Cultural Criticism and Analysis

The Houston You Don’t Know

The Houston You Don’t Know The Houston You Don’t Know

Bryan Washington’s short-story collection Lot is a loving, multifaceted picture of a Texas metropolis in flux.     

Apr 2, 2019 / Bradley Babendir

Mideast Bahrain US Military

An American Soldier’s Dissent An American Soldier’s Dissent

A veteran criticizes the US Army for racism, sexual violence, and a toxic culture that places “duty’” above ethics.

Apr 1, 2019 / Danny Sjursen

The Travails of Emmanuel Macron

The Travails of Emmanuel Macron The Travails of Emmanuel Macron

A new book equates the French president's rise to a revolution. For much of France’s working and middle classes, it has been nothing short of a disaster.

Apr 1, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Cole Stangler

The Myth of the American Frontier

The Myth of the American Frontier The Myth of the American Frontier

Greg Grandin’s new book charts the past and present of American expansionism and its high human costs.

Apr 1, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Jedediah Britton-Purdy

Rediscovering Nelson Algren

Rediscovering Nelson Algren Rediscovering Nelson Algren

The literary giant’s unique resonance in our anti-capitalist moment.

Mar 19, 2019 / Dan Simon

Mike Oliver

In Memoriam: Mike Oliver In Memoriam: Mike Oliver

The British sociologist revolutionized the field of disability studies. 

Mar 8, 2019 / Ravi Malhotra

Capitalism Is Responsible for Your Depressing Office Building

Capitalism Is Responsible for Your Depressing Office Building Capitalism Is Responsible for Your Depressing Office Building

Over a century ago, John Ruskin predicted how ugly and inhuman industrialized capitalism would become.

Feb 25, 2019 / Chris Gelardi

The Myth of Nationalism Is the Scariest Thing of All

The Myth of Nationalism Is the Scariest Thing of All The Myth of Nationalism Is the Scariest Thing of All

Sarah Moss’s haunting new novel Ghost Wall looks at the evil that lurks behind the stories we tell ourselves about borders and ancestral origins.

Feb 13, 2019 / Emma Hager

Pete Buttigieg

What a Midwestern Presidential Candidate Learned From Marxist Intellectuals What a Midwestern Presidential Candidate Learned From Marxist Intellectuals

Pete Buttigieg’s father was a Gramsci scholar—but he taught his son more about ethics than revolution.

Feb 12, 2019 / Sara Marcus

Fish market

We Have Entered A Dangerous Moral Universe We Have Entered A Dangerous Moral Universe

What futures can we imagine when we no longer trust our senses?

Dec 19, 2018 / Column / Patricia J. Williams

x