The Rise of Shareholder Activism
Is a large publicly-trade company responsible only for making its shareholders the most money possible? Or is it also responsible for making the world a better place?
Stocks Hate Inflation–Here’s Why
While many blame the threat of inflation for the stock market crash, the real culprit may be concerns that the economy is about to slow.
The Feminist Evolution of the Iowa Porkettes
In Iowa, between 1964 and 1991, groups of women—the wives of pork farmers—boosted the supposed benefits of pork-heavy diets. They were the Iowa Porkettes.
Sex and the Supermarket
Supermarkets represented a major innovation in food distribution—a gendered innovation that encouraged women to find sexual pleasure in subordination.
An Ad Campaign for Ads
Back in the 1920s and ‘30s, the magazine Women’s Home Companion tried explicitly appealing to its readers to take the ads seriously.
Before Net Neutrality, There Was Radio Regulation
Before today's fight over net neutrality, the US government debated commercial profitability & popular access in the context of a different medium: radio.
The Populist Power of the American Trucker
How did truckers nudge the American economy toward deregulation?
Why Brands Want To Be Your BFF
Most contemporary consumers consider ourselves too savvy to be taken in by a corporation’s attempts to integrate seamlessly ...
How the Iran Hostage Crisis Changed International Journalism
On November 4th, 1979, Iranian militants took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. They seized 63 Americans, a number later ...
How Thrift Stores Were Born
According to the Association of Retail Professionals, about 16 to 18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores in any given year.