The United States is divided not only by values or voting patterns, but increasingly also by public policy regimes that differ from state to state. On issues ranging from voting rights and abortion to climate policy and immigration, federalism has become a battleground for polarization

Democratic rules endure only when a political culture is willing to defend them. From gerrymandering to concentrated economic power and civil resistance, the midterms show how fragile a system can become when norms are hollowed out from within

Messages designed to tackle vaccine hesitancy can have the opposite effect. A study on the HPV vaccine shows that describing those who are hesitant as anti-science or a danger to society can increase resistance rather than build trust

A four-country experiment finds that income and housing still matter most—but climate anxiety, democratic instability, economic crises and war are increasingly shaping fertility intentions

Over a decade, six incarcerated students have reached graduation through Bocconi’s Progetto Carceri. Mattia Teofilo, Denis Donvito and Altin Sheshi’s stories reveal the challenges of moving from prison to university and employment, and the opportunities education can offer.