Reading Richard Rorty in Tehran Reading Richard Rorty in Tehran
What the American philosopher’s visit to Tehran in 2004 can teach us about Iranian society—and our own.
Feb 28, 2020 / Samuel Thrope
The Philosophical Origins of Patriarchy The Philosophical Origins of Patriarchy
Plato, Hippocrates, and Aristotle laid the foundations on which centuries of sexism were built.
Jul 1, 2019 / Christia Mercer
Erik Olin Wright Inspired the Left to Embrace Real Utopianism Erik Olin Wright Inspired the Left to Embrace Real Utopianism
The brilliant scholar taught radicals to think big about solutions—such as universal basic income.
Jan 24, 2019 / John Nichols
Frank Deford’s Wicked Grace Frank Deford’s Wicked Grace
The greatest sportswriter of his generation has passed away, leaving behind a legacy of acolytes who swear by the joy and power of the written word.
May 30, 2017 / Dave Zirin
If We Want to Fight Against Trump, We Have to Know What We’re Fighting For If We Want to Fight Against Trump, We Have to Know What We’re Fighting For
Defending against fascism is good—but having a vision for what kind of society we actually desire is even better.
Jan 10, 2017 / Rebecca Gordon
Did Medieval Muslims Invent Modern Secularism? Did Medieval Muslims Invent Modern Secularism?
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam was embraced by many Western intellectuals as an aid to their own secularization.
Nov 7, 2016 / Juan Cole
Utopia? Forget About It. Time for ‘Untopia.’ Utopia? Forget About It. Time for ‘Untopia.’
Striving for the perfect society has been the cause of great misery. We should embrace our imperfections.
Nov 4, 2016 / Editorial / Walter Mosley
What Breeds in ‘Standing Water’ What Breeds in ‘Standing Water’
Eleanor Chai’s poems require delving below the surface of each compact, enjambment-packed stanza, forcing the reader through a process of discovery not unlike Chai’s own origin sto...
Jul 29, 2016 / Larissa Pham
Out of Sight, Top of Mind Out of Sight, Top of Mind
A new book conveys the powerful role photography plays in sports. But the photographers are still something of a mystery.
Jul 15, 2016 / Books & the Arts / Ian F. Blair
The Insufficiency of Pan-Africanism as We Know It The Insufficiency of Pan-Africanism as We Know It
The fact that many people identify, however loosely, with being African doesn’t replace the need for the services that only a government can provide.
Jul 7, 2016 / Anakwa Dwamena