The Next Journalism by Tom Rosenstiel

THE NEXT JOURNALISM by Tom Rosenstiel is subtitled “How the Press Must Change to Serve Democracy.” Obviously, that is a difficult and controversial question. Being the co-author of The Elements of Journalism, Rosenstiel offers a unique perspective and in this latest publication he is intent on describing future actions for journalists. The book itself is divided into ten chapters, each of which outlines a “fundamental way” (e.g., applying behavioral psychology or thinking of news as collaborative intelligence) that journalism must change. Probably the most interesting chapter is the one where he offers suggestions on a new interview structure building on open-minded inquiry. Throughout the book, Rosenstiel stresses the importance of considering how a story would serve the public and working with the community. Much to consider here, particularly for practicing journalists. 

For related research on this topic, see several studies from Pew Research, the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center, or The Conversation. More of an international Perspective is available from Media & Journalism Research Center. 

United States of Oligarchy by Casey Michel

UNITED STATES OF OLIGARCHY by Casey Michel is subtitled “How America's Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy.” Michel (American Kleptocracy and Foreign Agents) is a financial expert and has written extensively about related crimes (e.g., tax evasion, money laundering). Recently described in Foreign Affairs journal as “a blistering account,” his latest text is accessible, but fairly academic in tone and centers on the ways in which national security and democracy are being threatened both by very wealthy Americans and foreign influences from places like Russia, China, and the Middle East. I was surprised at the extent to which he calls out rich and powerful people like Elon Musk and Jared Kushner, for example. Even the Afterward is chilling. Writing about “Just how monstrous American wealth inequality has become in recent decades -- and how it's now surpassed anything the country has ever known,” Michel cites statistics meant to shock: (“First year the 400 richest Americans paid a lower tax rate than the bottom 50% of Americans: 2018”) and outlines recommendations (e.g., more enforcement of existing laws or enacting new taxes on the ultra-wealthy) to halt or curb these practices. He goes on to point out that this as a global phenomenon, “infecting even places like Britain (where the top 1 percent owned 21.3% of the country's total wealth), France (27.2%), and Germany (27.6%). UNITED STATES OF OLIGARCHY received a starred review from Publishers Weekly (“Readers will be outraged by the egregiousness of it all.”). The text is extensively researched with over a thousand footnotes.

All We Say by Ben Rhodes

ALL WE SAY by Ben Rhodes, a New York Times best-selling author, highlights “The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches.” He divides the book into three chronological parts: from the Revolution to Civil War; from Reconstruction to the 1940s and beginning of the Superpower era; and from Civil Rights to MAGA. The speakers and their topics are sometimes well-known (e.g., Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglass, Louis Brandeis, or FDR’s “Four Freedoms”), but Rhodes has included a variety of speakers who were well-known in their own time like Red Jacket’s “We Have Always Lived Here,” delivered in 1805, or Mary Lease speaking about how “Wall Street Owns This Country” in 1891. Speeches from several other female activists (Maria Stewart, Anna Dickinson, and Dolores Huerta) are presented.  Plus, Rhodes deftly contrasts the oratorial might of Confederate Alexander Stephens and Abraham Lincoln and later Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. More modern-day speeches by Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump are also provided. In each chapter, Rhodes supplies some background and historical context as well as the experiences that shaped the speakers; gives the text of the speech itself; and then additional analysis. He is not a neutral observer by any means and chose these speeches to illustrate a 250-year argument about what it means to be American, contrasting “a story that views the nation as inherently right from the beginning” with one that “views the nation as engaged in a struggle to live up to that founding promise in the Declaration of Independence: a multiracial democracy founded upon the idea of human equality.” It is interesting, too, to reflect upon the ways that technological change has impacted both the audiences (size, attention span, common access) and delivery. Be forewarned that the text is rather dense although avid readers will appreciate the Selected Bibliography and Notes (roughly fifteen percent of the text). Much to ponder here.

Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI

World Press Freedom Day will be celebrated on May 3, 2026.  It's worth a look at new books related to this topic.  

TEACHING NEWS LITERACY IN THE AGE OF AI by Cathy Collins, an award-winning library media specialist, is an excellent resource. I wish that more schools made this topic (helping students to “recognize quality journalism, spot deepfakes, challenge misinformation, and critically analyze conspiracy theories”) a priority, but Collins has done a great job of compiling suggestions of resources (including multimedia tools and learning standards) related to these issues. A few examples (not all of which are free) include: Checkology (including several of their helpful posters); The News Literacy Project; ISTE (she extensively references their standards); PBS Learning Media; and Newsela. Some of her information is revealing, but from a decade ago and warrants updating, as do her references to Stanford History Education Group, now called Digital Inquiry Group. However, the more I read, the more excited and interested I became. It does take a while to get to the section on “Learning Activities,” but that is filled with ideas related to Social Studies, Science, Health, Mathematics and more. Also, this text could work well in a secondary newspaper class – an entire lesson could review the Code of Ethics for the Society of Professional Journalists or the eight factors (e.g., timeliness, proximity, interest, conflict) which Collins lists that “news organizations might use to evaluate whether to cover a particular event.” There are multiple Appendices, including a News Literacy Glossary. As Collins writes, “The future of informed citizenship is less about passively consuming information and much more about actively interrogating it. … Teaching them to question what they see, seek diverse viewpoints, and practice self-regulated attention is more important than ever.” 

THE INFORMATION STATE by Jacob Siegel (a contributing writer at Tablet, an American conservative magazine focused on Jewish news and culture) is subtitled “Politics in the Age of Total Control.” Siegel makes some thought-provoking claims such as when he explores the relationship between information and state power (“regime’s ultimate aim was not to censor or oppress, but to rule. … the information state refers to a form of government that replaces the democratic principle of consent with control”). However, I was very disappointed by his early comment when he wrote “I doubt that more than a few dozen people had been conversant in the finer points of the disinformation field at the start of 2016.” He only had to look at the critical thinking or information literacy (a term not included in his book) work being championed by librarians and educators at that time or the winner of that year’s National Business Book Award: A Field Guide to Lies by Daniel J. Levitin. In addition, Seigel seems to have a bias against President Obama and some of the actions taken by his administration; he certainly objects to attempts to even insinuate that Russia influenced the 2016 election while simultaneously rarely referencing the blatant and obvious lies from subsequent administrations. Overall, reviews are mixed: Booklist says, THE INFORMATION STATE “will challenge and enlighten readers on every page,” whereas Publishers Weekly describes it as a “hit-or-miss debut account.”

Was That Racist? by Evelyn R. Carter

WAS THAT RACIST? by Evelyn R. Carter describes in detail “How to Detect, Interrupt, and Unlearn Bias in Everyday Life.” Carter is a social psychologist, author of cutting-edge research, and a consultant on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.  Her text is relatively short, but powerful, with chapters that discuss topics like how racial bias can be subtle or the magnitude of White privilege. She objectively defines terms like systemic racism or bystander effect and offers relatable examples as when she talks about comments from her own healthcare provider. One of her strongest positions is that “to stop biased behavior, you must call out the person responsible for the behavior” and she devotes another chapter to various means (e.g., public declarations) for calling out bias. Yet another chapter explores ways in which children learn bias and how and when they discover race and racism, again with some memorable personal anecdotes. Resources listed in that chapter are valuable, too: EmbraceRace; social justice books for teens; We Need Diverse Books; and PBS Kids for parents. Near the end, Carter acknowledges the current difficult situation and references Dr. King’s famous speech: “We shall overcome ... because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Her call to action is blunt and hopeful: “If we collectively take responsibility for calling out bias -- questioning how our families, workplaces, and communities can improve, and actively working toward that vision -- change will follow.” WAS THAT RACIST? is thoroughly researched and notes comprise approximately twenty percent of the text. 

The Cradle of Citizenship by James Traub

THE CRADLE OF CITIZENSHIP by James Traub is subtitled “How Schools Can Help Save Our Democracy” and Traub spent over a year visiting schools around the country. He rightly notes that “we no longer have common criteria for truth” and “we have very few civic levers other that school left to pull.” In general, however, I honestly found the arguments in this text difficult to interpret. Traub has a view, but he buries it in so much talk about standards and classroom experience that it was difficult for me (a former teacher) to summarize. I did find it interesting that the Wall Street Journal (strong pro-charter school stance) published both an excerpt (promoting classical education) and a review by Meghan Cox Gurdon. She seems to believe that Traub was too progressive in his approach, but I found him to be negative towards standards and teaching pedagogy. It is disquieting to think about the divergence (both in content knowledge and methodology) between teachers from different generations and the likely impact on students. Although I had hoped to purchase THE CRADLE OF CITIZENSHIP and to encourage our Social Studies Department teachers to read this text, I am hesitant to do so after struggling with the preview. Traub did make me think and he encouraged me to look at the bipartisan effort named Educating for American Democracy and their Roadmap. He clearly cares about America and its citizens.

Nations Apart by Colin Woodard

NATIONS APART by Colin Woodard recounts “How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America,” building on his research and earlier writing including American Nations, originally published in 2011. His earlier text used history to explain the development of regional differences. His latest focuses more on specific issues like gun control, abortion, and climate. Woodard is clearly biased in his views on where America is heading (“Our democracy is backsliding.”), but also optimistic: “the American people are not nearly as polarized as our political leaders on the hot-button issues and are remarkably united around our ideals.” However, he writes in a scholarly, rather dense format and that may be difficult for the average reader. The most interesting part to me was the final chapter which is filled with graphs and charts based on polling done for Woodard’s Nationhood Lab. A helpful resource for researchers, approximately fifteen percent of the text is devoted to notes and references. NATIONS APART is a selection for The Next Big Idea Club’s November 2025 Must-Read Books and received a starred review from Booklist. Possible read-alikes (although older) include: Big Sort (2008) by Bill Bishop Bowling Alone (2000) by Putnam; Prius or Pick-up (2018) by Hetherington; and Fault Lines (2019) by Kruse. 

We the People by Jill Lepore

WE THE PEOPLE by Jill Lepore (the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School) offers a history of the U.S. Constitution. Stressing the ability to endure through adaptation, she divides the lengthy text chronologically, looking first at the “Invention” of the Constitution during the end of the eighteenth century. Next, covering almost the entire nineteenth century, including the Civil War and its aftermath, is a section titled “The Contest over Interpretation.” Subsequently, Lepore describes the “Pattern of Amendment” from 1905 to 1959. The final part (through 2016) is called “The End of Amendment.” Each section is full of anecdotes and careful analysis. In her introduction, Lepore notes, “This book aims to chronicle the origins of amendment, to identify the conditions under which amendment is possible, to examine why the practice of amendment has been abandoned, and to reckon with the question of whether the constitution can endure without it.” It seems particularly critical for Americans to become familiar with texts such as this, especially as we encounter ongoing debate over rights enshrined in the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Lepore’s WE THE PEOPLE is the notable nonfiction Library Reads selection for September and it received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly (“galvanizing and paradigm-shifting”), Kirkus (interview here), and Booklist (“phenomenally researched, eminently accessible, and acutely relevant history”). She was also featured recently on PBS NewsHour; here is a video of that interview:

Also highly recommended: The Words We Live by from Linda R. Monk; even at twenty years old, this text is a wonderful summary of a core American document. And look for The Bill of Obligations by Richard Haass wherein he describes “The Ten Habits of Good Citizens” and offers multiple related resources, including teaching notes.  Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17 and offers a reminder to honor American values and rule of law. 

The Ride by Kostya Kennedy

THE RIDE by Kostya Kennedy is subtitled “Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America,” but this book encompasses so much more. Kennedy, an award-winning author, writes about the others (William Dawes, Samuel Prescott, possibly Sybil Ludington) who rode that night and about the other rides which Revere undertook on behalf of the Sons of Liberty. This text is full of fascinating facts and additional insight into Revere’s character and motivation. For example, he describes Revere’s life as an adolescent and the friendships formed then (one of Revere’s sons is named for fellow Patriot Joseph Warren). Another interesting tangent is the discussion of the portrait by John Singleton Copley, saying “You step away from the portrait and you come back to it, and you recognize something of the irreverent. You get the strong feeling that Paul Revere is up to something.”. THE RIDE (which includes an extensive bibliography) received a starred review from Booklist and praise from other reviews like Library Journal (“An important book for readers seeking a deeper understanding of a crucial moment in American history. It will captivate history scholars, students, and enthusiasts from start to finish”). Definitely worth a read and reflection on America’s founding values.

Good Reasonable People by Keith Payne

GOOD REASONABLE PEOPLE is the title of a recent text by Keith Payne, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He looks specifically at “The Psychology Behind America's Dangerous Divide,” something which many of us are all trying desperately to understand. In fact, Payne writes that “other people we thought we knew don't just disagree with us; They see the world in a deeply different way than we do.” In attempting to answer why that it so, he explores ideas around how people think about politics, what influences political worldviews, and how hard it is to communicate about all of this. He writes movingly that “my research suggests that our political tribes are primarily the result not of our inner essences, but of our circumstances” and that his text is about “understanding our own minds, our own circumstances, and our own blind spots as much as understanding those of other people.” Kirkus describes GOOD REASONABLE PEOPLE as “Compelling, eye-opening research that humanizes political discord and encourages understanding and compassion.” It has a hopeful, though somewhat academic, tone and notes comprise slightly less than fifteen percent of this thought-provoking book.

Erasing History by Jason Stanley

ERASING HISTORY by Jason Stanley is subtitled “How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future” and we have certainly heard the term fascist quite frequently in this election cycle. According to the publisher, Stanley, the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University, “exposes the true danger of the authoritarian right’s attacks on education, identifies their key tactics and funders, and traces their intellectual roots.” Stanley points to the importance of multiple perspectives and says that “erasing history helps authoritarians because doing so allows them to represent it as a single story, a single perspective.” He is apparently not the only one to feel this way; one of the most chilling quotes is from Vladimir Putin: “Wars are won by teachers.” Stanley writes movingly and convincingly:

“Today we are unquestionably returning to something like the era of the Red Scare. Right-wing activists and politicians are targeting educators at all levels for their supposedly leftist ideologies, with the goal of suppressing any teaching that challenges racial hierarchy or patriarchy.”  And

“By removing the history of uprisings against the current status quo from the curriculum (or never allowing that history to be taught in the first place), authoritarians leave students with the impression that the status quo has never been -- and cannot be -- challenged.”

Student researchers will find much to ponder here, particularly about how education, knowledge, and critical thinking skills provide the foundation for democracy, agency, and self-rule. Unlike those who blame the “enemy within,” Stanley stresses the importance of educators and investigative journalists. Those concerned with the future of democracy will find this text to be very informative. Approximately fifteen percent of ERASING HISTORY is devoted to notes and an index.