Monthly Archives: October 2013

The Politics of Personal Taste

I recently gave my fifth talk for the TED network – this time on one of my favorite projects at the Norman Lear Center, where I’m the director of research. The Lear Center has conducted many studies demonstrating that entertainment plays a key role in people’s lives, igniting curiosity, inciting… More

Storytelling, Engagement & Activism

This summer, I spent a great day with a bunch of filmmakers at the Topanga Film Festival. Their goal? Making sure that their documentaries would have a real, measurable social impact. Just making a smart, moving film about a pressing social issue isn’t necessarily going to change the world. It’s crucial… More