Jonathan Charles Rauch (; born April 26, 1960 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American author, journalist, and activist.
After graduating from Yale University, Rauch worked at the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina, for National Journal, and later for The Economist and as a freelance writer.
He is currently a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. He is the author of books and articles on public policy, culture, and economics.
His books include The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After Midlife (2018), Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America (2004); Government's End: Why Washington Stopped Working (2000); and Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought (1993; revised second edition in 2013).
In 2015, he published a short ebook, Political Realism, arguing that overzealous efforts to clean up politics have hampered the ability of political parties and professionals to order politics and build governing coalitions.