How Social Capital Has Become A Tool For The Privileged

Social capital refers to how much an individual is connected to others, and the networks which those connections can create. At its best, social capital is one of the most important building blocks of society and democracy. However, it is much more easily gained and used for those who live in privileged communities than for …

The Proliferation of Late Night Comedy and News: Entertainment vs. Information

Twenty years ago, entertainment and news, at least on a mainstream level, were two very different industries. There were small examples, like the weekend updates on SNL that infused comedy with very few, specifically chosen news stories, but it wasn't until John Stewart and The Daily Show took off that other programs took notice. When …

How the Coronavirus Outbreak Shows American Individualism

Social distancing. This is perhaps the most common phrase that people have heard in the last month or so. Since the sudden arrival of Covid-19 the world has had to adjust to a social isolation of which none of us are accustomed to. But are we indeed unaccustomed to this? It would seem that, while …

Media Ecosystems: How Bias in the Media Creates Closed Circuits

The days of Walter Cronkite are over. No longer is there a "most trusted man in America," or any one evening news channel that the whole of the country watches after dinner. Instead, there is now an almost unlimited number of sources a person can go to for their news, at any time of day. …