What sacrifices would you make for a sibling? Read this article to find out why Tracy Barnes gave up her spot on the U.S. Olympic biathlon team for her twin sister.
Tag Archives: Current Events
Mixtape of the Revolution
Protest songs often document or even fuel the desire for political change. This New York Times article examines the importance of music in the revolutions of the Arab Spring.
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.
Fairy-Tale Adaptations: It’s Ever After, All Right
Adaptations of fairy-tales are nothing new, but a few years ago, they started popping up on prime time television. What would the Brothers Grimm have thought? Check out this report to see what’s going on—and why.
India, Home of the Nonviolent Protest, Embraces More Extreme Dissent
Protesters in India are taking novel approaches to the tradition of nonviolent resistance.
Slavery’s Last Stronghold
The African country of Mauritania officially ended slavery in 1981; however, an estimated 10%–20% of the population is still enslaved. Read this article to find out more about the struggle to free the last slaves on earth.
We Don’t Have to Choose Between Fossil Fuels and Green Energy
Does America’s energy future depend on fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, or alternative energy, such as solar and wind power? According to author Michael Levi, Americans should embrace both forms of energy. Read this article to find out how Americans can find common ground on this important issue.
The Five Percent Problem
Conflicts may be universal, but most can eventually be resolved. However, researchers estimate that about 5% of conflicts are so entrenched and complex that they seem impossible to solve. In this video series, Peter T. Coleman discusses examples of such conflicts, including how they started and what could possibly end them.
The War Over King’s Legacy
Martin Luther King Jr.’s life ended before his work was complete, leaving others to interpret his intentions and delineate his legacy. Vern E. Smith and Jon Meacham discuss the history and the ongoing disagreements over who King was and what his work means today.
Manal al-Sharif: A Saudi Woman Who Dared to Drive
Women are forbidden to drive in Saudi Arabia. Listen to the story of women’s right advocate Manal al-Sharif, who dared to challenge the system by posting a video of herself driving on YouTube.
Disobedient
The leader of nonviolent protests in the West Bank—a potential Palestinian Gandhi—is in an Israeli jail.
Gene Sharp: How to Start a Revolution
What creates a more effective revolution—a gun or a book? The answer in this review of a documentary film might surprise you.
Hurricane Hunters Association
Why would anyone fly a plane into one of the world’s most powerful storms? Visit this site to learn about “hurricane hunting” with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. Learn about its mission, its history, its people, its planes, and its role in saving lives. While you’re there, be sure to click on the “Cyberflight” link to experience a flight into Hurricane Dennis!
Can Architecture Help Solve the Israeli-Palestinian Dispute?
The city of Jerusalem has long been a sticking point in Middle East peace negotiations. Read this article to find out how architects Yehuda Greenfield-Gilat and Karen Lee Bar-Sinai are working to find a creative way to divide Jerusalem between Israel and Palestine.
Victory Over Violence
A program in an ethnically mixed borough in England trains teenagers to teach younger children nonviolent methods of resolving racial confict.
How MRI Works
If you’re afraid of small, confined spaces, spending time inside an MRI scanner might terrify you. Still, this incredible invention has changed the face of medicine forever. Learn how MRI scanners “see” inside patients, why doctors use them, what it took to develop them, and much more.
Our Mission Is to Report These Horrors of War
In 2012, veteran war correspondent Marie Colvin died while reporting on conflict in Syria. Read this speech in which she argues that journalists must take risks to uncover the truth.
Housing the Victims of Natural Disaster
It’s very difficult to build affordable homes that can withstand earthquakes. Read this article on the Pinwheel house, a revolutionary design from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning. The home is designed to withstand even the most powerful of quakes and eventually may cost only $1,000 to build.
Blogging the Slow-Motion Revolution: An Interview with China’s Huang Qi
In this interview, learn about the challenges faced by the man who started China’s first human-rights website.
Women Have Been Part of U.S. Combat for Years, Although Not on Front Lines
On January 23, 2012, the ban on women in combat positions in the U.S. military was lifted, eliminating all unnecessary gender-based barriers to service. Though many rejoice about this change, others are concerned about the impact it will have. Read the article and watch the video in which Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced the end of a ban.