Better Living Through Nudity
In England in the 1920s and ’30s, nudism was ideological and utopian. Then the Nazis coopted the concept for their eugenicist Nacktkultur movement.
William Gannaway Brownlow, the Fighting Parson of Tennessee
The controversial politician William Gannaway Brownlow shepherded Tennessee's re-admission to the Union. It was the first state of the Confederacy to do so.
When Communes Don’t Fail
Communes have gotten a reputation for being flaky or cultish. But intentional communities have a long history, and many have been successful.
When Clairvoyants Searched for a Lost Expedition
When Captain Sir John Franklin's Arctic expedition went awry, clairvoyants claimed to be able to contact the crew members. Why did people believe them?
Who Chooses Not to Vaccinate Their Children?
Vaccinations have always been political. But in this day and age, why do certain subsets of well-off parents choose not to vaccinate their children?
Human Rights, Coffee Rust, and Dead Mammals
Well-researched stories from The Conversation, 99 Percent Invisible, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
The “Queer Innocence” of the Brady Bunch
The squeaky-clean Brady Bunch family symbolized the avoidance of the sexual revolution, feminism, and other social forces that were coming to the fore.
The Key to Environmentally-Friendly Urban Planning
Manhattan and Dubai are both bustling, crowded cities with dense populations. So do Manhattanites have smaller ecological footprints?
What Does Archaeology Have to Do with Nationalism?
Many nations have adopted origin stories in order to link themselves more closely to heroic, historical figures.
The Gender-Bending Style of Yankee Doodle’s Macaroni
The outlandish "macaroni" style of 18th-century England blurred the boundaries of gender, as well as class and nationality.