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·November 5, 2025·1 min read

NY Times OpEd: America isn’t a blood-and-soil nation

In the New York Times, Nationhood Lab's director counters Vice President J.D. Vance's argument that being American is about having the right ancestry, rather than fealty to the ideals in the Declaration of Independence

Colin Woodard·

Featured Updates

·April 26, 2024·3 min read

Most Americans Define the U.S. by adherence to ideals rather than heritage, ancestry, or traditions, a new Pell Center Nationhood Lab poll finds

The nationwide survey finds Americans prefer to define their country by its commitment to civic ideals rather than by shared ancestry, history, traditions or culture by wide margins

Colin Woodard·

Data Journalism Featured

·August 29, 2024·8 min read

Survey results: Authoritarian mindsets and the American Nations regions

Colin Woodard·

Featured In the News

·August 19, 2022·1 min read

The United States of New England?

In the Boston Globe, Pell Center senior fellow Colin Woodard argues a breakup of the United States would be a disaster to be avoided at all costs. But if it happened, history suggests an independent New England might well emerge.

Colin Woodard·

Data Journalism Featured

·March 7, 2026·4 min read

Regional differences in excessive drinking

Researchers from Nationhood Lab, the University of Illinois-Chicago, and the HealthPartners Institute found significant differences in excessive drinking across the American Nations regional cultures in a new paper published in the academic journal PLOS One

Colin Woodard·

Data Journalism Featured

·April 19, 2025·7 min read

Intergenerational economic mobility and the American Nations regional cultures

Colin Woodard·

Featured Updates

·October 29, 2025·2 min read

Nations Apart — the book showcasing Nationhood Lab — goes on tour

Project Director Colin Woodard's new book goes on sale November 4 from Viking Press / Random House. He's doing a dozen events in six states and the District of Columbia.

Colin Woodard·

Featured Updates

·November 20, 2025·2 min read

Nationhood Lab director shares project’s work at New America, Salve, Politics & Prose and beyond

November 21, 2025 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The director of Salve Regina University’s Nationhood Lab is on tour promoting Nations Apart: How...

Colin Woodard·

Data Journalism Featured

·April 1, 2026·11 min read

Which U.S. regions are bowling alone?: The regional geography of social capital

Colin Woodard·

Data Journalism Featured

·November 22, 2025·5 min read

The 2025 Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections and the American Nations

This month's votes followed the usual regional lines, but with shifts toward Democrats even in rural Appalachia

Colin Woodard·

Featured Updates

·January 23, 2026·2 min read

In Poland, Woodard shares Nationhood Lab’s work with scholars, students, officials and the media

January 20, 2025 WARSAW, POLAND – Nationhood Lab director Colin Woodard spent last week in Poland, presenting the project’s work to students, scholars, diplomats and public officials and appearing on all three of the country’s competing nationwide television networks.

Colin Woodard·

Data Journalism Featured

·February 10, 2026·4 min read

Is Trump’s support faltering in every region save Greater Appalachia?

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