The New Yorker contributing writer Anna Russell joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the rise of family estrangement in mainstream culture. Recent studies have found that more than a quarter of all Americans are currently estranged from a relative. They talk about how the idea of going “no contact” has gained traction in mainstream culture, the personal and generational shifts that can lead people to distance themselves from relatives, and why family bonds feel less inviolable than they once did. They also look at the political disagreements that can lead to decisions to cut off contact, whether close family relationships can survive deep ideological divides, and what therapists and researchers say about the prospects for reconciliation following estrangement. This week’s reading:<ul>
<li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/why-so-many-people-are-going-no-contact-with-their-parents">Why So Many People Are Going ‘No Contact’ with Their Parents</a>,” by Anna Russell</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/11/24/the-meaning-of-trumps-presidential-pardons">The Meaning of Trump’s Presidential Pardons</a>,” by Benjamin Wallace-Wells</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/nick-fuentes-is-not-just-another-alt-right-boogeyman">Nick Fuentes Is Not Just Another Alt-Right Boogeyman</a>,” by Jay Caspian Kang</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-darkest-thread-in-the-epstein-e-mails">The Darkest Thread in the Epstein E-mails</a>,” by Jessica Winter</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/11/24/kash-patels-acts-of-service">Kash Patel’s Acts of Service</a>,” by Marc Fisher </li>
</ul>Tune in to The Political Scene<a href="http://swap.fm/l/tny-tps-extref"> wherever you get your podcasts</a>.Please help us improve New Yorker podcasts by filling out our listener survey: <a href="https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw">https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw</a>

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Family Estrangement Is on the Rise. Are Politics to Blame?

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