Tressie McMillan Cottom
How Kamala Harris Is Already Changing the Face of Presidential Power
She has a unique challenge about what her race and gender mean together, which could reshape how Americans think about politics.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Tressie McMillan Cottom
Tressie McMillan Cottom became a New York Times Opinion columnist in 2022. She is a sociologist, professor and cultural critic known for her incisive essays on social problems. She is the author of two books: “Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy” and “Thick: And Other Essays.” Her second book was a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award for nonfiction.
Dr. McMillan Cottom’s New York Times newsletter has covered sartorial politics, scam culture and depictions of social change in popular culture. She is a regular commentator on higher education, work, media and inequality, including for “The Daily Show,” “Fresh Air,” The Atlantic and The Washington Post. A 2020 MacArthur “genius” grant recipient, she is currently writing an essay collection and a memoir. She lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., surrounded by extended family and a dog, Kirby.
Latest
Tressie McMillan CottomWhat’s Happening in Louisville Could Solve a Housing Crisis
An organizing effort could set a template for helping the nation’s poorest and marginalized Americans find stability.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Why I Love the D.M.V. — And You Should, Too
There is no express lane for rich people here.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
What Harris’s First Campaign Ad Reveals About Her Candidacy
She will try to present herself both as a fresh new voice and as an incumbent.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Kamala Harris or Bust
The only conversation the Democrats need to be having now is about how to line up behind their vice president.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
The G.O.P. Looked Awfully Youthful Wednesday Night
A group of fraternity members emblematized the future of the party.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Tressie McMillan CottomWhoever the Democratic Candidate Is, Americans Have Already Lost
The American republic feels fragile.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
O.J. Simpson’s Legacy Won’t Be the One He May Have Imagined
He will be remembered, first and foremost, as a spectacle.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Tressie McMillan CottomBeyoncé Asks, and Answers, a Crucial Question in Her Latest Album
Beyoncé singing country music in this political climate was always going to cause a stir.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Tressie McMillan CottomWho Would Want to Go to a College Like This?
The national debate about so-called woke campuses does not reflect what most college students care about.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Page 1 of 7