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THE RISE OF AOC: The crucible

How Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came to her very particular theory of persuasion and power. Part two of my portrait of her rise

Anand Giridharadas's avatar
Anand Giridharadas
Aug 12, 2026
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This is part two of my in-depth portrait of the rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (Find the first installment, and the series introduction, here.) Today’s chapter recounts what she calls her “crucible” — the period that gave rise to her highly particular theory of how power functions.

Special thanks to my publisher, Alfred Knopf, for permission to unlock…

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