The United States of Anxiety

It’s clear that two emotions defined the 2016 election: fear and anger, particularly among Republican voters. But it’s too easy to caricature Donald Trump’s supporters as wild, angry racists. Whatever concerns have drawn millions of people to his campaign will not disappear on November 8. So The Nation and WNYC Studios partnered to report a new podcast, The Unites States of Anxiety, hosted by Kai Wright. We met Trump supporters and heard what’s happening in their lives, and we met their immigrant neighbors, too. We’ve found that they share a deep concern about the state of their American dreams.

Bracing for Trump

Bracing for Trump Bracing for Trump

What do the next four years look like for those who voted for Trump, and those who fear him?

Nov 10, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 7: Does Our Response to Stress Determine How Conservative We Are?

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 7: Does Our Response to Stress Determine How Conservative We Are? The United States of Anxiety, Episode 7: Does Our Response to Stress Determine How Conservative We Are?

How the burgeoning field of biopolitics can explain how you’ll vote.

Nov 3, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

Heroin needle preparation

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 6: Drugs, Gang Violence, and Other Suburban Problems The United States of Anxiety, Episode 6: Drugs, Gang Violence, and Other Suburban Problems

What does all of that have to do with Trump’s appeal?

Oct 27, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 5: White People, Masculinity, and Donald Trump’s Appeal

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 5: White People, Masculinity, and Donald Trump’s Appeal The United States of Anxiety, Episode 5: White People, Masculinity, and Donald Trump’s Appeal

How does a more racially equitable country with a declining manual-labor base feed into Trump’s campaign?

Oct 20, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

Why Do Trump’s Voters Care So Much About Undocumented Immigration?

Why Do Trump’s Voters Care So Much About Undocumented Immigration? Why Do Trump’s Voters Care So Much About Undocumented Immigration?

Stopping undocumented immigration has been a centerpiece of Trump’s campaign—why does the issue strike such a chord with his supporters?

Oct 17, 2016 / The United States of Anxiety / Francis Reynolds

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 4: The Media That Created Trump

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 4: The Media That Created Trump The United States of Anxiety, Episode 4: The Media That Created Trump

A look inside the right-wing media echo chamber that has fed Trump’s rise.

Oct 13, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 3: Just How Broken Is Our Immigration System?

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 3: Just How Broken Is Our Immigration System? The United States of Anxiety, Episode 3: Just How Broken Is Our Immigration System?

Donald Trump wants to deport undocumented immigrants and send them “to the back of the line.” What line is he even talking about?

Oct 6, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

What if the US Really Did Deport 11 Million People?

What if the US Really Did Deport 11 Million People? What if the US Really Did Deport 11 Million People?

A case study of New York’s Hudson Valley, where immigrants—with and without documents—have brought once-dead towns back to life.

Sep 29, 2016 / Feature / DW Gibson

Veterans for Trump

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 2: Segregation and the Trump Phenomenon The United States of Anxiety, Episode 2: Segregation and the Trump Phenomenon

Following World War II, the suburbs offered three key attractions: They were safe; they were secure; and they were segregated.

Sep 29, 2016 / Podcast / Kai Wright

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 1: Why Does Trump Appeal to So Many Voters?

The United States of Anxiety, Episode 1: Why Does Trump Appeal to So Many Voters? The United States of Anxiety, Episode 1: Why Does Trump Appeal to So Many Voters?

On Long Island, two different communities are both working for their American Dream.

Sep 22, 2016 / Audio / Kai Wright

x