The Wisconsin Idea
The Wisconsin Idea is an independent reporting project of People’s Action Institute, Citizen Action of Wisconsin and In These Times. The Wisconsin Idea takes a closer look at the state of Wisconsin, featuring in-depth reporting on the issues facing the state’s rural communities.
Latest Stories
Is Gerrymandering Forever?
Gerrymandering guarantees undemocratic elections. Activists in Wisconsin are organizing to win an uphill battle for a fairer process.
Katjusa Cisar
In Wisconsin, an Overzealous Hunt Decimated the Local Wolf Population
A new report shows legal and illegal killings wiped out as much as a third of the state’s gray wolf population in 2021.
Christina Lieffring and Jonathon Sadowski
Unemployment Benefits Protect Seasonal Workers
The Wisconsin state legislature wants to slash unemployment benefits. Seasonal workers rely on that money as job opportunities fluctuate throughout the year.
Sheila Regan
"We Do This For The Water": Indigenous Organizers Defend Menominee River
Indigenous water protectors confront massive mining companies, building community on the way.
Carol Amour
Wisconsin’s Incarcerated Wait for Vaccines
Incarcerated people and their advocates criticize state agencies for lag in administering vaccines.
Arvind Dilawar
Suppressed Wages and Rural Decline Meet in Mellen, Wisconsin
In the small town, lumber workers say that low wages are pushing young people out of the profession.
Joanna Thompson
"It's a Nightmare": Inside America's Rural Housing Crisis
Across Wisconsin, low-income people are struggling to find quality, affordable housing.
Jack Kelly
In Dairy Country, a Network of Hmong and Latino Workers Fight Covid-19
Dairy production in Wisconsin relies on immigrant labor, a contradiction in a state that has seen the rise of nativist, anti-immigrant politics.
Esther Honig
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