Kongo, Interpreted
In the sixteenth century, Kongo’s government trained young nobles to provide interpretation and cultural mediation between Europeans and Kongolese.
The Indonesian Frontier Town Named for a Jungle Vampire
The city of Pontianak is notable for sharing its name with a vengeful folkloric revenant known by various monikers across the Malay Archipelago.
Copenhagen: Bike City from Back in the Day
How did Copenhagen become a “city of cyclists,” where a third of all journeys are by bicycle?
Of Heights and Men
Given its strong gendered associations, it may be surprising that height hasn’t been well studied by historians.
Science Lit for Kids Holds a Mirror Aloft
Over decades, books that rouse children’s interest in the natural world have morphed in style and approach—an evolution reflective of tectonic societal change.
Stonewall National Monument Declaration: Annotated
In June 2016, President Obama proclaimed the first LGBTQ+ national monument in the United States at the site of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City.
Fifty-One Languages, but When Does English Enter the Picture?
Educators and parents in Ethiopia agree that students should learn English in school. But when should instruction in that second (third, fourth) language begin?
First Comes Love
A top divorce lawyer collected strangers’ marriage certificates and other wedding-related ephemera—a testament to her perhaps surprising faith in matrimony.
Citizen Journalism: A Reading List
The ubiquity of smartphones has ushered in a new era for journalism—facilitating citizen journalism and changing the very nature of reporting.
Healing Dance at an African Church in Ireland
For congregants at the Yoruban-influenced Christ Apostolic Church in Dublin, sacred dance is a form of mental health care.