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Black and white headshot of author Livia Gershon

Livia Gershon

Livia Gershon is a freelance writer in Nashua, New Hampshire. Her writing has appeared in publications including Salon, Aeon Magazine and the Good Men Project. Contact her on Twitter @liviagershon.

Children playing in the schoolyard during recess.
Education

Recess Matters

As schools cut recess from the curriculum, more and more research suggests that it's a vital part of a child's day.
Garden view "The House of the Seven Gables", Salem, Mass. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. "Garden view "The House of the Seven Gables", Salem, Mass." New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 10, 2016. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-9dc0-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
Politics & History

A Garden of One’s Own

As the suburbs emerged in the 19th century, middle-class women, barred from waged labor, took to their gardens to remain productive. 
Mogadishu,Somalia-April, 30, 2013 :A general view of the tent camp where thousands of Somali immigrants on April 30, 2013, in Mogadishu,Somalia.
Politics & History

The Power of Tent City Politics

How demonstrators can use their collective strength to force local governments to address a set of grievances. 
Graduates during commencement.
Education

Does More Education Mean Higher Pay?

High school graduation rates sky-rocketed in the 1930s, but as more educated people flooded the job market, pay and opportunities plateaued. 
Leading the Klu Klux Klan parade which was held in Washington, D.C.
Politics & History

The Ku Klux Klan Used to Be Big Business

At the height of its business operations, in 1923, the Klu Klux Klan was worth roughly $12 million dollars. 
One of the Proximity Cotton Mill sewing classes. Greensboro, N. C.
Politics & History

How 19th-Century Cotton Mills Influenced Workplace Gender Roles

The spinners' union made it nearly impossible for women to secure reliable work in the cotton mills, instituting their proper role in the workplace.
Port Gibson, Mississippi, August 1940.
Politics & History

Racism and American Exceptionalism

America's domestic policies have been motivated by racist policies that began even before the anti-welfare arguments of the Reagan era. 
Marshall "Major" Taylor
Politics & History

The Moral Threat of Bicycles in the 1890s

The bicycle craze of the 19th century, in which both men and women participated, was seen as a moral affront by church leaders. 
Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia testifies before the House Judiciary Committee's Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee on Capitol Hill May 20, 2010 in Washington, DC.
Politics & Government

How Supreme Court Nominations Became Political Battles

The battle to secure Supreme Court justices has a long and contentious history. 
Canisters of paint
Politics & History

Before Flint: How Americans Chose Lead Poisoning

The United States, unlike other Western nations, did not take a firm stance on lead-based products until much later--despite knowing the health risks. 
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves to supporters after speaking at a campaign event in Dallas, Monday, Sept. 14, 2015. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Politics & Government

Understanding the Evangelical Vote

A look at what evangelical voters want and expect from major Presidential candidates. 
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign stop at the Rochester Opera House, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, in Rochester, N.H. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Politics & Government

If Inequality Is the Question, Is Social Democracy the Answer?

How do social democratic ideas work in other countries? And would those same policies reduce the wealth gap in the U.S.?
A mother holding her newborn in a birthing tub after her home water birth.
Politics & History

From Home Births to Maternity Wards and Back Again

Once hospital deliveries became mainstream, mothers have had to make a choice: a home birth or go to the hospital? 
A sleeping car porter employed by the Pullman Company at Union Station in Chicago, Illinois.
Politics & History

The Historic Achievement of the Pullman Porter’s Union

The achievements of the Pullman Porter's Union were a significant civil rights victory for both U.S. labor and the civil liberties of African-Americans. 
Juliet Schor
Business & Economics

The Road to Utopia: A Conversation with Juliet Schor

JSTOR Daily's Livia Gershon interviews bestselling author and Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor about work and consumption.
Close range handgun
Arts & Culture

Why Do Some States Have Citizen Militias While Others Don’t?

The occupation of a wildlife refuge in Oregon and subsequent arrest of Ammon Bundy has once again drawn ...
A water tower at sunset.
Politics & History

Before Flint: How Ancient Civilizations Maintained Their Drinking Water

Ancient civilizations utilized various creative strategies to supply their populations with usable and drinkable water. 
The symbol for polyamory
Education & Society

This Side of Paradise: How Christian and Goth Men View Their Sexualities

Christian and Goth men both transgress typical notions of masculine sexuality, but how they go about it differ greatly. 
"Men with sign "International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union""
Politics & History

Why We Should Care About the Death of Labor Unions

Labor unions nationwide may be weakened by the Supreme Court. But unions have been instrumental in protecting the interests of underrepresented groups.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. By Herman Hiller / New York World-Telegram & Sun, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Politics & History

Ronald Reagan and the Rewriting of Martin Luther King’s Legacy

Ronald Reagan invoked Dr. King's legacy to fit with his larger political and rhetorical aims. 
A Whole Foods Market
Business

Whole Foods and the Problem With Enlightened Consumption

Whole Foods may promise ethical products, but its offerings often contradict expectations. 
Students taking their SATs
Education

Are We Witnessing the Death of the SAT?

Initially meant to test IQ, the SAT slowly proved to be an inefficient predictor of student success at the college-level.
Woman cooking in domestic kitchen.
Business

How Advertisers Sold Housework to Housewives

The ad campaigns behind household products emphasized the seriousness of housework.
Radcliffe Quad undergrad housing at Harvard University
Education

Affirmative-Action for White Protestants

A different side to affirmative-action: How legacy admissions maintained white Protestant student enrollment at elite universities.
U.S Deficit
Politics & History

Do Americans Like Government Spending? Depends How You Ask

Whether or not Americans approve of government spending depends strongly on how the issues are framed.

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