In this article, a reporter tells her story of becoming an American citizen and recalls some of her experience living with more than one cultural identity.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
American Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many
As the United States government took over the West, a concerted effort to “kill the Indian” through education developed. Hear the stories of Native Americans forcibly separated from their culture.
Marriage and Family in Shakespeare’s England
Read this article and view resources from Shakespeare’s time to learn how marriage customs then were similar to and different from those we observe in the 21st century.
The Fertility and Futility of Hatred
Cultural anthropologist Janice Harper argues that expressing hatred is self-destructive.
Malcolm Gladwell got us wrong: Our research was key to the 10,000-hour rule, but here’s what got oversimplified
Psychologist Anders Ericsson and his colleague explain how Malcolm Gladwell misunderstood Ericcson’s research when proposing that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become successful in any given field.
Why Reconstruction Matters
Columbia University history professor Eric Foner argues that Reconstruction ended before it could become truly successful, and he draws parallels to current affairs.
Republican lawmakers introduce bills to curb protesting in at least 18 states
In response to the growing number of large protests in recent years, state lawmakers have introduced bills to curtail protestors and the tactics they use.
Celebrate Our Mother Tongues
Educator and former U.S. Foreign Service officer Chris Livaccari discusses how Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” inspired him to examine his own family’s use of language.
Not From Venus, Not From Mars: What We Believe About Gender and Why It’s Often Wrong
In this review of Testosterone Rex by Cordelia Fine, criitc Annie Murphy Paul explains how the author flips how we think about gender on its head.
How African Immigrants Are Creating a New Identity for Themselves in Houston
Do immigrants from African countries take on a shared cultural identity in American communities? This article takes a look at the case of Houston, Texas.
Teaching Teenagers to Cope With Social Stress
Psychology Professor David S. Yeager has a simple message that can help teens manage their stress and anxiety: People can change. Read to find out how keeping this idea in mind can be useful when navigating the transition into high school.
Historic Brandeis Opinion in ‘Whitney v. California’
Learn about how a Supreme Court case nearly a century ago has influenced our approach to the freedom of speech.
10 Ways Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk
Learn about a few of the ways in which you quote Shakespeare every day, without even knowing it!
The New Separate and Unequal
The 1954 Supreme Court decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka opened the doors of previously segregated schools to African American students. Read about how far we still are from realizing the promise of that ruling.
The ‘America effect’: How immigrants fall crazy in love
This opinion piece, written in 2012, explores how moving to the United States changed the views of one immigrant family.
Novel Finding: Reading Literary Fiction Improves Empathy
One way we find common ground with others is by imagining ourselves in their circumstances. Reading novels and stories that put us into a character’s thoughts can develop our ability to make connections in the real world.
Change the Way You Look at Things and the Things You Look at Change
A bee; is it an insect to be feared or a mainstay in the production of our fresh food? Well, it depends how your mind perceives it. It’s quite possible to change the way we look at things.
Wangari Maathai
One of Africa’s leading environmentalists and a political activist, Wangari Maathai was the first African woman (in East and Central Africa) to earn a doctorate degree. And, in 2004 she was the first African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development in Kenya among other things.
Three shirts, four pairs of trousers: meet Japan’s ‘hardcore’ minimalists
How important are your belongings and could you live with just what you actually need, rather than what you want? Do you think a minimalist life is for you?
The History of Earth Day
Across many nations, including America, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. This is a day for people worldwide to focus on the great environment in which we live and breathe, and raise awareness about environmental problems.