In These Times

In These Times

In These Times is a progressive news magazine founded in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois, known for investigative reporting, labor coverage, and commentary aligned with leftist politics. The magazine has engaged with social movements, labor unions, civil rights organizations, and academic debates, positioning itself within a tradition that includes publications such as The Nation, Mother Jones, The New Republic, and Dissent (magazine). Its contributors have included journalists, activists, and intellectuals connected to institutions such as Harvard University, University of Chicago, Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, and Northwestern University.

Overview

The magazine covers national and international events including labor actions like the PATCO strike, social movements such as the Civil Rights Movement, environmental campaigns connected to Greenpeace and Sierra Club, and political developments involving figures such as Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump. Regular topics intersect with campaigns by organizations including the AFL–CIO, Service Employees International Union, American Federation of Teachers, and Amnesty International, while pieces often reference landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Taft–Hartley Act, and Affordable Care Act. The magazine situates itself amid broader media ecosystems alongside outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and alternative press such as The Progressive (magazine).

History and Development

Founded by activists and journalists in the aftermath of the 1970s labor and antiwar movements, the publication emerged contemporaneously with events including the end of the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal involving Richard Nixon, and the rise of neoliberal policies associated with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. Early editorial leadership intersected with labor struggles exemplified by the United Auto Workers and solidarity campaigns related to Solidarity (Poland). Over time the magazine navigated the transformations of American politics marked by the presidencies of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, and the insurgent campaigns of figures like Ralph Nader and Jill Stein. Its archives document coverage of international crises such as the Iraq War, the Bosnian War, and the Syrian Civil War, and trace its engagement with transnational movements connected to World Social Forum gatherings and anti-globalization protests against institutions like the World Trade Organization.

Editorial Stance and Content

Editorially, the magazine adopts a progressive and democratic socialist perspective, engaging with thinkers associated with Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Cornel West, Angela Davis, and Naomi Klein. Content spans investigative features, cultural criticism, labor reporting, and first-person accounts from activists involved with campaigns by Fight for $15, Occupy Wall Street, and Black Lives Matter. Coverage often critiques policy decisions made by entities such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization, while promoting alternatives discussed in forums like Democratic Socialists of America conventions and publications from Verso Books and Monthly Review Press. Regular contributors and guest writers have affiliations with academic centers like the Brookings Institution, Center for American Progress, and independent presses tied to progressive scholarship.

Publication and Distribution

Published on a monthly schedule, the magazine uses a mix of subscription, newsstand distribution, and online content delivery paralleling developments at outlets like HuffPost, Politico, and Salon (website). Its production and editorial operations are based in Chicago, Illinois, with reporting networks spanning metropolitan centers such as New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and international bureaus that have covered stories in London, Paris, Beijing, and Mexico City. The publication has experimented with print runs, digital archives, and partnerships for syndication similar to arrangements seen in Alternet and Truthout, while participating in journalism networks including the Investigative Reporters and Editors association.

Reception and Influence

The magazine has been cited by academics and journalists in analyses of labor history, social movement theory, and media studies alongside scholars from Stanford University, Yale University, University of Michigan, and research published in journals such as The Journal of American History and Media, Culture & Society. It has influenced organizing through coverage of pivotal campaigns involving organizations like SEIU and United Steelworkers, and its reporting has been referenced in congressional hearings and policy debates involving legislators such as Bernie Sanders (senator), Elizabeth Warren, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Critics compare its role to that of historical publications such as The Progressive (magazine) and The Nation, while controversies around editorial decisions echo broader debates exemplified by disputes at outlets like The New York Times and CNN.

Category:Magazines published in Chicago