Why Picture Books Were Once Considered Dangerous for Children
For Puritan New England, picture books were dangerous. But the Enlightenment, by way of John Locke, made illustrations more acceptable in the classroom.
Testing Americans’ Tolerance for Surveillance
What would have been considered a dystopian level of surveillance a mere twenty years ago has now become the norm. Why don't internet users care?
On Embracing Boredom
What does "boredom" even mean? As both a word and a concept, boredom is not a universal phenomenon but a historical construction specific to our times.
Suggested Readings: Resolutions and Willpower, Powerful Curse Words, and Global Basketball
Well-researched stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship. Brought to you each Tuesday from the editors of JSTOR Daily.
Why People Want to Be Fitness Instructors
Being a fitness instructor isn’t a very highly-paid job, but, researchers found that the job provides other rewards for the people who love it.
The Lost Tradition of New Year’s Day Calling
The colonial Dutch tradition of making social calls on New Year's Day in New York was no match for 19th-century-style partying.
Why Americans Love Diets
On a diet or cleanse in the new year? You're continuing in the very American tradition of self-perfection.
The Different Meanings of Monopoly
Monopoly's real inventor was Lizzie Magie, a progressive Georgist, who believed that land should be collectively owned by all.
Why Do So Many Indonesian Men Smoke?
Indonesia has the highest smoking rates in the world. Why? It might have to do with economic liberalization in the 1990s.
Rudyard Kipling’s Little-Known Poem on New Year’s Resolutions
With New Year’s Day on the horizon, many people will write their resolutions. Rudyard Kipling's poem explores the trials and tribulations of resolutions.