Skip to main content
Vox_NicholasStevenson_JanuaryHighlightCover_1920x1280
Vox_NicholasStevenson_JanuaryHighlightCover_1920x1280

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


Is America turning on birth control?

By Hannah Seo

See More:
The Highlight
What twins can teach us about friendshipWhat twins can teach us about friendship
The Highlight

They grow up together, but are twins destined to share a social network?

By Allie Volpe
The Highlight
Why “neighborism” is having a momentWhy “neighborism” is having a moment
The Highlight

After decades of social isolation, people are realizing proximity is a resource.

By Sara Radin
The Highlight
What haunts America’s animal shelter workersWhat haunts America’s animal shelter workers
The Highlight

“It’s draining, heartbreaking, and maddening.”

By Kenny Torrella
The Highlight
Renewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streakRenewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streak
The Highlight

Coal’s century at the top of the world’s power mix is over.

By Bryan Walsh
The Highlight
MAHA wellness culture is coming for teens. Grown-ups aren’t ready.MAHA wellness culture is coming for teens. Grown-ups aren’t ready.
The Highlight

A new generation of influencers is changing the face of the movement.

By Anna North
The Highlight
Welcome to the May issue of The HighlightWelcome to the May issue of The Highlight
The Highlight
By Vox Staff