While the magazine has closed, its living archive endures—open to all and preserving the many ideas, voices, and discoveries that deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.
Researchers who study the DNA of ancient Native Americans have been learning how to collaborate with American Indian tribes instead of fighting them over ancestral human remains. But a recent case suggests still more sensitivity is needed.
Locking Up Families Is Inhumane—and UnconstitutionalThe United States is imprisoning more and more asylum-seekers from Central America—including mothers and children—in detention centers, perpetuating a culture of fear and hatred toward immigrants.
The Key to Survival, In SpaceWe already have the tools we need. It’s time to use them.
In a Genocide, Who Are the Morally Upright?A Georgia State anthropologist explores what motivated rescuers during the Rwandan genocide—and what their stories reveal about courage and selflessness in the midst of total destruction.
The Mysterious Power of ArroganceWhy do overbearing, obnoxious people so often come out on top? What the story of a local celebrity in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea reveals about the rise of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency.
Why We Yearn for the Simple LifeSix social scientists debate why philosophies of simplicity arise and endure, and why it can be so hard to live…
A Weak Commission Brought Forth Survivors’ Truths, but Has It Made Reconciliation Possible?The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada gave voice to the violence committed in Indian residential schools. Unfortunately, it failed to fully achieve either healing or justice among many of those involved.
The World Hates Fat PeopleBeing overweight is stigmatized in most countries around the world. But does obsessive talk about excess fat lead to weight reduction—or to cruel, useless shaming?
The Problem With HeritageFrom Palmyra in Syria to Timbuktu in Mali, a wave of destruction has erased monuments to humanity’s past. Does their loss really matter?
Graffiti Bombing in U.S. National ParksVandalism can be a form of resistance to oppression. But is that the case when a privileged artist mars our public lands?
