Hanne Blanke’s Straight – The Surprisingly Short History of Heterosexuality, promised to be innovative and refreshing. While there are many books that attempt to explain the historical and societal perspectives of homosexuality, there have hardly been any works that try to map the development of the concept of heterosexuality and the prevalence of the heteronormative standard … Read more
Graduation was quickly approaching, and after Will Leiter ’10 completed his thesis, no immediate threats loomed on the horizon. Though he wanted to enter politics and return to northern California, beyond that the future was uncertain. Leiter, currently a legislative aide for a California state senator, tells the HPR, “I’d counsel current seniors to not … Read more
A large percentage of Arab, and mostly Lebanese, emigrants can be attributed to an exodus at the turn of the nineteenth century leading to places as far as Australia and the Americas. Prior to colonial rule in the Middle East and North Africa, economic depression governed, famine occasionally struck, and the inability of the “sick … Read more
In 1200 B.C., the Zoroastrians fled Iran with the fall of the Persian Empire, carrying with them the symbolic fire of the faith. When they arrived at Surat, Gujarat, the Zoroastrians sought refuge from the ruling king. Reluctantly, the ruler of the Indian kingdom brought forth a glass of milk, filled to the brim, demonstrating … Read more
The United States holds over 400,000 immigrants each year in detention centers and county jails, and since 2003 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has held primary responsibility for investigating immigration issues and detaining and deporting immigrants. While national debate ensues about comprehensive immigration reform, the conditions and costs of the vast detention network has garnered … Read more
The Illusion International adoptions have an illustrious façade, conjuring images of couples saving a hungry, orphaned child and living happily ever. While imagining international adoptions as a corrupt business is abhorrent, connections to child trafficking have recently arisen. Accordingly, the State Department reports that though Americans adopted 22,991 international children in 2004, the implementation of … Read more
The College Board reported in 2010 that the United States ranked twelfth globally in the proportion of young adults holding a college degree. Recognizing the problem, President Obama announced an ambitious goal, declaring that by 2020 the United States should have the highest percentage of college graduates of any country. Higher education has taken on … Read more
In an election year focused on resuscitating the struggling economy, few could have predicted the central role feminism is playing in political debates. Beginning in early February with the controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act’s birth control mandate, the Democratic Party has made overtures to women and aligned itself with traditionally feminist viewpoints. However, the … Read more
Matt Bai is a columnist for the New York Times. His latest book, The Argument, discusses the Democratic Party and its politics. Harvard Political Review: What prompted you to write The Argument? Matt Bai: It’s pretty straightforward. Sometime in 2003, Democrats were so down and out, and liberalism as an ideology so beaten down, that … Read more
Bill Kristol is a conservative political analyst. He was Chief of Staff for former Vice President Dan Quayle, founded The Weekly Standard, and regularly appears on Fox News. Harvard Political Review: Can we expect to see more paternalistic laws and actions, as with the recent Kennedy School’s smoking ban? Bill Kristol: This reflects a shift … Read more