Star Power: American Democracy in the Age of the Celebrity Candidate

In this textbook, Lauren Wright discusses the prevalence and effect of celebrities in modern political cultures. Wright addresses questions such as: Are celebrities more electable by the populous in comparison to major politicians, and if so why and how do we begin addressing this? She also discusses celebrities' fundraising and running power and relates them to the founding fathers’ worries of an uneducated populous holding office.

Paw in print

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The February 2026 cover of PAW, featuring a photo of Joseph Nye.
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February 2026

Lives Lived & Lost in 2025, Saying ’yes’ to more housing; AI startup stars