Measures to safeguard public health during the coronavirus pandemic might jeopardize hard-won environmental protections against waste from single-use plastics. Read this article to find out more.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
Laughing at the Expense of Labor and Capital
For nearly fifty years, the American humor magazine Puck sent up politicians, industrialists, capitalists, and even laborers in sophisticated, thought-provoking cartoons. View this gallery of cartoons lampooning the extravagance of the gilded age.
The History of Naturalization Requirements in the U.S.
The process of becoming a U.S. citizen has undergone many changes over 200 years. This detailed timeline tells the story.
A Protest Moment I’ll Never Forget
In this article, ten reporters share their most memorable experiences from the nationwide protests that followed the death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020.
How social media turns online arguments between teenagers into real-world violence
What role does social media play in creating conflict in our society? This article explains how online disagreements can lead to violence in real life.
Why People Misperceive Crime Trends (Chicago Is Not the Murder Capital)
Is the crime rate decreasing, or skyrocketing off the charts? In which cities is crime the worst? Click this link to learn about trends in Americans’ perceptions and misperceptions related to crime.
What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?
Learn why an academic approach toward examining lingering effects of slavery has turned into a hot-button topic.
Remembering History: Ruby Bridges
Read about how six-year-old Ruby Bridges advanced the civil rights cause when she became the first Black student to integrate a southern elementary school.
Biography: Ibtihaj Muhammad
Muhammad was the first female Muslim-American to win an Olympic medal. Read about her life and career in this article.
Growing Up Colored
Henry Louis Gates describes what it was like to grow up as an African American in a West Virginia town in the 1950s.
The Benefits of Digging in the Dirt
In this article, Laura Wright Treadway, environmentalist and mom, talks about the importance of playing—and learning—outdoors.
Study: Wanting Things Makes Us Happier Than Having Them
Studies show that the thoughts of buying something new can provide as much pleasure as having that new purchase in the hand! And, for the materialistic, the happiness gained from a new purchase is short-lived.
News for All: How the Immigrant Experience Shaped American Media
Read about how ethnic media has provided a link between immigrants’ old countries and their new homes in the United States throughout history.
You can do it, baby!
Journalist Leslie Garrett argues that adults shouldn’t tell children, “You could be anything,” but rather, “Be what you’re capable of.”
Listening Is an Act of Love
Do you know someone whose story should be heard—and remembered? StoryCorps is a spectacular project in which people just like you, your family, and your friends sit down to chat and record stories from their lives. Visit the site to hear some amazing tales and watch a few videos. When you’ve finished, click the “Record Your Story” link to find out how you, too, can see to it that the stories of your family and friends get heard.
Why Shakespeare’s Stories Still Resonate
In this podcast, two Shakespeare scholars dig into why we still care about the characters and situations crafted by an Englishman who lived four centuries ago.
The Color of Justice
The American civil rights movement may seem to be a topic of history, but the struggle for equality continues today.
The Secret Annex Online
Go back in time to explore the hiding place of Anne Frank on this website. With background information on the people, places, and things that happened, as well as an interactive 3D model of the secret annex, this site provides a truly immersive experience.
How Culture Shapes Emotions
Our emotions, such as shame, are largely determined by the environment and people in which we are surrounded.
You Can Give a Boy a Doll, but You Can’t Make Him Play with It
Why do boys want to play with trucks, while girls prefer dolls? Are these stereotypes that our society forces on children, or are such preferences innate? This article explores those very questions.