Tag: current affairs

For military families, the battle for inner peace during deployment is hard-fought.

April 30, 2014

Lisa Leitz was one of approximately 300 members of Military Families Speak Out in attendance at a September 24, 2005, protest in Washington, D.C., organized by United for Peace and Justice and ANSWER. The groups estimate that up to 500,000 protesters were in attendance. BY LISA LEITZAssistant professor of sociology and director of Project Pericles … More For military families, the battle for inner peace during deployment is hard-fought.

Syria: Traditions of Protest and the Reconfiguration of Baathist Authoritarianism

August 29, 2013

This post is excerpted from the essay “Syria” by Paulo Gabriel Hilu Pinto, which appears in Dispatches from the Arab Spring (UMP, 2013). ——-A long history of resistance and opposition to the Baathist regime existed in Syria before the uprising that began in 2011. While both secular and religious political movements had tried to counter … More Syria: Traditions of Protest and the Reconfiguration of Baathist Authoritarianism

Social Death and the Criminalization of Resistance in the California Prison Hunger Strikes

July 31, 2013

BY LISA GUENTHERAssociate professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University On July 8, more than 30,000 prisoners across California launched the largest hunger strike in state history. Now, three weeks later, more than 600 prisoners continue to refuse meals, in spite of direct acts of retaliation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Hunger … More Social Death and the Criminalization of Resistance in the California Prison Hunger Strikes

Prism leak reminds us to be critical of the seemingly essential—but risky—tools we use every day.

June 19, 2013

BY ULISES A. MEJIASAssistant professor of communication studies at the State University of New York, College at Oswego If leaked information about the surveillance program Prism is correct, the U.S. government is treating every citizen of the world as a potential terrorist. If the sign of a true democracy is that even the rights of … More Prism leak reminds us to be critical of the seemingly essential—but risky—tools we use every day.

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?

How did same-sex marriage gain historic wins at the ballot box yesterday? Three ideas.

November 7, 2012

BY AMY STONEAssistant professor of sociology at Trinity University in San Antonio Last night was a huge victory for same-sex marriage at the ballot box. This November, voters in four states—Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington—were faced with ballot measures about same-sex marriage. For the first time, these ballot measures (all except Minnesota) had the potential … More How did same-sex marriage gain historic wins at the ballot box yesterday? Three ideas.

Same-sex marriage: In November, four states have the power to make history.

October 10, 2012

It’s going to be a nail-biting month: While Minnesotans will decide whether to ban same-sex marriage at the polls in November, voters in Washington State, Maine, and Maryland will be deciding whether to legalize same-sex marriage. BY AMY STONEAssistant professor of sociology at Trinity University in San Antonio This fall, same-sex marriage will be on … More Same-sex marriage: In November, four states have the power to make history.