In South America, countries struggle to protect traditional uses of coca while decreasing its currency in the addiction- and crime-addled cocaine trade.
How to Resurrect Dying LanguagesCommunity activists are using creative methods to revive endangered languages and reawaken dormant ones.
How the Opioid Crackdown Is Hurting Chronic Pain PatientsPeople who rely on opioids to work and live say a new federal guideline is making them suffer, even while overdose deaths continue to rise.
Are Mixed-Income Neighborhoods the Best Answer for Public Housing?An anthropologist documents the social tolls of new mixed-income developments while also acknowledging the gains.
Why Are People Who Use Illegal Drugs Demonized?In many parts of the world, people who take illegal substances are punished with harsh prison sentences or executions that are unjustified. Behind this treatment lie prejudices that have a surprising history.
Gun Violence Harms, Even if You’ve Never Been ShotAn anthropologist argues that the U.S. culture of guns puts stress on the body and mind that can lead to physical damage.
The Illusion and Peril of Food “Choice”It’s easy to blame obesity, diabetes, and other conditions on people’s poor diets. But the real culprit is multinational corporations that profit from limiting our food choices.
Offshoring Responsibility for Asylum-SeekersAustralia’s offshore detention and asylum processing centers on Manus and Nauru islands have elicited global criticism—and praise. Will they become the new model for other nations?
What Migrants Leave BehindPiles of backpacks, empty water jugs, and even high heels left scattered on migrant trails leave visible markers of the desperation and endurance of those who traveled there.
What Makes a Refugee Vulnerable?The way officials measure a person’s vulnerability could undercut the long-term success of refugees.
