Noted mediator William Ury describes the “third side,” a technique for resolving conflict in trouble spots such as the Middle East.
Author Archives: Paul Looby
Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
In his 2005 commencement address at Stanford University, Steve Jobs tells graduating students that the key to his success was finding out what he loved.
Sweden’s “Gender-Neutral” Preschool
In Stockholm, Sweden, educators are using a controversial approach to shield young children from gender stereotypes.
Slave Rebellions: A Timeline
How did enslaved people fight against their condition? This timeline gives information about the major escape operations and rebellions from slavery that occurred in the Western Hemisphere.
The Words That Remade America
Historian Gary Wills discusses the significance of the Gettysburg Address.
Compromise 1: Philadelphia Story
Joseph Ellis, a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, explores the issues of regional power and slavery that overshadowed the Constitutional Convention in 1789. Through hard bargaining, delegates such as Benjamin Franklin and James Madison drafted a Constitution that has endured for centuries. However, their compromises planted the seeds of the Civil War.
The Peopling Of America
People have been immigrating to America for tens of thousands of years. Use this interactive timeline to see how immigration patterns have changed over time.
Address at the Conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March
Read or listen to one of the most important speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I’ve Been Haunted by Anne Frank’s Memory for So Long
After Anne Frank’s death, her father married the mother of Eva Schloss, who had gone into hiding with her family and survived a concentration camp. In this interview, Schloss talks about her experiences growing up as Anne Frank’s stepsister.
Immigration Explorer
The vast majority of Americans can trace their roots to another country. This interactive map from The New York Times makes it easy to see where and when different groups settled in the United States. Use the pull-down menu in the upper left corner to select a national group, then move the arrow on the timeline to see how many people entered the United States during each decade.
Sarah Hendrickson Jumping Back In
An American athlete has rushed through the rehabilitation of her injured knee so she can compete in the first Olympic women’s ski jumping competition.
Vicky Pryce: “Prison Clearly Does Not Work”
Fresh from jail, the economist and author of Prisonomics explains why the system costs too much, locks up the wrong people, and does not prevent reoffending.
Nelson Mandela, the Father
Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault reflects on the character and achievements of South Africa’s first black president.
Looking Back in Anger: Jamaica Kincaid
This profile explores the roots of Jamaica Kincaid’s success as a writer.
Have Sports Teams Brought Down America’s Schools?
Why are American students falling behind those of most other developed nations? The author of this blog entry argues that one important reason is the popularity of our high school athletic programs.
India, Home of the Nonviolent Protest, Embraces More Extreme Dissent
Protesters in India are taking novel approaches to the tradition of nonviolent resistance.
That Lady With the Scales Poses for Her Portraits
Courthouses often display sculptures of Lady Justice wearing a blindfold to show that she is impartial. Read about two scholars who have researched how artists have portrayed justice in many different cultures and time periods.
Humboldt in the New World
Journeying through South America, Alexander von Humboldt sought nothing less than “the unity of nature.”
Disobedient
The leader of nonviolent protests in the West Bank—a potential Palestinian Gandhi—is in an Israeli jail.
Where the Women Rule
In India, one of the most rapidly developing countries in the world, women still fight for equality. But on trains, there’s one place women can feel safe.