Capital Punishment in the USA: Past and Present

By Linrui Jin | March 1, 2021 Introduction The social agreement between average residents and power holders is such that they surrender a portion of freedom in exchange for security. To ensure that people enjoy such, the authorities detain and isolate offenders; still, some of the detained have been sentenced to death after committing atrocities … Continue reading Capital Punishment in the USA: Past and Present

The Inequality of Societal Institutions on Women in Japanese Commercial Animation

By Maeve Houston | February 22, 2021 Though it is known by most that sexism exists within filmmaking, there are more prominent cases of this inequality in certain aspects of film, is animation one of these? Some have claimed that in this industry, "Historically a woman had no voice at all in animation. The field … Continue reading The Inequality of Societal Institutions on Women in Japanese Commercial Animation

Undoing America: “The Unraveling” Prompts Dialogue on Democracy

By Hannah Carrigan | January 31, 2021 There were two individuals who stood out in the crowd at 13FOREST Gallery: a younger man named John, who found the event while looking for a protest to attend, and a Polish artist who had immigrated to America. The rest of the crowd was a homogenous blend of … Continue reading Undoing America: “The Unraveling” Prompts Dialogue on Democracy

Abolition and Education: Disposability, Neighborhood Schools, and the Right to the City

By Henry Gannett-Bethell | December 31, 2020 Abolition is a political philosophy designed around envisioning a society where police and prisons are obsolete. Abolitionists engage in both the dismantling of systems like the carceral state, racial capitalism, and imperialism, and the larger project of “world-building” to create a more just society by utilizing preventative measures … Continue reading Abolition and Education: Disposability, Neighborhood Schools, and the Right to the City

Buddhism and Gender: From Mythology to the Present

By Helena Jordheim | February 21, 2020 Known as Shakyamuni Buddha or Siddhārtha Gautama, the Buddha lived during the 400s BCE, and in that lifetime reached enlightenment, or nirvana. But even before the Buddha attained this title, he lived hundreds of previous lives which were recorded as part of the Buddhist texts. In the Buddhist … Continue reading Buddhism and Gender: From Mythology to the Present

China’s Investment in Africa: Genuine Aid or Concealed Imperialism?

By Palden Lhamo | February 21, 2020 Africa’s relationship with the international community in terms of the dynamics of dependency and aid is not subject to frequent media attention. However, it is imperative that it should be highlighted upon. In this essay, the two referenced Economist articles discuss the growing surge of interest in diplomatic … Continue reading China’s Investment in Africa: Genuine Aid or Concealed Imperialism?

The Political Consequences of Neoclassical Economic Theory: A Close Look at the Minimum Wage

By Bee Kinstle | February 21, 2020 The Minimum Wage Debate and the Failures of Neoclassical Economic Theory Neoclassical economic theory can be found in most Economics 101 courses at nearly every higher education institution worldwide. The study of exclusively neoclassical economic theory can, and does, lead students into a circular style of thinking where … Continue reading The Political Consequences of Neoclassical Economic Theory: A Close Look at the Minimum Wage

Longing for Lebanon: The Question of Nostalgia and Memory of the Long 1950’s

By Sharon Arana | May 2, 2019 Picture: An armed Palestinian celebrating the rout of the Phlanagist, posing in front of a poster of President Nasser with Arabic graffiti writing on the wall that translates to “the socialist union was here.” Throughout the Middle East, the long 1950’s have been hailed as the period most … Continue reading Longing for Lebanon: The Question of Nostalgia and Memory of the Long 1950’s

The North Korean Refugee Crisis and Neighboring Countries’ Policy Response

By Wanyi Liu | May 2, 2019 There is a special group of migrants from North Korea who have received surprisingly little attention on the world stage. These marginalized people are North Korean refugees who, for years, have fled, most often in the face of the ongoing food shortage that began with North Korea’s 1999 … Continue reading The North Korean Refugee Crisis and Neighboring Countries’ Policy Response