aerial view of beach with people

Why Europeans Have Such Long Summer Vacations

In the 1920s, politicians saw workers’ time off as a way to mold society, encouraging workers to engage in politics and patriotism during their time off.
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Maroon Societies, Down Syndrome, and Food Justice

New books and scholarship from academic publishers.
Summer Afternoon Asher Brown Durand

Summertime Poems and Paintings

Summery poems by Mary Oliver, Matthew Zapruder, and other poets, along with seasonal paintings by Claude Monet and other artists.
refrigerator

The Complicated Politics of… Refrigerators

When American kitchens started getting high-tech in the 1950s, the refrigerator seemed to alienate and frustrate many men.
declassified NSA poster

What Drives American Disenchantment with the NSA

The National Security Agency's surveillance of citizens flew under the radar for decades. Why is there now so much mistrust of the NSA?
James Tiptree, Jr Alice Sheldon

The Woman Behind James Tiptree, Jr.

James Tiptree, Jr., was a beloved sci-fi writer known for masculine prose and universal themes. Then her real identity was revealed: Alice Bradley Sheldon.
Martha Nussbaum interview

Martha Nussbaum: Overcoming Fear, Embracing Democracy

The American philosopher Martha Nussbaum’s new book, The Monarchy of Fear, examines the politics of primal fear in the 2016 election.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Holds Daily Press Briefing At White House

What Is MS-13, Anyway?

The feared gang MS-13 was born out of conditions resulting from U.S. policies in El Salvador in the early 1980s.
Oil Rigs Fish

Can Oil Rigs Grow into Ocean Reefs?

Scientists suggest keeping old offshore oil platforms as productive fish habitats.
Colorful tabs marking pages in a book

Helsinki, Ayahuasca, and Biblical Sex

Well-researched stories from Vox, Nursing Clio, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.