Amber Fillerup Clark

How We Construct Our Online Identities

What does a successful mom blogger have to do with a character from James Joyce's Ulysses? The way we construct our identities has always been artificial.
Preet and Dalya Bharara

U.S. Attorneys and the Struggle for Justice

The U.S. Constitution’s system of checks and balances have made the judiciary President Trump’s key foe in his first 100 days. ...
kids with medals

Are We Spoiling Our Kids with Too Much Praise?

Is the “gold medal for all” approach fueling a generation of narcissists?
The demolition of the Pruitt-Igoe houses in St. Louis, 1972

“Inner City” Myths and Realities

The history behind why urban black neighborhoods face much higher rates of poverty, crime, and overburdened schools than white suburban areas do.
stimulant pills

How Should Therapists Handle Patients Seeking Stimulants?

Patients called with no time for curiosity. They wanted stimulants, and they wanted them now. Then we could talk.
Edvard Munch's "Anxiety"

How Anxiety Got Rebranded As Depression

Depression diagnoses have skyrocketed over the past 50 years, but not necessarily as result of underlying changes in our mental health.
American Girl Dolls

How American Girl Dolls Teach History (And Revolution)

Can purchasing a doll be a revolutionary act? The franchise makes an effort to connect its characters with the realities of American history.
red knee tarantula

Fear and Your Brain

Researchers at Cambridge studied how peoples' brains respond to fear.
scared kid

How Scary is Too Scary?

Halloween poses questions for parents, like how scary is too scary for their kids? The answer depends on when we ask the question.
Albert Anker, Fortune Teller

The Surprising Historical Significance of Fortune-Telling

The possible futures predicted by fortune-telling happen just often enough to tantalize, preying on our deepest aspirations of catching a "big break."