Derek Robertson
POLITICO
Washington, DC, United States
Contact Derek
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Past articles by Derek:
Human rights in the metaverse-
With help from Sam Sutton Meta has had its fair share of human rights issues in the company’s history, from the Rohingya massacre to Cambridge Analytica. So it’s only natural that the human rights community would be skeptical of its promise to revolutionize the way we use the internet itself, via the 3D overlay on the world the metaverse promises. Whether or not they can prove those skeptics… → Read More
The Worst Political Predictions of 2021
We all make mistakes. But some people got things really, really wrong this year. → Read More
Whatever Happened to the ‘Us vs. Them’ Olympics?
The days of symbolic world-power competition are over, replaced by something less pitched but just as revealing. → Read More
How Republicans Became the ‘Barstool’ Party
The Barstool-ification of the GOP could reconfigure its cultural politics for a generation. → Read More
How Everything Became ‘Cancel Culture’
The never-ending debate over what it is to be “canceled” obscures the reality of our bubble-driven world. → Read More
How Lil Nas X Flipped Conservatives’ Culture-War Playbook
Never mind “owning the libs.” The meme rapper pushed one button and the right did his publicity for him. → Read More
How ‘Owning the Libs’ Became the GOP’s Core Belief
The weird journey of a tongue-in-cheek catchphrase from conservative-mocking putdown to the defining tenet of the Republican Party’s way of life. → Read More
Opinion | Trump Media Empire? Don’t Bet on It.
He may desperately need his own platform now that he’s been exiled from Twitter, but it’s going to cost him more than he’s got. → Read More
The Eight Pieces of Pop Culture That Defined the Trump Era
Just as our politics fractured over the past four years, so did our culture. Here, a look back. → Read More
Trump’s Metaphysical Wall: An Investigation
Does the president think we already have a border wall? → Read More
The Day Trump Never Stopped Tweeting
In late August, the president reached his peak performance in 2018. → Read More
Michelle Obama Wants to Save Politics By Staying Out of Them
The most popular Democrat in America is doing just fine outside the arena, thanks. → Read More
Can Comedy Heal the Wounds of War?
A millennial-run nonprofit is bridging a divide between the military and civilians by giving a veterans a chance to tell ther stories—and their jokes—in public. → Read More
Why ‘Sorry to Bother You’ Is 2018’s Sharpest Political Satire
And, for once, it has nothing to do with Trump. → Read More
Why the ‘Classical Liberal’ is Making a Comeback
A perfect storm of political upheaval has led to the resurgence of a label with centuries-old roots. → Read More
The 10 Names That Matter on China Policy
Trump’s skepticism of Asia was a key part of his campaign’s identity. These 10 people are dealing with the reality. → Read More
Tell Us: Which Trump Loyalist Will Survive 2018?
The Trump White House often feels more ‘Game of Thrones’ than ‘Team of Rivals.’ Now you get to predict who makes it to the series finale. → Read More
How the Quietly Radical ‘Black Panther’ Took Over Hollywood
Marvel’s most prominent black superhero hasn’t always been one of their superstars. But the Afrofuturist, anti-colonial worldview the series espouses makes it perfect for the moment. → Read More
Trump After Dark: Back to the Future edition
It’s a good time to look back at what Year One of a Trump presidency has meant. → Read More
The Network Keeping Dallas’ Most Vulnerable Citizens Afloat
Poverty, especially for families, is severe in Dallas, but the city's institutions are banding together to provide relief. → Read More