Colonialism Birthed the Zombie Movie
The first feature-length zombie movie emerged from Haitians’ longstanding association of the living dead with slavery and exploited labor.
Ghost Stories at Flagler College
Telling a spooky story around a campfire—or in a dorm room—may be the best way to keep a local legend alive.
Ghosts of Landed Gentry, But Never the Ghosts of Serfs
Psychical researcher Harry Price combined the power of academic language with a cultural identity crisis to build a reputation as a “scientific” ghost-hunter.
Mussolini’s Colonial Inspiration
In its plans for the conquest of Eastern Europe, the Third Reich looked to the example set in Africa by Fascist Italy.
Proposition 6 (The Briggs Initiative): Annotated
Proposition 6, better known as the Briggs Initiative, was the first attempt to restrict the rights of lesbian and gay Americans by popular referendum.
Life with a Jinni
A jinni in the home can help a Muslim explore religious tenets, but it may also interfere with the direct relationship between human and god.
Where Do Nutrition Labels Come From?
We all ponder them when standing in the cereal aisle of the grocery store, but why do we even have nutrition labels on our foods?
We’re Going to Need a Bigger Note
Song sharks have been a problem for aspiring lyricists nearly as long as there’s been a music industry.
The USSR’s “Invisible Cuisine”
Unofficial cookbooks—handwritten recipes passed from kitchen to kitchen—provided their owners with social and cultural capital within the Soviet system.
Why Learn to Read?
The value placed on literacy has changed over time, shifting from a nineteenth-century moral imperative to a twentieth-century production necessity.