From empire to federation? The view from the Middle East August 22, 2023 The European Union, India, the United States of America, and the United Arab Emirates all have something in common: they are all types of federations. Read More
Uber’s view of urban life August 21, 2023 For years, Diana, who has lived her whole life in the D.C. area, took jobs at fast-food restaurants even though she hated the work. When she started to drive for Uber in 2016, she told us she was enthusiastic about its potential to free her from a reliance on fast-food jobs. Diana was conflicted about Uber, however. Read More
Emotional creatures and the cultivation of mental health August 21, 2023 In Britain and America, mental health is increasingly thought of as a transversal issue, as important for psychologists as for patients, probation workers as for prisoners, politicians as for constituents. Read More
In dialogue: Women in translation August 16, 2023 In recent years, “Women in Translation” month has emerged as a critical platform for questioning the underrepresentation of women authors in translated literature and exploring the significance of bringing their works to a global audience. At its core lie the vital and pressing questions: Why aren’t more works by women being translated, and why are women in translation so important? Read More
Insect apocalypse August 14, 2023 Insects underpin almost all terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. But in the last few decades, populations all over the world have collapsed with terrifying speed. Read More
Spotlight on Supporting Diverse Voices: Cara Ocobock July 31, 2023 In this Author Q&A, we highlight the work of Dr. Cara Ocobock, Supporting Diverse Voices grantee and Assistant Professor of Anthropology at University of Notre Dame. Read More
On origins, Africa, and the novelty of knowledge July 30, 2023 Every living being has origins. Yes, plural, because living organisms adapt and change over time. Read More
Nicolas Mathevon on The Voices of Nature July 27, 2023 Did you know that elephant seals recognize each other by voice? That flies emit sounds with their wings to communicate during courtship? That bird nestlings learn their song by imitating an adult? The world of animal communication is far more incredible than you might think. Read More
Plato the constitutionalist—and the Supreme Court July 27, 2023 A cabal of unelected men and women appointed with tenure for life, making the most important decisions for an entire society with no chance of appeal. That is a good description of the United States Supreme Court. It’s also a good description of the philosopher-rulers of Plato’s Republic. Read More
The everyday surveillance of undocumented immigrants July 26, 2023 Undocumented immigrants live within a tangled web of institutional surveillance that both threatens and maintains their societal presence as they deal with life’s ups and downs. Read More
Office hours with Sarah Damaske July 18, 2023 This month’s Office Hours is a conversation with Sarah Damaske, author of The Tolls of Uncertainty. Damaske is a professor of sociology and labor and employment relations at Pennsylvania State University. She shares some good reasons to be hopeful about the future of sociology and also reminds us of the potential for profound and surprising moments during interviews. Read More
In dialogue: Rethinking climate change and catastrophe July 18, 2023 This month, in pursuit of clarity and advice, we gathered some of our authors and asked the following question: How should we think about the future in the face of climate change? Their perspectives offer us the tools to collectively rethink catastrophe in order to generate alternative possibilities of hope, action, or simple awareness regarding the planet and its beings. Read More
The vanishing lives of coral July 17, 2023 At least in the twenty-first-century popular imagination, coral alternately symbolizes either a blissful day at the beach or the end of our planet as we know it. In the nineteenth century, however, coral had many other lives. Read More
How I fell in love with natural history, with Robert Still July 12, 2023 To celebrate the arrival of summer and the gifts of nature that come with it, we asked several of our naturalist writers and scholars to respond to the following question: How did you fall in love with natural history? This week, we hear from Dr. Robert Still, publishing director of WILDGuides and co-author of British and Irish Wild Flowers and Plants. Read More
The corporation as institutional adaptation June 27, 2023 Both external events and government policy have profoundly influenced the shape and extent of the American corporation. Read More