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Suicide by False Belief

Building on his new book False: How Mistrust, Disinformation, and Motivated Reasoning Make Us Believe Things That Aren’t True (Oxford University Press, 2025), Joe Pierre explores how psychological biases and…

By
Joe Pierre
15 Min Read
Voice and Protest in Times of Democratic Decline
Protesters demonstrate in solidarity with Gaza, using visual and performative acts to claim political visibility and challenge dominant narratives. Such collective action exemplifies the use of voice beyond formal democratic institutions. Photo by Alisdare Hickson (CC BY-SA).
Books
15 Min Read
Why Are Governments Short-Sighted?
Franklin D. Roosevelt giving a Fireside Chat, illustrating the contrast between long-form political communication and today’s short attention span politics.
Books
16 Min Read
How State Sovereignty Fuels Language Loss: Lessons from Tibet
The Potala Palace served as the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, following the 1959 uprising in defense of Tibetan sovereignty.
Books
15 Min Read
Persecution and Genocide: A Long History
Illustration of the persecution and murder of Hypatia of Alexandria by Lee Woodward Zeigler, from Charles Kingsley’s Hypatia (early 20th-century edition). The image dramatizes the philosopher's brutal death in 415 CE at the hands of a Christian mob, amidst religious and political upheaval in late antique Alexandria.
Books
17 Min Read
What Gets Absorbed? Jews, Race, and Identity Across the Americas
A street view of Harlem, New York—an urban space that, like many across the Americas, has borne witness to shifting racial and communal boundaries shaped by patterns of absorption, mobility, and exclusion.
Books
13 Min Read
Commercial Art and the Urban Spectacle of Modern Japan
Contemporary view of Ginza, Tokyo. The illuminated spectacle of branded signage reflects the long-term influence of Commercial Art on Japan’s urban consumer spaces.
Books
7 Min Read
When Too Much Freedom Leads to Tyranny
Freedom_statue-of-liberty-storm-clouds-new-york
Books
15 Min Read
Who Are the War Criminals, Genocidaires, and Terrorists?
Criminal Adolf Eichmann, one of the main architects of the Holocaust, stands trial in Jerusalem in 1961. Seated in a bulletproof glass booth, he became the embodiment of Hannah Arendt’s controversial concept of the “banality of evil.”
Books
17 Min Read
Truth and Authoritarianism in America
The erosion of truth as a democratic norm is starkly illustrated by the political strategies of President Donald Trump, in which factual accuracy is systematically subordinated to ideological loyalty.
BooksAnalysis & Theories
17 Min Read
The History of Tech-As-Religion
Holding faith and code: a visual metaphor of technology's rise as a modern belief system.
Books
12 Min Read
Moral Judgement and the Normativity of Practical Identities
This marble sculpture depicts a young Aristotle in deep contemplation, symbolizing the early development of moral judgment and philosophical inquiry.
Books
22 Min Read
Religion in International Politics: Power and Influence
Faith and Power: World Leaders in Prayer – A Moment of Reflection in International Politics. President George W. Bush, Mrs. Laura Bush, Former President George H. W. Bush, Mrs. Barbara Bush, Former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton, bow their heads during the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance service at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.
BooksPolitics & Religion
19 Min Read
A New History of Atlantic Slavery from the Global South
BooksPolitical History
16 Min Read
Does Free Speech Have a Future?
A political street mural in San Diego with bold red, black, and beige tones. It features a woman holding a newspaper questioning climate denial, propaganda-style posters, and imagery related to surveillance and control. The artwork highlights free speech, censorship, and political power dynamics.
BooksFreedom of Expression
21 Min Read
When Animals Dream: The Hidden World of Animal Consciousness
Animal Dream: A red fox sleeps peacefully in the sunlight, its body relaxed and still. Photo by Qijun Huang.
BooksEnvironment & Animals
14 Min Read
Marijuana Rescheduling: Federal Uncertainty in the U.S.
Black and white close-up photograph of a marijuana leaf, showing its serrated edges and detailed texture against a blurred background.
Books
9 Min Read
The Economic Consequences of Milton Friedman
A detailed black and white sketch of Milton Friedman, deep in thought with his hand resting on his chin. Milton Friedman, known for his influential work on free-market policies and the economic consequences of his theories.
Books
15 Min Read
Studying Taiwan from Its Own Perspective: Why It Matters
A nighttime aerial view of Taipei, Taiwan, featuring the illuminated Taipei 101 surrounded by skyscrapers. The image highlights the city's urban infrastructure and economic development
Books
16 Min Read
A History of Liberalism for Illiberal Times: Freedom from Fear
Alexis de Tocqueville was a keen observer of democracy. His work Democracy in America (1835) analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of democratic societies, warning against the tyranny of the majority and the dangers of centralized power.
Books
15 Min Read
Digital Masquerade: Feminist and Queer Activism in China
Digital Maquerade. Three Chinese feminist activists dressed as brides with red stains resembling blood hold protest signs against gender-based violence on a busy street. Their expressions are serious and defiant, symbolizing resistance against censorship and state repression. The scene represents a creative form of feminist and queer activism in China
Books
66 Min Read
How China’s E-Commerce Boom Charts a Digital Path to Growth
A high-profile promotion of AliExpress, showcasing the platform's global reach and its role in shaping the future of e-commerce.
Books
11 Min Read
Chronic Instability and Violence in South Sudan
High-ranking military officials of South Sudan’s government, representing the intersection of political power, corruption, and the country’s militarized governance.
Books
27 Min Read
How Innovation Hype Devalues Reproductive Labor
While innovation is often celebrated in technology, the essential labor of caregiving remains undervalued despite its foundational role in sustaining society.
Books
14 Min Read
World History of Sexualities
Sexualities-Helen_Beard_Illicit_Kisses_art
Books
18 Min Read
Critical Theory and its Right-Wing Double
Right-wing and left-wing thinkers in a collage
Books
16 Min Read
Heritage in War and Peace: An Ever-Growing Field
Heritage in War: The reconstructed Old Bridge of Mostar, originally built in the 16th century, was destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004 as a symbol of reconciliation and cultural heritage preservation.
Books
10 Min Read
What Is Extinction? Exploring Life’s End and Meaning
The image shows a representation of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus), an extinct bird species that once inhabited the island of Mauritius. The dodo is widely recognized as a symbol of extinction, having disappeared by the late 17th century due to excessive hunting by humans and the introduction of invasive species to its habitat. Its extinction serves as a reminder of the impact of human activity on biodiversity.
Books
15 Min Read
Is a Shift to the Left Good or Bad for Multiculturalism?
Monument to Multiculturalism by Francesco Perilli (1985), located in Toronto, Canada.
Books
16 Min Read
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