Tag: bioethics

"Before the fence, before the checkpoints, before the border guards, there are the documents and the bureaucrats": On immigration and literacy.

December 10, 2015

BY CATHERINE VIEIRAAssistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin, Madison The United States is a nation of immigrants. But immigrating here—or coming as a refugee—has never been easy. Refugees and immigrants take difficult, dangerous, and expensive journeys. And they also undertake paperwork. Lots of it. Potential immigrants and asylum seekers must present themselves … More "Before the fence, before the checkpoints, before the border guards, there are the documents and the bureaucrats": On immigration and literacy.

Animals, artists, and the question of ethics: A dialogue with Steve Baker.

January 30, 2013

“There seems to be a lingering expectation that art should provide consolation – the consolation that terrible things are only happening far away, or that artists unreservedly condemn such things.” What follows here is an interview with Steve Baker about his new book, Artist Animal, in Minnesota’s Posthumanities series (further details about the book at … More Animals, artists, and the question of ethics: A dialogue with Steve Baker.

Insomnia? Or evolution?

November 19, 2012

Should variations in human sleep be targeted for medical interventions?Cross-posted with the Day In, Day Out series at Psychology Today Some thoughts on treating dleep maintenance insomnia (when you wake up a few hours after going to bed and cannot get back to sleep). BY MATTHEW J. WOLF-MEYER Something woke you up in the middle … More Insomnia? Or evolution?

School start times: Why so rigid?

September 18, 2012

BY MATTHEW J. WOLF-MEYERAssistant professor of anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz Over the past thirty years, there’s been a mounting body of evidence regarding changes in long-term sleep needs. Infants need a lot of sleep; children less so; adolescents need more; and adults, less, until our later years, when many require even less sleep. … More School start times: Why so rigid?

The benefits of sharing a bed — with lovers, children, or dogs

June 29, 2012

Should you share your sleeping space with Fido? BY MATTHEW WOLF-MEYERAssistant professor of anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz Sure, sharing a bed can be a nuisance from time to time. And spending the night in a hotel alone while traveling can be a vacation in itself. But there’s been some recent attention … More The benefits of sharing a bed — with lovers, children, or dogs

Is a good night’s sleep legitimately possible?

June 7, 2012

Sleep: It might traditionally be relegated to the twilight hours.But that doesn’t mean it has to be. BY MATTHEW WOLF-MEYERAssistant professor of anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz Slate & Survey Monkey just published the results of a poll on sleep, most of which is pretty innocuous. The two findings that work pretty … More Is a good night’s sleep legitimately possible?