Fate of the West
Where Western civilization is headed. History, demography, culture and power, with serious attention to both decline and renewal.
About this list
This reading list brings together items from the sources selected for Fate of the West. Open each item at its original source for the complete article, episode or video. This is a selection of current coverage, not a complete archive.
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Don’t Livestream the Death Penalty. Plus
The president vs. the Somalis. Why Jews are leaving this Ivy League feeder school. The young heirs of Carlos the Jackal. And more.
What Does “History and Tradition” Require?
The Court’s shift from Lemon to history and tradition raises a new set of interpretative challenges.
Private Prosecutors
The Supreme Court says everyone who wields executive power must answer to the president. The False Claims Act remains, for now, an odd exception.
When, Not If: The Baltics Prepare for War
Lithuanian and Latvian leaders won’t say when they expect war with Russia, but they’re planning as if it’s already begun.
NIGHT WINDS (alternate)
The Nation Magazine
The First Amendment Applies to Concert Stages Too
Protests like that of Macklemore on Palestine should never be silenced by billionaire owners.
What Role Should the Supreme Court Play in American Politics?
A wide-ranging new book by Nikolas Bowie and Daphna Renan examines how America’s highest court often gets in the way of democratic politics.
The Rapture
The Nation Magazine
Rebecca Solnit’s (Mis)Adventures in the Manosphere
The writer, historian, and activist explores an America where the right has turned hatred of women into an ever-expanding, multi-platform Internet grift.
France’s Students Won’t Back Down
Without full-time teachers, temperature-regulated classrooms, or school nurses, French students are turning their grievances into a national movement.
The Many Lives of Janet Malcolm
A new biography tells the story of one of America’s great masters of reportage.
Democrats Are Learning a New Political Language
Candidates in 2026 are responding to an electorate that’s ready to abolish ICE, tax the billionaire class, and free Palestine.
The Last Statesmen?
In the latest installment of the ongoing interview series with contributing editor Mark Bauerlein, Steven B. Smith joins in to discuss his book, On Statesmanship. The conversation is embedded
Anthropic Wants You to Be Kind to Claude
…even as AI courts serial real-world disasters, defaces the environment with data centers, and is not about to return your empathy in kind.
The Architecture of Campus Assault
College sexual assault is predictable. Here’s how to change that.
The DNC Fight to Ban Dark Money in Presidential Primaries
The inside debate.
“We Can’t Punish Our Way Out of This”: A Conversation on Meaningful Accountability After Cornell
A discussion with Rebecca Solnit and Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg about what accountability should look like for survivors of sexual assault and rape.
Is Spending Money Protected Speech?
Plus a tangent on Citizens United.
Polls Aren’t the Problem. It’s How We Use Them
How to interpret polling for the midterms.
Can John Sununu Overcome Political Gravity?
Being a scion of New Hampshire’s best-known political dynasty may not be enough in a tough electoral year.
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