Party Entry
Steven C. Smith, WUSTL professor of political science and social science, explains why smaller parties pop up all the time in the United States, but seldom last.
By Ric Burns
The Rock and the Hollywood Shuffle*
The 2016 Academy Awards nominations’ whiteness has become a national civil rights issue. In his opening monologue at the ceremony, host Chris Rock stated: “I’m sure there wasn’t no black nominees [in] ’62 or ’63. And black people did not protest. Why? Because we had real things to protest at…
The Buyer’s Dilemma
Have you ever thought about Genetically Modified Organisms, “Man, I wish I could totally avoid them?” Have you ever wanted to boycott a company like Coca-Cola, only to find out days, even weeks after your most recent grocery trip, that all that Honest Tea you buy goes straight to…
Blog: Newsome Speaks
Brittany “Bree” Newsome gets down to Earth after scaling South Carolina's Capitol-grounds flag pole.
The Big Delve
Documentary filmmaker Peter Yost—who has covered topics from North Korea to the increasing relevance of drones to solitary confinement—talks about balancing curiosity with an eye for care.
The Fans Awaken
In recent years, creators and fans have started to mingle. Fandom was once limited to remote interactions and filtered through journalists, publicists, editors, letters, articles, book signings, film openings. Now, between ComiCon panels and Twitter, fans interact with creators immediately and loudly. More than that, past generations of fans are now…
Most Timely: Hooray for Hollywood
Now is an apt time to look back on Caleb Peterson’s protest, both as an antecedent and as inspiration. His strategy, which turned Hollywood’s moneymaking spectacles into race relations controversies, smartly used theatricality as a tool for protest. While its impact on equal hiring practices was unclear, it can still be read as radical and successful.
Essay of the Month: “Writers of Words and Music”
For every custom there is some sort of a reason. Then if it is the custom generally to ignore or not to accord recognition to the writer of the words to a musical composition on what reason is the custom founded?
Essay of the Month: My Friend Wyatt Earp
“Wyatt Earp is one of the few men I personally knew in the West in the early days, whom I regarded as absolutely destitute of physical fear. I have often remarked, and I am not alone in my conclusions, that what goes for courage in a man is generally the fear of what others will think of him."
