Welcome to the January issue of The Highlight
America’s political binary — left and right, Democrat and Republican — can feel inescapable. But historically, it’s a relatively new development, and academically, some political scientists argue it’s nonsense: What we think of as immutable political realities are instead artificial alliances of political convenience. In this month’s Highlight cover story, senior correspondent Eric Levitz breaks down the case against “progressivism” and “conservatism” and gets at the heart of our partisan divides. Also in this issue: Catholic opposition to Trump. The ethics of surrogacy. And fighting to banish the flu.
The fiction at the heart of America’s political divide
By Eric Levitz
You want a baby. Is it ethical to choose surrogacy?
By Sigal Samuel
A world without flu is possible
By Bryan Walsh
There’s an underrated (and cheaper) type of therapy
By Eleanor Cummins
Could Catholics be the key to Trump’s opposition?
By Katherine Kelaidis
Coming January 15
Is America turning on birth control?
By Hannah Seo
Coming January 16