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American psyche

The American election is being held amid a perfect storm of anger, fear and disillusionment. This series looks at how these daily and existential anxieties affect people across the country as they hurtle toward voting day

12 October 2024

  • composite of six pictures of young voters

    Gen Z and Kamala Harris: is the meet-cute enough to bring her to the White House?

    They call themselves ‘the coconut army’ and are out in droves to reach young people aged 18-29. Can they turn activism into votes?

6 October 2024

  • A graphic of people holding city buildings as they slant to the side

    City of villains: Republicans stoke fears of Democratic-run cities

    Messaging about crime and disorder in major US cities is an expression of conservatives’ existential dread of being ruled by urban elites and Black leaders

22 September 2024

  • americanpsyche-02

    How did ‘learned helplessness’ become commonly used to describe US voters?

    The psychology term is now a political expression as Americans across party lines report feeling powerless

10 September 2024

  • basketball players kneel before the start of a game

    ‘Shut up and dribble’ no more: US athletes juggle the interplay of sports and politics

    As more athletes publicly express their political views, politicians also referencing sports to boost their standing

24 August 2024

  • A young woman sits in the grass

    ‘Legislators don’t see me as human’: Missouri trans youth fight to survive anti-LGBTQ+ bills

    GOP lawmakers have made the state hostile for trans youth. These teens and their parents vow to ‘assert themselves’

17 August 2024

  • a sign urging support for Palestine is seen through a hole in an American flag

    How the siege of Gaza split America: ‘a battle for the political system’s soul’

    Disconnect between what US voters want and what the Biden administration does seems to widen daily

3 August 2024

  • A composite image of a man with a large Trump flag and a woman holding up a giant Trump playing card.

    Inside the Maga mind: Trump’s most dedicated fans explain their fervor

    From camaraderie to a shared political vision, these campaign rally regulars explain why they are all-in for Trump

12 June 2024

  • A single color illustration of a hand holding a mobile phone, its screen covered with three dripping blobs.

    DC crime news trackers aim to inform – but are they being used for a rightwing agenda?

    Critics say crime-reporting social media accounts in Washington DC promote accountability from leaders but ignore context and veer into fearmongering

11 June 2024

  • A single color illustration of a hand holding a flag pole connected to a deconstructed US flag with stripes and stars fall off to the sides.

    Trust in US institutions has ‘never been lower’ – here’s why that matters

    Trust is essential for a healthy, functional society. What happens when it’s lost?

10 June 2024

  • A single color image of a hand squashing a voter holding a ballot.

    She was sentenced to prison for voting. Her story is part of a Republican effort to intimidate others

  • Graphics of a person being ground down by a giant finger, a flag fracturing into its components, and mud-slinging on a phone screen.

    American psyche: a new series exploring the angst at the heart of the US election

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