"Juan felipe ferrera 9150360" by slowking4 - Own work. Licensed under GFDL 1.2 via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juan_felipe_ferrera_9150360.jpg#/media/File:Juan_felipe_ferrera_9150360.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>

The History of the Poet Laureate

Juan Felipe Herrera is the new U.S. Poet Laureate. It is a position that has had a long life, dating back to the Greeks.
Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1526/1530–1569) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Syllables Without Vowels? Pfft, Inconceivable!

Is the syllable universal? Maybe. We look at how languages use (and don't use) syllables, and what this says about language itself.
Francesco Hayez [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Wordsworth and the Invention of Childhood

Prior to the 18th century, children were considered little adults. It was only during the Romantic Era that the concept of childhood emerged.
Portrait of Noah Purifoy. Photo credit: Jim McHugh, courtesy of Noah Purifoy Foundation.
www.noahpurifoy.com

Salvage and Savior: Noah Purifoy’s Assemblage

Noah Purifoy transformed the wreckage from the 1965 Watts riots into art, and in doing so, he transformed much more.
Taylor Swift/VEVO

Taylor Swift’s White Colonial Romance

Taylor Swift is a member of the Lion King generation, which means that, for her, African landscapes are nothing more than a rich tapestry of flora and fauna
Taylor Swift Credit: Taylor Swift/Vevo

Taylor Swift: 1989’s Confessional Poet

Since she first came to prominence, Taylor Swift's songs have been read autobiographically.
Palmyra

Archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, Enemy of ISIS

The noted archaeologist was targeted for his research and work on the ruins of Palmyra, an ancient semitic city dating back to the Neolithic age.
Refugees Hungary

“Let the Traumatic Image Haunt Us”

When tragedies strike, it is through photographs, rather than think pieces and reportage that the reader can see the sheer scale of the problem.
"FrankHerbert Dune 1st" by Digital scan of book cover from [1]; copyright maintained by publisher or artist, as applicable.. Via <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FrankHerbert_Dune_1st.jpg#/media/File:FrankHerbert_Dune_1st.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>

Dune at 50

Frank Herbert's novel Dune, the best selling science-fiction novel of all time, celebrates it's 50th birthday and is still read in innovative ways.
The ideal 1950's nuclear family together in the living room

The Invention of the Family Room

The family room was a post-WWII invention, a sign of new affluence and middle class aspirations.