Kongo, Interpreted
In the sixteenth century, Kongo’s government trained young nobles to provide interpretation and cultural mediation between Europeans and Kongolese.
What Is Serendipity?
We often credit unexpected events to serendipity. But who amongst us knows The Three Princes of Serendip, the tale from which the word derives?
Race and American Pop Culture in Zainichi Stories
A close reading of the 1996 novel GO suggests zainichi identity is in dialogue with multiple national cultures, including American.
Putting a Cork in It: In Construction, That Is
The bark of the evergreen oak Quercus suber has been used for millennia as a construction material. Could it be our answer to sustainable buildings?
US–Iran Relations: 1953
What really happened in Iran back in the day, and what did the United States have to do with it?
Tyler S. Sprague on the Intersection of Structure and Design
An interview with Tyler S. Sprague, a historian of the built environment whose work depends on multidisciplinarity and a deep knowledge of structure and materials.
The Rise and Fall of the Equestrian Cultures of the Plains
The introduction of the horse to North America by the Spanish transformed the lives of the Indigenous peoples of the Plains in decidedly mixed ways.
The Indonesian Frontier Town Named for a Jungle Vampire
The city of Pontianak is notable for sharing its name with a vengeful folkloric revenant known by various monikers across the Malay Archipelago.