Perhaps the most tangible aspect of this past election cycle has been the increased desire of young people to participate in the political process. Large scale protests and demonstrations have come to fruition these past few months, from both sides of the political spectrum, and donations to organizations such as the ACLU have skyrocketed. According … Read more
This past fall, the University of Chicago welcomed incoming freshman to campus with an unambiguous message on safe spaces. “Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called trigger warnings, we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe … Read more
Early media reports lauded the “Free Syrian Army” as the secular saviors of Syria: generals committed to overthrowing Assad and instituting an American-style liberal democracy. Five years later, the Free Syrian Army is more myth than reality (if it ever was real). Taking its place as the standard-bearer in the fight against ISIS and the … Read more
Just days ago, Barack Obama’s tenure in the Oval Office came to a close, but citizens of the United States and the world have already begun to chronicle the history of his presidency. From the Affordable Care Act, to the 2011 Navy SEALs Operation to kill Osama Bin Laden, to his approach to the Syrian … Read more
“For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back.” With this quote, President Obama’s farewell address highlighted the potential challenges that could roll back the economic progress of the last eight years. Marked by a tone of cautious optimism, his speech both acknowledged the economic progress we’ve made and offered a … Read more
In the 2016 Presidential Election, nearly half of all eligible voters in the United States chose not to vote. Most among this demographic have no regrets about doing so, even though they would have likely changed the election’s outcome. It is in the context of this deep disillusionment that President Obama, who so inspired America … Read more
When asked to say the first word that came to their mind after hearing “MBTA”, people at the Harvard Square T stop supplied “broken”, “old”, and one woman said “very very late … like late-all-the-time-late.” Citizen’s feelings are justified; the system has been deteriorating for years. David Luberoff, Lecturer on Sociology and the Senior Associate … Read more
In detailing his travels across the Pacific islands in 1521, Magellan described the men as “well formed,” and the women as “slender and beautiful.” Five hundred year later, the top seven most obese countries, as well as eight of the top 10, are all Pacific islands. At the top of this list is the Republic of … Read more
Le Pen. Duterte. Brexit. Trump. It might be appropriate to dub 2016, the “year of populism,” as hundreds of millions of voters around the world have forcefully rejected the political institutions and policies that have been the backbone of 20th century liberalism and democracy. While the motivations and psychology of this global electorate will takes … Read more
The world’s youngest nation was born on July 9, 2011. On this day, the Republic of South Sudan formally gained its independence from Sudan. Independence Day was greeted with effusive joy and optimism in the new country and across the world. South Sudanese residents (now citizens) streamed into the streets, shedding tears of happiness. … Read more