Publication Title

Reception: Texts, Readers, Audiences, History

Why are Jane Austen books still so beloved? A linguist argues it has more to do with Austen's masterful use of language than with plot.

Americans have long obsessed over their favorite musicians.

Even at more open-minded times, gays and gay culture is always seen as a frivolous—a decorative, added bonus of civilization.

Where poison ivy comes from, why it gives some people such terrible reactions, and why—unfortunately for hikers and gardeners—its future is bright.

How changing mores, cultural pressures, and, yes, the jewelry industry made two-ring wedding ceremonies the norm in America.

Ongoing study and debate about gender neutral pronouns.

For many immigrants to the U.S. in the late 19th century, July 4th was deeply significant: Their own home countries were fighting for independence.