Roundup

The Sandy Hook Settlement Could Transform the Marketing of Guns

by Tracy L. Barnett

The settlement between Remington and the families of victims does not accept fault, but it does establish the dangerous connection between the marketing of guns as totems of masculinity and the damage done by young men who acquire them with ease. 

Understanding Ukrainian-Americans' Commitment to Cultural Heritage – and National Sovereignty

by Katja Kolcio

"Participating in Ukrainian arts and culture is a conscientious act of preserving national identity and culture for Ukrainian Americans, including my own family."

Lessons From the Struggle Against the Old McCarthyism

by Benjamin Mitchell-Yellin

For a Texas professor, the Lieutenant Governor's push to abolish tenure and punish faculty for teaching certain ideas calls to mind the experiences of his grandparents in the heyday of McCarthy and HUAC. 

The U.S. Must Punish Russia, but Remember the Limits of Power

by Stephen Wertheim

The sanctions against the Russian government as well as individual banks and oligarchs are the economic equivalent of war; the United States must be willing to accept the limits of its ability to influence Russian actions, avoid a self-defeating cycle of reprisals, and work to help those harmed. 

Putin's Denial of Ukrainian Statehood Carries Dark Echoes

by Timothy Snyder

"History cannot stop a war. But it can help us, at least, to understand how one begins, which is with arrogance and lies."

What Does it Mean to Teach "Divisive Concepts"?

by Dale E. Miller

Insofar as the problem of political indoctrination that new "divisive concepts" laws are ostensibly meant to solve exists at all, the cure may be worse than the disease.

The Increasingly Authoritarian War on Tenure

by Jennifer Ruth

"Democratic societies build in protections for university faculty so that we are not at the whims of whichever party is currently in power. When Patrick threatens tenure, he threatens those protections," and threatens the partisan control of knowledge in society.

We, The Abuser State

by Jules Gill-Peterson

Texas's announcement of a policy defining some support for transgender youth as "child abuse" echoes the abuses of colonial authorities on gendered minority groups. 

Weaponizing Accusations of Racism to Squash Political Criticism of China

by Jonathan Zimmerman

Two recent incidents show the dangers of allowing a foreign government to leverage college speech and bias codes to squelch criticism, and the need for administrators to understand the difference. 

Despite History of Military Success, Ukraine Invasion is Riskiest Move Yet for Putin

by Max Boot

Achieving any sort of victory in Ukraine will be more complex and difficult than any of Russia's previous invasions. 

Stop Pretending the Left is on Putin's Side

by David Broder

There is no reason why the international left must choose between rejecting an imperialist invasion and criticizing the actions of the west that have diminished the force of international law and justified preemptive war on supposed humanitarian grounds. 

The Black Social Gospel, Radical Politics and Internationalism

by William Hogue

The rise of the Black social Gospel after emancipation was a key development that prefigured the later Civil Rights movement, but it also developed a more radical stream of criticism of American militarism. 

Putin's Invasion is an Attack on Ukraine's Unique History, Reveals His Imperial Intentions

by Olivia Durand

Putin's recent history lesson arguing for the unity of Ukraine and Russia was muddled; that's because his depiction of the past is subordinate to his imperial ambitions for the future.

It's Time for a Timeline of the History of Black Tourism

by Alana Dillettee and Stefanie Benjamin

Two professors of hospitality and tourism management argue that understanding Black travel history is necessary for making tourism open and inclusive today. 

Were the Founders a Bunch of Wealthy Oligarchs?

by Willard Sterne Randall

Charles Beard's progressive-era analysis of the founding portrayed the Founders as men of wealth pursuing their own interests; we know the reality was more complicated. 

How Ben Franklin Leveraged the French Addiction to Snuff to Get Aid for Independence

by Willard Sterne Randall

Without any tobacco-producing colonies, the French crown was eager to gain access to tobacco from Virginia, a fact deftly exploited by Franklin. 

American Antisemitism and Nationalism in the Charlottesville Verdict

by Victoria Saker Woeste

The awarding of $25 million in damages from the organizers of the Unite the Right rally to nine people injured in the violence are not enough of a penalty to stop the political mobilization of antisemitism in the new white nationalist coalition.

Black Educators Have Long Fought Against Political Suppression of History

by Keisha N. Blain

For as long as white politicians have tried to suppress Black perspectives on history and public life, Black educators have worked to make sure those perspectives are heard, and to explain why they matter. 

The Black Press is a Model for How to Cover Racism in the News

by Olivia Paschal

The mainstream press worked to obscure the nature and extent of racist violence in the early 20th century; Black journalists and Black-owned newspapers did the essential work of preserving the truth and explaining the context of white supremacist terrorism. 

Putin Chooses Forever War

by Tom Nichols

Putin's invocation of history reflects a belief that only the Russian state is a legitimate actor in the territory of the former Soviet Union. This could be a justification for all manner of aggressive actions.