The Golden Age of the American Soapbox
Across the country, impromptu speakers drew crowds and arrests alike, turning public oratory into a defining feature of civic life.
Islands of the Imagination
A short history of islands as sites of political escape and reinvention, from the myth of Atlantis to modern seasteading.
Chinese Lion Dance Finds New Life in Newfoundland
A small Chinese Canadian community reshapes a performance tradition across generations, redefining how the art form is practiced and understood.
The Revolutionary Beginnings of the Republican Party
Popular resistance to the Fugitive Slave Law and “Slave Power” helped forge a new electoral force.
Race, Fertility, and the Science of Slavery in Antebellum America
Pseudoscience about mixed-race women’s fertility helped justify slavery in nineteenth-century America.
How a Giant Squid Attack Became an Urban Legend
A WWII survivor’s account shifted over decades, turning a murky sea encounter into a widely repeated legend.
The Real Antifa
Scholars find Antifa groups are small, decentralized, and largely defensive, challenging common political and media portrayals.
The Hidden Politics of German Carnival
From the Middle Ages to the Third Reich, carnival has served as a stage for protest and power.
How the Rio Grande Was Engineered into a Border
Twisting waters once blurred the boundary, but twentieth-century engineering turned the Rio Grande into a fixed, policed line.
When Satirical Magazines Confront Real Crises
In Chile and Argentina, satirical publications used humor to expose political crises overlooked by the mainstream press.