Ruth Braunstein

THE VISTA: February 2026 In February we celebrated 100 years of Black History month, with commemorations and invitations to communities to “reflect not only on the history itself, but on how the rituals of remembering have helped shape culture, identity, and national understanding of Black life.” We also joined in the joyful celebration of this year’s Superbowl half-time show, with Bad Bunny’s Gift for Multiplicity. “Bad Bunny showed up with community, color, dance, music and chaos. That’s why, when he ended his performance by saying seguimos aquí (‘we’re still here’), it felt like an insistence on showing up as our full selves, without leaving anything or anyone behind.” 

Check out the ideas, tools, and research grounding and inspiring us this month.

H/T @votingrightslab.bsky.social @navigatorsurvey.bsky.social @protectdemocracy.org @npquarterly.bsky.social @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social @adamkahane.bsky.social

https://horizonsproject.us/the-vista-february-2026/

“The pro-democracy movement has a lot of balls in the air right now. It’s essential to clarify which are rubber and which are glass.

If we don’t keep our eye on the glass balls, we could see fundamental democratic safeguards shatter.

Attacks on women’s fundamental rights are glass balls.”

YouTube video by Faithful Politics Podcast How Faith Shapes Democracy: Ruth Braunstein on Competing Moral Visions in America

What moral story shapes how you see your role as a citizen?
Sociologist @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social joins us to unpack how faith and moral language shape politics, protest, and public life & what that means for pluralism and civic engagement today.
Watch or listen: youtu.be/eQCudFFpwuk

Big fall-offs among all religious groups except Black Protestants - thus proving (as always) that everyone should listen to and understand Black theology, history, and ethics.

Women combat veterans want Pete Hegseth to know that they already passed the test The defense secretary ordered a review of women in combat roles, claiming standards were compromised — but the requirements for women and men in combat roles are identical.

The defense secretary ordered a review of women in combat roles, claiming standards were compromised — but the requirements for women and men in combat roles are identical.

Are women's rights more at risk than we thought? On the Handmaid's Tale, glass vs. rubber balls, and singing in the shower

Cool, cool. Lesson learned.

Are women's rights more at risk than we thought? On the Handmaid's Tale, glass vs. rubber balls, and singing in the shower

Are women's rights more at risk than we thought? Another great essay from @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/ruthbrau...

Are women's rights more at risk than we thought? On the Handmaid's Tale, glass vs. rubber balls, and singing in the shower

If you aren't reading @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social 's Democracy is Hard Substack, you are missing out. Her latest post offers sober analysis about the SAVE Act, which if passed, could disenfranchise MILLIONS of women. It's a sleeping dog about which few know...

substack.com/home/post/p-...

Never thought about the strategic use of chyrons by Trump & right-wing media. Then I read this by @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social & went to the gym. Saw 5 people on treadmills watching Fox or Newsmax on mute. So they don't get the rambling stupidity & ugliness. Just chyrons. ruthbraunstein.substack.com

Thank you so much! So kind.

@snfagora.bsky.social @jhuartssciences.bsky.social @asanews.bsky.social @sssreligion.bsky.social @asareligion.bsky.social @vanantwerpen.bsky.social @prri.org

Find it here! www.ruthbraunstein.com/podcast

Thanks Napp! So glad your story will hopefully reach even more people 🙏

What an honor for our documentary podcast When the Wolves Came to be named one of The Atlantic’s Top 20 Podcasts of 2025. Wild way to end a wild year!

Opinion | Mitt Romney: Tax the Rich, Like Me

Ok Mitt Romney, I'm listening... "I believe in free enterprise... But we have reached a point where any mix of solutions to our nation’s economic problems is going to involve the wealthiest Americans contributing more."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/o...

Busting myths about Gen Z politics A Q&A with political scientist and PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman

In a new Q&A, @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social asks PRRI CEO @melissadeckman.bsky.social about young men and women's voting patterns in 2024 vs. 2025, and whether young men are anti-establishment, or just looking for campaigns to reach out and connect with them

open.substack.com/pub/ruthbrau...

We met up with @sssreligion.bsky.social recently in Minneapolis, Minnesota to ask "What Are You Working On?" Meet emerging scholars and familiar faces working on all things religious scholarship!

Is eating alone the new bowling alone? A case for civic restaurants ... and paperwhites

Did you know that more Americans eat alone today than at any other point in human history? 🤯 In my latest at Democracy Is Hard, I consider whether "civic restaurants" could help us repair our democracy and restore our humanity. Read more open.substack.com/pub/ruthbrau...

For more info on this (failed) effort: religionnews.com/2025/07/30/e...

This is so kind Andrew! 😭

Hello! I'm coming up from the dissertation bunker to say that if you will be at SSSR I'll be putting together some fun Bluesky content with @dacuetovilla.bsky.social for the @asareligion.bsky.social account. COME TELL US WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON. We'd love to amplify some voices.

Do 7 million people in the streets matter? A Q&A with social movements scholar Ernesto Castañeda, and my thoughts on that heist

Participants were able to show they were not terrorists or anarchists. The marches were a success; they were peaceful, joyful & well-organized. But they were soon overtaken by other headlines. Yet, this won't be the end of these mobilizations. More here:
ruthbraunstein.substack.com/p/no-kings-p...

NEW: The 16th annual PRRI American Values Survey, released in partnership with @brookings.edu, finds that majorities of Americans say that Trump's cuts in funding for health care (60%), implementation of new tariffs (54%), and increase in funding for ICE (52%) have gone too far.

Exciting news about our audio documentary When the Wolves Came — we were named a Signal Award Gold Winner! If you have not yet listened or shared, now is your chance! Xoxo Dream Team (aka The Mash Up Americans).

Congrats @davidyamane.bsky.social — I have used the previous version of this textbook and it has worked so well! Definitely will check this out.

Sociology+News! This week's TSP Clippings:
🧠Women managing the household mental load
⚠️ The phantom of political violence in 2025 @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social
📻 Public radio’s donor dependence @lauragarbes.bsky.social
✊France’s Block Everything & 2018's Yellow Vests

🔗 bit.ly/4mizu1Q 🔗

The Signal Listener's Choice Award needs YOU I just voted for this finalist to win a Signal Listener's Choice Award. You should too.

Finalist also means we are eligible for the Listener's Choice award, which means you the people can VOTE for us. Won't you? 👉 vote.signalaward.com

The podcast "When The Wolves Came", about evangelicals resisting extremist politics, is a finalist for Best Documentary in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

💥💥Our podcast When The Wolves Came is a Signal finalist for Best Documentary! It explores the extremist politics that have taken over US evangelical Christianity, and the pastors, congregants, and organizers who are pushing back in favor of a pluralist path. It is, as they say, relevant.

Death of Charlie Kirk lays bare deep US political divisions Kirk’s death left many of his fellow conservatives seething and blaming liberals for the assault.

ASA member Ruth Braunstein @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social @jhu.edu, who has studied Charlie Kirk and the Right, notes that yesterday's shooting has the potential to spike already heated political tensions in the country. @reuters.com bit.ly/3VIeLtt

Thanks for the shout out Sam!