel Arriagada, Pushing Back on Prison Labor.

More from our Partners & Community Pages

Contexts:

  • Our Forests, Ourselves by Colter J. Uscola explores Nihan Bozok’s study of rural Turkish women who lead deforestation protests along the Aegean Coast. Bozok reveals how forests are vital to these women’s identities and communities, showing that true environmental protection comes from empowering those most connected to the land.
  • Saving Money, Saving Relationships by Elena G. Van Stee summarizes Kristen McNeill and Rachael Pierotti’s study on how people in Côte d’Ivoire use “earmarking”—explaining that money is already set aside—to politely refuse requests for financial help. This approach allows them to protect both their savings and their relationships, showing that earmarking serves as a valuable strategy for balancing financial boundaries.

Council on Contemporary Families:

First Publics:

  • Making Adopted Activities Work for You by Megan Y. Phillips offers practical tips for integrating active learning activities into classes without starting from scratch. Phillips emphasizes modifying existing activities to fit your class’s time, size, and context, along with setting aside time to review takeaways with students to ensure they grasp the purpose.

(P.S. >> don’t forget to vote!)