Marc J. Dunkelman

About

Marc J. Dunkelman is an American political analyst and writer, a fellow at Brown University's Watson School of International and Public Affairs. He is best known for The Vanishing Neighbor (2014), a study of shifting social bonds in America, and for his 2025 book Why Nothing Works, which argues that progressive-era reforms created a vetocracy that paralyzes government action on housing, infrastructure, and climate. The book was named a Best Book of the Year by both the Financial Times and The Economist.

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What's new

2026-01
Dunkelman spoke at an event by the Brennan Center for Justice (January 26, 2026), where he discussed how bureaucratic paralysis undermines trust in democratic institutions.
2025-08
He published an essay in Financial Times arguing that democracy must actually start functioning, otherwise it opens the door to the far right.
2025-04
Dunkelman participated in a live interview on The Ezra Klein Show at the New York Times offices, where he, along with Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, discussed the impact of the abundance movement.
2025-04
His essay with the provocative title "The Question Progressives Refuse to Answer" was published in The Atlantic.
2025-02
The book Why Nothing Works was published on February 18, 2025, and was soon named book of the year by Financial Times and The Economist.

Tracks

Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress - and How to Bring It BackMajor work (2025), chosen as book of the year by FT and The Economist; over 1,400 ratings on Goodreads

The Vanishing Neighbor: The Transformation of American CommunityBreakthrough book (2014) about the breakdown of interpersonal bonds in American society

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