The Ongoing Practice of Female Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation seems totally foreign to the U.S., but versions of the long-outlawed surgery have seen a recent resurgence.
The Statistics of Coin Tosses for Theater Geeks
At the beginning of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a coin toss lands as heads 92 times in a row, the odds of which are a mere 1 in 5 octillion.
Frederick Law Olmsted: The Complicated Man Behind Central Park & The Nation
Struck by something naturally beautiful in an American city? Odds are that you have stumbled across the work of Frederick Law Olmsted.
Why Egypt’s Coptic Christians Face Rising Sectarianism
Egypt’s Coptic Christians supported President Abdelfattah al-Sisi's overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood. Why do they still face discrimination?
How Religious Literacy Might Have Changed the Waco Tragedy
Religious scholars argue that the Waco raid was not justified and that with more understanding of theology, the loss of life could have been avoided.
Stanley Fish’s Academic Clickbait
The “renegade” scholar Stanley Fish is really a bit dramatic.
The Religious Roots of the Easter Parade
The revival of Easter as a festival-type holiday coincided with a rise in Catholic immigration and relaxing religious standards in the 1880's.
Matzo and Oreos: Keeping Kosher in America
The koshering of America's food industry has mostly gone unnoticed. Yet most people who specifically buy kosher foods are not Jewish.
Sesame Street’s Controversial Early Years
Sesame Street's original purpose was to use TV to deliver research-based educational techniques and prepare low-income kids for school.
Why It Matters That Sesame Street’s Newest Resident Has Autism
Julia, a muppet with autism, is part of an effort to be more inclusive of all children, increasing tolerance through representation.