Good on Paper

Check your thinking

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About Good on Paper

Have you ever heard a commonly held belief or a fast-developing worldview and asked: Is that idea right? Or just good on paper? Each week, host Jerusalem Demsas and a guest take a closer look at the facts and research that challenge the popular narratives of the day, to better understand why we believe what we believe.

Episode 49

The Death of Feminism

Spice Girls slogans and reality-TV aesthetics: A new book traces how feminism morphed into clickable objectification.

A black-and-white photo shows American women in the early 20th century at a protest for women's right to vote. Some women are holding American flags, others hold a banner that reads, "I wish Ma could vote."
Episode 47

Minority Rule in America

A political scientist explains why American democracy is so easily hijacked by organized minority factions.

A black-and-white photo shows a person standing with their arms crossed and a megaphone in one hand.
Episode 46

Can We Stop Kids From Watching Porn?

States are trying to keep kids off adult websites with new age-verification laws. It’s a textbook case of how tech regulation can backfire.

A black-and-white photo shows the silhouette of a young boy looking at a glowing screen.
Episode 45

Did Busing Turn Kids Into Democrats?

School busing is remembered as a failure. A natural experiment suggests it quietly shaped political identity for a generation.

A black-and-white photo shows a young Black student boarding a school bus while a white police officer stands by the door of the bus.

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