My Book is Out—May 2025 (UK) July 2025 (USA)

Democracy is dying because we are clinging to a dangerous and outdated myth: talking about politics can change people's minds. It doesn't.

This provocative debut from a bold new voice combines a fascinating range of research to show us the psychological and sociological factors that really shape our politics.

Drawing from ancient philosophy to modern neuroscience and social science, Dr Sarah Stein Lubrano reveals the surprising truth about how people think and behave politically. From friendship to community organizing and social infrastructure, she explores the actions that actually do change minds.

In a world where politics keeps getting more irrational, dishonest, violent and chaotic, it's getting much harder to reach people with words alone. So people who really care about democracy must ask: how can we stop arguing and do the deep work to build stronger foundations for political life, and a better world for us all?

“A very timely book indeed, full of wise, hopeful, sometimes sad, sometimes funny truths, about how we have reached the place we are in. It asks to put aside so much of what we think we know in the name of a more realistic assessment of how politics, language, communities and beliefs really work. Eye opening and necessary.”— Alain de Botton

“A timely yet hopeful critique of today’s political culture, Sarah Stein Lubrano challenges us to rethink politics -placing interpersonal activism and community building above outrage.” - Alice Cappelle, author of Collapse Feminism: The Online Battle for Feminism’s Future.

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Welcome! I’m Sarah.

I’m a writer, content strategist, and researcher. My academic research focuses on the role of emotion in political communication, and specifically on cognitive dissonance. I write and speak publicly on a variety of topics.

I am Head of Research at the Future Narratives Lab where I work on projects related to policy and politics. I also serve on the Institute of Imagination’s Global Imagination Board. Today I consult for a select group of clients, helping them develop content for their businesses. I also sometimes teach learning design.

For many years I was the Head of Content at The School of Life.

You can read more about me on the "About" page.

Our Podcast Series is Out!

What Do We Want?

A podcast about what brings movements together...
...and drives them apart.

With Sarah Stein Lubrano and Max Haiven

💔HEARTBREAK

🕵️CONSPIRACY

😭DESPAIR

🐉FANTASY

😳SHAME

🎂PLEASURE

🌲HOLIDAY SPECIAL

Cognitive Dissonance and Climate Change: An Interview with Planet Critical

It was such a huge pleasure to be on Rachel Donald’s podcast PlanetCritical discussing all the big themes of my work, from cognitive dissonance to our falsely fixed sense of self to social infrastructure. You can check it out on youtube or here if you want audio only.