Racist Humor: Exploratory Readings
An introduction to the history and theory of racist humor and the social role it plays in Western societies.
“Microcosms of Empire” in the Colonial Grand Hotel
While Singapore's iconic Raffles Hotel may be marketed as a tranquil throwback to a bygone age, it also reveals the complicated truths of imperialism.
Look Both Ways
With the arrival of the automobile, governments had to scramble to find ways to protect and control pedestrian use of the road.
How Arab-Americans Stopped Being White
With the emergence of the US as a global superpower in the twentieth-century, anti-Palestinian stereotypes in the media bled over to stigmatize Arab Americans.
The Destructive Myth of the Universal Genius
Excusing bad behavior from actors viewed as exceptional has led to supremely destructive moments in history. How'd we get from da Vinci to Hitler?
Sanitizing Foreign Food at the World’s Fair
At the 1915 San Francisco Panama-Pacific International Exposition, “food purity” was shorthand for food manufactured without the help of a racially diverse labor force.
How Prisoners Contributed During World War II
Prisoners not only supported the war effort in surprising ways during World War II, they fought and died in it.
Counting Orgasms With Marie Stopes
Before gall wasp expert Alfred Kinsey turned to the study of human sexuality, another biologist made her move.
The Pitfalls of the Pursuit of Happiness
The pursuit of happiness is often considered an ideal, but it may be possible to have too much—or the wrong kind—of a good thing.