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Polarization

'Racially conservative' attitudes led white Southerners to leave Democratic Party

Source: JournalistsResource.org

“Racially conservative” attitudes were the primary reason white Southerners abandoned the Democratic Party after party leaders began to advocate for civil rights legislation during the last half of the 20th century, finds a new study from researchers at Princeton and Yale universities.

Irony of satire: Political ideology and the motivation to see what you want to see in The Colbert Report

Source: JournalistsResource.org

Political humor has a long tradition in America, but ironical “fake news” is a phenomenon that distinguishes the current cultural moment. Indeed, in recent years a whole body of scholarly literature has focused on this field of political entertainment and its effects. A 2011 study from scholars at Ohio State University adds to this literature by examining how precisely such satire registers differently among liberals and conservatives — how humor is filtered through certain predispositions.

5 takeaways from First Draft's identifying misinformation course

Source: JournalistsResource.org

A new online course from First Draft helps journalists use free tools to track down, source and verify information they find online.

 A video appears to show regime planes bombing civilians in Syria; someone who looks much like a beloved professor appears holding a torch at a neo-Nazi rally. If credible, these are leads. But how do we know if they are credible?