Were Early American Prisons Similar to Today’s?
A correctional officer’s history of 19th century prisons and modern-day parallels. From Sing Sing to suicide watch, torture treads a fine line.
The Linguistic Evolution of Taylor Swift
If Taylor Swift shifts her accent in her transition from country to pop, does she lose the personal authenticity important to country music?
How YouTube Is Shaping the Future of Work
Americans expect our jobs to provide us with not just money but fulfillment. For many, YouTube represents exactly that promise.
The Many Metaphors of Brexit
How do metaphors shape political perceptions? And what do they mean for the future of Europe?
What Roe v. Wade Means for Internet Privacy
Roe v. Wade left Americans with the idea that privacy is something we can expect as citizens. But does the SCOTUS consider privacy a constitutional right?
The Cries Heard Around the World
ProPublica's audio of crying children in detention centers touched a nerve. Humans are keenly attuned to the sounds of crying, in part because of evolution.
Can America Get Behind Full Employment?
Full employment was a prominent goal in U.S. politics after World War II, but has faded from policy debates in recent decades.
What Is President’s Day Actually About?
For most of American history, Washington's Birthday was a really big deal, but, as scholar Barry Schwartz explains, that's changed a lot since the middle of the twentieth century.
Eroticism and Religion in Utopia
Some 19th-century utopian idealists took up deeply unconventional sexual arrangements based specifically on their religious beliefs.
What Does It Mean to Own an Animal?
Those who view animals as property misunderstand the nature of property, a legal scholar suggests.