Hopepunk is where optimism and imagination meet action.

The “hope” is kindness, trust, and connection—the future we want—but it’s the “punk” that seeks to make it real, and to defend it at any cost.

The term “hopepunk” was coined by Alexandra Rowland, who describes it this way:

Hopepunk says that kindness and softness doesn’t equal weakness, and that in this world of brutal cynicism and nihilism, being kind is a political act.

As American publishers, this resonates with us. In our lifetimes, we’ve watched our culture get meaner, more cynical, and more isolated. But we think a better world is possible, one built instead on kindness, trust, and connection.

Hopepunk imagines a kinder future. What does that look like? How do we make it real? And how do we hold onto it once we have it?

Hopepunk emphasizes collective power. Community and connection are more effective responses to adversity than individual heroics.

Hopepunk normalizes acts of kindness. Kindness, trust, and connection are cast as strength, and as healthy behaviors in strong communities.

Hopepunk is not conflict-free. Many forces stand opposed to the futures we imagine, and our stories must reckon with that fact, sometimes severely. The difference lies in how the conflict is addressed, not in whether it’s present at all. (In this way, hopepunk has a strong affinity for The Heroine’s Journey.)

Our culture is always changing. Cultural change requires a social movement, and successful social movements accrete around imagined futures. Our goal is to find and publish those futures, to encourage more of them, and to inspire a broader shift toward hope.