Welcome to the January issue of The Highlight
An illustration of two people on one red side of a street and another on a blue side of a street to signify their politics.

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

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