Port Gibson, Mississippi, August 1940.

Racism and American Exceptionalism

America's domestic policies have been motivated by racist policies that began even before the anti-welfare arguments of the Reagan era. 
Baths of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in Rome, 295 A.D.

The Health Risks of Living in Ancient Rome

From parasites to malaria, the health risks facing ancient Rome were numerous. 
Jaipur Literary Festival

Dispatch from Jaipur Literary Festival 2016: The Greatest Literary Show on Earth

The JLF brings together writers from all over the world for readings, lectures, discussions and celebration at the Diggi Palace in Jaipur, India. 
Doctor Death

Why Did the Plague Continue to Reemerge After the Middle Ages?

New research suggests alarming details about the plague, which repeatedly devastated populations across Europe, Asia, and Africa over the centuries. 
Abriel Thomas, a cousin of Emmett Till, holds a triptych showing childhood photos of Till in his Chicago home Monday, May 10, 2004, after news that federal authorities are reopening the investigation into the 14-year-old's 1955 race-motivated murder. "I wish Mamie could have been here," Thomas said. "It was the only thing she ever wanted out of life _ a little bit of justice." (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Harper Lee and #BlackLivesMatter

Lee's novel has been criticized for its depictions of race, but the questions it raised continue to resonate in an America where racial animus persists. 
Eddie Aikau

Eddie Aikau: The Rad Life of a Hawaiian Surfing Legend

Eddie Aikau was a surfing legend during a time when Hawaiian legends were being resurrected. As a lifeguard, he attempted more than 500 daring rescues.
Siri

Could Siri Change the Course of Human Evolution?

Siri is changing the way people speak by homogenizing how things are spoken. Which begs the question: Why do we have accents?
Reporters holding out recording devices and microphones to their subject

The Linguistics of Mass Persuasion Part 2: Choose Your Own Adventure

How politicians use language to manipulate the public and sway them toward particular world-views. 
The Danish Girl

Cisgender Actors in Transgender Roles: The Theatrical Roots of The Danish Girl

If Eddie Redmayne wins an Oscar for The Danish Girl, he will be the most recent in a string of cisgender actors lauded for portraying a transgender figure.
Cover of English Renaissance Poetry: A Collection of Shorter Poems

Revisiting John Williams, Novelist and Editor

Today marks the publication of English Renaissance Poetry, an anthology of poems selected by the novelist John Williams.