Can Literature Help Save Democracy?

Michael Fischer’s recent book, How Books Can Save Democracy, is a worthwhile and timely short read for psychiatrists, therapists, and the general public. Fischer is the Dicke Professor in Public Humanities at Trinity University. He argues that reading fiction and non-fiction can promote relational, cognitive, and emotional qualities that would improve democratic dialogue and bring […]

Research-Tested Ways to Preserve Democracy

Just days before the presidential election, U.S. political divisions are bitter and deep, and polarization seems like a permanent condition. But a new approach developed by UC Berkeley researchers shows strong promise as a way to ease suspicion and rebuild trust among voters on all sides, according to a mega-study released last week in the […]