The U.S. Republican Party is badly split and America’s politics dysfunctional. Is there a way out of this mess? The Peace Monument, also known as the Naval Monument or Civil War Sailors Monument, framed by the Capitol dome in Washington, 4 January 2021 (AP...
Russians are keen for change but are not necessarily pinning their hopes on dissident Alexei Navalny as an alternative to Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, 23 January 2013 (EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY) Tens of thousands of Russians have taken to the streets in...
Harried journalists often depict complex situations in black and white, and the temptation is especially strong when one is on a bandwagon with reporters convinced of a single narrative. Alexei Navalny has captured the imagination of the West and for many embodies the future of democracy in Russia as an alter-ego to Vladimir Putin. Sarah Lindemann-Komarova has lived in Siberia for 28 years and brings a more nuanced perspective to the story. Little wonder that her article, which notes the skepticism with which many Russians view the Kremlin critic, quickly attracted comments from readers following Navalny’s saga. Ask your students who their political heroes are and why. And who does not like them — and why.
Gutsy prosecutors crippled the Cosa Nostra decades ago. Now, a new trial aims to strike a blow against the ‘Ndrangheta, Italy’s dominant mafia. Anti-Mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri arrives for the trial against more than 300 defendants of the ‘Ndrangheta...
Sprawling and populous, India presents unique healthcare challenges. Its vast COVID-19 vaccination program offers an example to even rich nations. A hospital staff member receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, 16 January 2021. (AP Photo/...
COVID-19 vaccination programs are moving slowly in poor nations, threatening the world’s health and raising risks for rich countries’ economies. From ourworldindata.org Sometime very soon, the world will reach a significant milestone in its battle to...
As nations struggle with the terrible health and economic consequences of COVID-19, the rush is on to roll out vaccines to as many people as possible. Leaders of developed economies might be excused for protecting their citizens above all — if it didn’t mean leaving out masses of people in the Global South. Jeremy Solomons taps official data and experts to spell out the dangers for both poor and rich nations alike if steps are not taken to ensure vaccines reach the four corners of the world. Ask students how they would ensure the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines — and whether they would be willing to help pay for it.
Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” — that Joe Biden stole the U.S. presidential election — has stoked a domestic revolt and tarnished America’s global stature. An image of then President Donald Trump appears on video screens before his speech to...
A top secret White House document, surprisingly declassified, says the U.S. should seek “primacy” against rival China and promote ties with India. Chinese leader Xi Jinping invites then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) to review an honour guard during a...
Donald Trump knit close ties with Israel and Saudi Arabia. The new U.S. administration under Joe Biden is reassessing relations with the Middle East. Then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden sits with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before a dinner in...
A pro-democracy movement in South Korea offers lessons to two U.S. social movements — against police brutality and for a defeated ex-president. Black Lives Matter protesters hold their phones aloft in Portland, Oregon, 20 July 2020. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) This story...
Sociologists are the first to admit they are apt to speak their own tongue, so reporting on sociological research can tie even experienced reporters in knots. And high school students are not always interested in events of half a century ago. So it’s a rare pleasure when a student connects a pro-democracy movement in South Korea during the 1960s and ‘70s with social movements in the United States today, and renders sociology understandable to the untrained ear in the process. Christina MacCorkle of The Thacher School takes academic research about a country far from her school’s California campus and connects it to current events in the U.S., using simple language to convey complex academic arguments. Many students are trained to write academic essays, but MacCorkle enlightens those of us outside of academia.
Vladimir Putin has ruled Russia with an iron fist for two decades. Now, dissident Alexei Navalny is testing the Kremlin leader’s enduring grip on power. Demonstrators clash with police during a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in...