What makes something ironic?
Irony is a slippery concept. Sometimes it's used in speech, other times it's used to describe a situation – oh,…
February 20, 2020
448
Arts
Craigslist turns 25 – a reminder that a more democratic version of the internet can still thrive
Remember when websites didn't rely on user data for profit margins, when values like anonymity and transparency were…
February 19, 2020
1078
America’s postwar fling with romance comics
During the 'love glut,' roughly 1 in 5 of all comic books were romance comics, as publishers scrambled to appease…
February 13, 2020
487
Restoring the reputations of charities after scandals
Save the Children's reputation appeared to bounce back faster than Oxfam's after public perception of both groups…
February 13, 2020
528
On the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues, a look back at what was lost
While segregation was a shameful period in baseball history, the Negro Leagues were a resounding success and an immense…
February 13, 2020
444
Galentine's Day has become a thing – why hasn't Malentine's Day?
Men seem less comfortable celebrating their friendships – to their own detriment.
February 12, 2020
455
Why so many architects are angered by 'Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again'
Federal building guidelines say that 'development of an official style must be avoided' – which is exactly what…
February 12, 2020
441
How Iran's millennials are grappling with crippling sanctions
Despite what you might see on the news, many of Iran's young people are far from rebellious. Instead, they have dealt…
February 10, 2020
423
The dystopian experience of skiing in New Jersey's new American Dream mall
Skiing in a mall is bizarre enough. But a mall dubbed the 'American Dream' – when malls are vanishing, along with…
February 7, 2020
507
Oscar-worthy scores unlock a film's emotional heart
Sometimes the absence of sound can pack as much of a punch as dramatic music.
February 6, 2020
500
'American Dirt' fiasco exposes publishing industry that's too consolidated, too white and too select
Publishers funnel massive amounts of resources into promoting titles that they think will become bestsellers. But they've…
February 5, 2020
443
Do authors really put deeper meaning into poems and stories – or do readers make it up?
Authors sometimes put deeper meanings into their stories, but really, it's the reader who decides.
February 3, 2020
421
Why Italian cinema is starting to glamorize the mafia
Italian filmmakers are starting to take a page from their American counterparts.
January 31, 2020
447
Why losing Kobe Bryant felt like losing a relative or friend
A social psychologist explains how you can be so deeply affected by the death of someone you've never met.
January 31, 2020
477
The meme endorsement you might have missed – and why it matters for 2020
Much was made of The New York Times' dual endorsement of Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. But four days prior, a…
January 29, 2020
732
Hate cancel culture? Blame algorithms
Algorithmic forces fuel cancel culture. Paradoxically, they're also used to rehabilitate those who have been canceled.
January 28, 2020
459
How Minneapolis made Prince
Prince was a musical genius, but he didn't come of age in a vacuum. A human geographer explains how Minneapolis'…
January 27, 2020
510
A brief history of black names, from Perlie to Latasha
A scholar disproves the long-held assumption that black names are a recent phenomenon.
January 23, 2020
552
If the Romance Writers of America can implode over racism, no group is safe
The group seemed to be doing all of the right things to diversify its ranks. It wasn't enough.
January 22, 2020
440
Bill de Blasio's bagel gaffe and the fraught politics of food
Food might seem like an easy way to appeal to the masses. But when politicians wade into local food customs, they do so…
January 18, 2020
794