Culture Archives

Social Justice

Architect Frank Gehry Builds on Virtues of Play

Law professor Robert Benson — part of the panel that offered Frank Gehry the first big commission to draw international attention to his architecture in 1979 — talks to the world-class architect about the benefits of “creative play.”

Robert Benson

War on Terror Promises Era of Persistent Conflict

The era of "persistent conflict," as the U.S. Army describes it, may redefine the meaning of "victory" on the battlefield.

Jeff Shear

Social Justice

College Costs Linked to Risky Teen Behavior

New research links the cost of community college tuition rates with drinking and drug use by teenagers.

Tom Jacobs

Social Justice

Mentally Ill Homeless Improve With Group Living

Bucking a trend, a new book shows that group living can inoculate the homeless who are mentally ill against a return to the streets.

Melinda Burns

A Professional Military and the Privatization of Warfare

The antics of private military contractors are increasingly known, and they're the ones taking over for departing uniformed American troops in Iraq.

Jeff Shear

Social Justice

Passing the Plate and the Peter-Paul Problem

Data from one Catholic parish suggest donations to the general operating funds dip on Sundays when a second collection is held.

Tom Jacobs

Social Justice

Will Hispanics Take Over American Politics?

A comprehensive look at voter behavior and demographics reveals a momentous prospect: A Hispanic electorate that votes en masse, allies itself with one political party and changes America's political balance for decades.

Norman Nie

Social Justice

America in the Hands of a Professional Military

Four decades ago, America decided to both maintain a large professional standing military and end the draft. The predictions of those who studied the matter then largely have been borne out -- and not for the better.

Jeff Shear