History

The World John von Neumann Built

The World John von Neumann Built The World John von Neumann Built

Game theory, computers, the atom bomb—these are just a few of things von Neumann played a role in developing, changing the 20th century for better and worse.

Nov 28, 2022 / Books & the Arts / David Nirenberg

Staughton Lynd, 1966

Staughton Lynd’s Radicalism From Below Staughton Lynd’s Radicalism From Below

The historian and activist dedicated his life to showing how, and helping, working people not only imagine but build a better world.

Nov 23, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Marcus Rediker

A Fragmentary History of California

A Fragmentary History of California A Fragmentary History of California

Ashton Politanoff's fascinating You'll Like it Here, a hybrid book on the Golden State in the 20th century, looks at the novelistic details of everyday life.

Nov 21, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Dustin Illingworth

Paris Commune, 1871.

The Life and Afterlife of the Paris Commune The Life and Afterlife of the Paris Commune

It was one of the most radical political experiments in European history. It was also one of Europe’s most tragically short-lived.

Nov 15, 2022 / Books & the Arts / David A. Bell

Police line outside the Pelosi home in San Francisc

After the Attack on Paul Pelosi, the GOP Again Is the Party of No Shame After the Attack on Paul Pelosi, the GOP Again Is the Party of No Shame

As recently as 2006, Republicans could take an internal political scandal seriously. Not anymore.

Nov 10, 2022 / Chris Lehmann

The Problem With “Jihad, Rehab” Isn’t Filmmaker Meg Smaker’s Color or Religion

The Problem With “Jihad, Rehab” Isn’t Filmmaker Meg Smaker’s Color or Religion The Problem With “Jihad, Rehab” Isn’t Filmmaker Meg Smaker’s Color or Religion

The idea that a white woman cannot make a film about non-white men is absurd. But as “Meg,” the film’s narrator, her voice is the voice of the cop.

Nov 7, 2022 / Moustafa Bayoumi

The Obscured and Forgotten History of Black Communist Women

The Obscured and Forgotten History of Black Communist Women The Obscured and Forgotten History of Black Communist Women

A new anthology edited by Charisse Burden-Stelly and Jodi Dean highlights the legacy and enduring relevance of Black communist women’s political activism in the early 20th century.

Nov 7, 2022 / Q&A / Morgan Forde

How Saidiya Hartman Changed the Study of Black Life

How Saidiya Hartman Changed the Study of Black Life How Saidiya Hartman Changed the Study of Black Life

A conversation with writer about her pathbreaking book Scenes of Subjection and how our understanding of race has changed in the last two decades. 

Nov 3, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Elias Rodriques

Mike Davis.

¡Compañero Mike Davis, Presente! ¡Compañero Mike Davis, Presente!

A requiem for a friend who embodied the commitment to the marriage of word and deed.

Nov 2, 2022 / Roberto Lovato

The Civil War’s Economic Shadow

The Civil War’s Economic Shadow The Civil War’s Economic Shadow

To finance the war, the Union had to turn to the banks, and with lasting consequences.

Nov 2, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Stephanie McCurry

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