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What Stephen Hawking Teaches Us About Online “Truth”
A worldview that explains only a few things its proponents want isn’t a model—it’s a story. Here's how to spot the difference.
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Christopher Gerlacher
Dissident Spotlight: Walid al-Tabtabai
Walid al-Tabtabai was a conservative theocrat who opposed Kuwait's Emir's dissolution of parliament. That opposition resulted in a two-year prison…
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Christopher Gerlacher
Inside the Left's Response to Trump-Era Populism
From Elizabeth Warren’s research to AOC’s activism, these are the leaders pushing the Democrats toward a working-class populist revival.
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Christopher Gerlacher
Dissident Spotlight: Armin Shadivand
Armin Shadivand was arrested for spreading "propaganda" online and for "insulting the Supreme Leader," two ridiculous charges that show how afraid…
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Christopher Gerlacher
How a White Nationalist Changed His Mind
Derek Black was set to inherit the white nationalist movement. Instead, he came to reject the ideology that he was raised on.
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Christopher Gerlacher
Dissident Spotlight: Awad Al-Sawafi
Arrested over a tweet, Al-Sawafi's case highlights how the internet can amplify both voices for freedom and tools of oppression.
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Christopher Gerlacher
This is How to Write Convincingly
A former New York Times op-ed editor explains how to put a persuasive piece of writing together.
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Christopher Gerlacher
Dissident Spotlight: Jean-Claude Kavumbagu
Considered the first online journalist imprisoned in sub-saharan Africa, Jean-Claude Kavumbagu’s 2010 arrest was a milestone for press freedom in a…
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Christopher Gerlacher
Has Fascism Really Come to America?
Describing fascism is one thing, but seeing it ingratiate itself into a formally healthy political system is another.
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Christopher Gerlacher

May 2025

Dissident Spotlight: Ucha Abashidze
Ucha Abashidze received a five-year prison sentence for blogging about his opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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Christopher Gerlacher
In Plain Terms, this is What Fascism Means
Many people understand the vibe they want to invoke when they describe something as "fascist", but the precise meaning is more clarifying.
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Christopher Gerlacher
Dissident Spotlight: Kudakwashe Bwititi
Kudakwashe Bwititi wrote the script for a movie about a clash between religious fundamentalists. He and three co-workers were arrested for it.
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Christopher Gerlacher
© 2025 Christopher Gerlacher
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