In today’s sensationalized media climate, thoughtful political journalism seems increasingly rare. Raleigh Adams hopes to counter this trend. As a Research Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief at National Review, she brings timeless truths to bear on today’s cultural and political events through her support of the Editor-in-Chief and her own writing.
Before starting work at National Review this summer, Raleigh spent two years at Yale Divinity School, where she earned her Master of Arts in Religion concentrating on ethics and political thought. Her thesis examined Abraham Lincoln, ambition, and the moral formation necessary for political leadership.
Raleigh brings this rich theological and philosophical expertise to current political conversations in her role at National Review. She provides research, editorial, and media production support, engaging with questions about religion, political thought, education, and American institutions. On any given day, she might be researching a policy question, helping prepare an interview or podcast, creating digital content, or contributing her own writing. “What I value most about the job is the opportunity to participate in serious public conversation,” Raleigh explains. She is enjoying learning how “good journalism can bring historical, philosophical, and theological ideas to bear on contemporary political life.”
Raleigh’s intellectual and faithful approach to journalism was kindled at the 2024 Savannah Seminar. As she explains, “CRCD showed me that intellectual seriousness and religious commitment do not have to exist in tension with one another. You can be deeply faithful and pursue philosophical truth at the same time.” The seminar, along with her work as a Research Assistant at James Wilson Institute, led her to think intentionally about vocation: how her intellectual gifts and interests are meant to serve others. That perspective shaped her studies at Yale and now informs her current work at National Review.
Outside the office, Raleigh is an enthusiastic reader, an avid explorer of her new home, New York City, and a writer of handwritten letters complete with wax seals.
Raleigh aims to continue developing as a long-form intellectual and cultural journalist, focusing on topics like education, political thought, and the institutions that form citizens. Eventually, she hopes to pursue doctoral study and to continue “doing serious intellectual work while also helping translate those ideas into the broader cultural and political conversation.”
Such a deliberate and thoughtful approach to journalism is a welcome addition to today’s media climate. We need more faithful contributors to conversations about politics and culture like Raleigh.
