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Ugly Echoes of Historical Miscegenation Panic in Federal Trial of Arbery's Killers

by Elise Lemire

Text messages revealed in the federal trial of Ahmaud Arbery's killers reveal a potent fear of interracial sexuality that has long shadowed conflicts over power in American society. 

The Gilded Age's Original "Galentine's Day"

by Anya Jabour

The search for alternatives to the compulsory heterosexual coupledom of Valentine's Day could learn from the example of the "Perfect Little Ladies" of 1890s Rochester, New York.

Trump and Grover Cleveland Have a Lot in Common – Will that Include Winning Two Non-Consecutive Terms?

by Michael A. Genovese

With roots in New York state, a predilection for young women, and campaign scandal, Donald Trump has plenty in common with Grover Cleveland as he seeks to replicate Cleveland's unique political accomplishment. 

Anyone for Existential Torment this Valentine's Day?

by Barbara H. Rosenwein

From ancient Greece to the Romantic period, philosophers and artists have endorsed an idea of love that was closer to torture than to the anodyne sentiments of contemporary Valentines. 

The 20th Century's Lessons for the Climate Crisis? Pragmatism, Unity, and Urgency

by Walter G. Moss

The Great Depression and Fascism were two great crises made worse and ultimately more destructive by hesitation, division, and ideological resistance to action. The stakes of the climate crisis are incalculably higher, and humanity can't afford to repeat last century's mistakes. 

The Catholic Catechism, Abortion, and the Supreme Court

by Roger Chapman

Conservative Catholics on the Supreme Court will decide whether abortion remains constitutionally protected. The Catholic Catechism today portrays the Church as opposed to abortion from its beginnings, but most doctrinal commentary dates to the 1980s, when the pro-life and conservative legal movements became a political force.

Abortion and the Catholic Catechism

by Roger Chapman

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Patrick Henry and the Defense of Democracy

by John A. Ragosta

Patrick Henry has become a hero of the Tea Party and the January 6 insurrectionists. But his famous demand for liberty or death doesn't capture his personal commitments to liberty under the rule of law and acceptance of the outcomes of elections. 

No Land, No Life: The Structure of Debilitating Black Land Loss in the South

by Annelise Straw

Despite pledges of aid by the Biden administration, access to credit remains an obstacle for African American farmers, who continue to face the loss of land and its attendant financial and emotional losses.

New York State's Lessons on Preventing a Crisis of Judicial Legitimacy

by Bruce W. Dearstyne

Forceful activism amid rapid social change results in legislation shot down by the most powerful court, leading to calls for sweeping court reform. This was New York State in the early 20th century. How the State Court of Appeals weathered this storm holds lessons for SCOTUS today, if the Justices and their critics care to learn from history.

What Happens When the "End Times" are Now?

by Martyn Whittock

Evangelical Christianity's enthusiasm for viewing current events as markers of the End Times is nothing new, but those tempted to mockery should nevertheless recognize how politically potent those ideas can be. 

One if by Land, Two if by Sea, and Three if by the Capitol Steps

by Elise Lemire

On the first anniversary of the Capitol attack, and the 162nd of Longfellow's poetic canonization of the Boston patriot, Paul Revere's ride remains a contested and protean symbol for a nation in crisis. 

Debt Jubilees: An Ancient Solution for a Modern Problem

by Richard Vague

"Like our ancient forefathers, we need to reset our economy by offering hard-pressed debtors a jubilee now, not in some utopian future."

A Year Later: Our Tattered and Fragile Democracy

by James D. Zirin

American political institutions face a crisis: can they defend themselves against a growing movement that will deploy violence to achieve its goals, or will January 6 become the new normal? 

We Almost Lost Our Democracy – and Still Could: A Conversation with Congressman Adam Schiff

by Robin Lindley

"There's no division in our purpose. We're all united in wanting to get to the truth and expose the truth to the American people and then legislate in a way that protects our country going forward."

A Passport Tells a Story of a Bygone Time

by Ron Steinman

The author's passport, with its pages added to accommodate the visas accrued through decades of foreign journalism, reflects an era of travel that might never return from the twin threats of COVID and the decline of international trust in the United States. 

It's Time to Confront Special Privilege in Admission to Elite U.S. Colleges

by Lawrence Wittner

Merit-based admission at the nation’s most elite colleges is severely undermined by those colleges' preferential treatment of the children of the 1%. 

In Critical Ways, the 1918 Flu Remains a Forgotten Pandemic

by George Dehner

The news has made many comparisons between the current pandemic and the 1918 influenza – especially the grim milestones of infections and deaths – but it's clear that lessons about public policy and public health practices based on the failures of the past remain unlearned.

That Stench is Coming from the Supreme Court

by James D. Zirin

The Supreme Court's oral arguments in the Mississippi abortion case seem to show a conservative bloc wholly unconcerned with precedent, principle, or the legitimacy of the judiciary as they rush ahead to end abortion rights. 

The Value of a "Greater Chaco" National Park

by Richard Moe

President Biden's decision to create a buffer zone around the Chaco Culture National Park protects not just a natural landscape but a potentially priceless trove of yet-to-be discovered artifacts and sites sacred to Native people today.