On September 20th, 2012, Aleph Jiménez Rodríguez went missing. He was the spokesperson for the Ensenada, Baja California division of the Mexican student movement #YoSoy132. He had been one of 20 students arrested a few days earlier for protesting alleged electoral fraud in the July presidential elections. The rumor of Jiménez’s disappearance spread quickly on … Read more
Fisher v. Texas, a recent Supreme Court case, has brought the topic of affirmative action once again to the forefront of the nation’s consciousness. Plaintiff Abigail Fisher sued the University of Texas-Austin in 2008, claiming that racial preferences in the admissions process led to her rejection. As a leading actor on the issue, Harvard College … Read more
Following election night 2012, most political news stories about American-Israel relations focused on the seeming failure of Sheldon Adelson to use massive political donations to change Jewish voting patterns. Meanwhile, a very different voice for the Jewish community was celebrating an incredible success story. J Street, a progressive Jewish organization focused on pushing for U.S. … Read more
In June, shortly before his official visit to Shanghai, Russian president Vladimir Putin published a lengthy article promoting Sino-Russian cooperation on economics, energy and international security. Such a partnership is perceived as a nightmarish prospect for Western geopolitical interests. Indeed, the two countries have made a recent point of obstructing Western initiatives in international organizations: … Read more
For as long as art and literature have existed, artists and writers have struggled with the task of depicting reality in a limited medium: from the impressionists who tried to paint how rather than what the eye sees, to stream-of-consciousness writers who attempted writing how the mind thinks. Ultimately, though, neither effort was really met … Read more
Millions of Americans watch them. They have been compared to Murrow and Cronkite, Shakespearian fools, and even Socrates. Their guests have included world leaders, celebrities, leading scientists, and everything in between. But just who and what are Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert: 21st century journalists or, as they claim, mere comedians? The answer is not … Read more
Presently, the War on Drugs faces crisis. The United States has thrown more money at restricting drug flows than any other nation, and yet continues to suffer high drug use rates. Despite the Obama administration’s rhetorical efforts to adjust the U.S. approach on drugs, our primary focus remains on interdiction and law enforcement. These strategies … Read more
David Maraniss is an Associate Editor with The Washington Post. He received a Pulitzer Prize for covering Bill Clinton’s campaign during the 1992 Presidential Election, and has written several bestselling books, including Barack Obama: The Story. Mr. Maraniss has been with The Post since 1997. Harvard Political Review: What are the things that we miss or … Read more
Freshly reelected President Barack Obama would certainly like to use his political leverage to resolve the looming confrontation over the Iranian nuclear program. For most of the past decade, Iran has invested significant resources in a nuclear enrichment program that it maintains is peaceful. A more skeptical international community, fearful of a nuclear weapons-capable Iran, … Read more
The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling’s debut adult novel, should not be taken lightly. This 500-page book is a first-hand look at various manifestations of disappoints and failings of human nature, yet it also demonstrates the complexity behind personal actions. In the small, picturesque, and fictional British town of Pagford, filled with mostly petty people, Rowling … Read more