Ross Douthat
Ross Douthat joined the Atlantic staff as a reporter/researcher in 2002.
Now a senior editor, he writes on topics ranging from higher
education to national politics to celebrities' religious conversions.
Ross is 2002 graduate of Harvard University, and his Ivy League experience
inspired his 2005 book Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the Ruling
Class, which Booklist called a "withering indictment of Harvard's
institutional culture," and The Wall Street Journal praised for its "rare
lyricism." He has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal,
The Weekly Standard, National Review, Policy Review, and Details. A native of New Haven,
Connecticut, he now lives in Washington, D.C.
His latest writings can be found on the Ross Douthat blog.
Recent articles by Ross Douthat
Groundhog Day
The GOP’s future looks a lot like the Democratic Party’s past—the question is, which past?
Is Pornography Adultery?
It may be closer than you think.
Redeeming Dubya
The national memory often confuses hubris with greatness. That’s good news for George W. Bush.
E Pluribus Nixon
A sweeping new social history portrays Richard Nixon as the president his fratricidal country deserved—and perhaps the best we could have hoped for.
The Return of the Paranoid Style
How the Iraq War and George W. Bush sent the movie industry back to its favorite era—the 1970s [Web only: Video: "Hollywood's Vietnam Moment"]
"We're On Our Way Home Now, Duckie!"
Sailing, swimming, and sipping nightcaps with William F. Buckley Jr.
Blue Period
Can the Democrats succeed where Karl Rove failed?
Crises of Faith
America is becoming more secular; Europe is becoming more religious. Both trends could mean trouble.
It’s His Party
Bush is fading. Bush Republicanism is here to stay.
The God of Small Things
Decoding genomes wasn't enough. Now Craig Venter wants to end our oil addiction.
They Made America
Who are the most influential figures in American history? The Atlantic recently asked ten eminent historians. The result was The Atlantic’s Top 100—and some insight into the nature of influence and the contingency of history. Was Walt Disney really more influential than Elizabeth Cady Stanton? Benjamin Spock than Richard Nixon? Elvis Presley than Lewis and Clark? John D. Rockefeller than Bill Gates? Babe Ruth than Frank Lloyd Wright? Let the debates begin.
Leaps of Faith
When pop stars get religion.
Gingrich's Long Game
The former speaker of the House is looking for a second act. Will he get it?
Primary Sources
The religion effect; a less violent world; one (very good) reason to resist early retirement.
Primary Sources
Will Saudi Arabia's Shiites remain docile?; Europe's dim view (quelle surprise!) of the United States; new doctors as menaces; the fairer, cleaner sex.
Primary Sources
Post-Gaza Israel; the travails of black cabbies; the (continuing) migration of the Electoral College; how to spot a spy.
Does Meritocracy Work?
Not if society and colleges keep failing to distinguish between wealth and merit.
Primary Sources
The prospects for a united Korea; a new study of old studies; TV dads gain financial ground; AIDS in the Islamic world.
Primary Sources
Terrorism tallies; do good grades cost minority kids popularity?; the long-term benefits of nonviolence; why athletes should wear red.
Primary Sources
A liberal's case for the death penalty; can Iraq stop worrying about Iran?; bottomless appetites; congressional cheats.
The Apocalypse, Rated PG
Can a socially conservative Christian Republican succeed in Hollywood? Philip Anschutz is betting he can.
The Truth About Harvard
It may be hard to get into Harvard, but it's easy to get out without learning much of enduring value at all. A recent graduate's report.
A Muslim Europe?
[This article is unavailable online.]
Primary Sources
Federal air marshals behaving badly; why women get less sleep than men; divorce among born-again Christians.
Rebranding America
Promoting "Brand America"
Kerry’s Secret Weapon?
Hundreds of thousands of swing-state radio listeners may turn the unlikely Howard Stern into a presidential kingmaker.