Racial Gerrymandering: Why politicians rig election maps to suppress growing communities of color
As she travels around Georgia to promote fair redistricting, Djemanesh Aneteneh has heard many tales of how partisan lawmakers create voting maps designed to take away the political voice of communities of color. She is not surprised. “Gerrymandering has always...
Ignoring COVID safety and LGBTQ Rights: Waukesha School District faces mounting lawsuits over policies
The Waukesha school district is facing one potential lawsuit on top of another. The district is already dealing with a lawsuit for not protecting students from COVID-19. Now it may be stepping on First Amendment, free speech rights as well. A grassroots organization...
Crime victim programs: Federal funds allocated to Milwaukee for expanding violence prevention efforts
Violent crime across the country rose to historic levels last year. And now, $45 million in federal funds will be used to bolster violence prevention efforts and services for victims in Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul announced the plan...
Sugar Dating: Why more university students are finding part-time employment as sex workers
By Aaron Brown, PhD Student, Higher Education, University of Toronto; and Elizabeth Buckner, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Toronto As university and college semesters unfold, a small but increasing percentage of students will likely also be...
Freshwater Fragility: Lake Michigan’s quality of drinking water under threat from climate change
By Gabriel Filippelli, Professor of Earth Sciences and Director of the Center for Urban Health, IUPUI; and Joseph D. Ortiz, Professor and Assistant Chair of Geology, Kent State University “Do Not Drink/Do Not Boil” is not what anyone wants to hear about their city’s...
Animal Farm at 75: How George Orwell’s tale of totalitarianism remains relevant today
By Mark Satta, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Wayne State University Seventy-five years ago, in August 1946, George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” was published in the United States. It was a huge success, with over a half-million copies sold in its first year. “Animal...
Francis Scott Key: Why the author of the National Anthem was also a champion for White Supremacy
By Bennett Parten, Ph.D. Candidate in History, Yale University The battle over how we teach our country’s past is raging in a new round of History Wars. The United States is confronting the legacies of slavery as never before. This national reconsideration has been...
Wealth and political clout: What a growing middle class in China means for the rest of the world
By Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology China’s large and impressive accomplishments over the past four decades have spurred scholars and politicians to debate whether the decline of the West – including...
A streaming phenomenon: Why viewers can relate to the bleak world of Netflix’s Squid Game
By Sung-ae Lee, Lecturer, Asian Studies, Macquarie University Squid Game, an original Netflix drama produced in South Korea, is a streaming phenomenon. Released on 17 September, within two weeks the series has become the most watched Netflix title in 76 countries,...
Squid Game: A technicolor TV show of violence, betrayal, and desperation that Americans understand
By Sarah A. Son, Lecturer in Korean Studies, University of Sheffield Squid Game is anything but your typical, saccharine, soft-glow Korean television drama. In this biting commentary on life in South Korea today, viewers are presented with a twisting, technicolor...
The old model falls apart: Big-budget movies continue shifting from theatrical debuts to streaming services
By Anthony Palomba, Visiting Assistant Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia The trailer for “The Many Saints of Newark” features the song “Money” by The Flying Lizards. One lyric poignantly captures the thematic heart of the prequel to the...
A Toxic Culture: How COVID-19 has caused youth harassment to skyrocket in online gaming
By Amanda Cote, Assistant Professor of Media Studies/Game Studies, University of Oregon As COVID-19 has driven much of life online and fueled a boom in online gaming, harassment in these and other internet spaces has increased. Forty-one percent of computer and video...
