First Person
The Limits of Dialogue
In the wake of the conflict in Gaza, an original member of the Muslim Leadership Initiative, a controversial program aimed at connecting American Muslims with Jewish Americans and Israelis, reflects on its shortcomings and his own efforts to shift U.S. foreign policy.
Understanding the Dreamtime
Indigenous Australians like Bill store cultural memory, law and survival in the songs that guide every part of life, from marriage and inheritance to knowledge of medicine, hunting and the stars, all contained within an intricate mythology.
From the Dodgy Dossier to the Cambridge Controversies, Not All Plagiarism Is Alike
In 2003, the British government copied parts of my thesis to justify the invasion of Iraq. While accusations leveled at Claudine Gay and Neri Oxman have put plagiarism back in the news, we need to acknowledge that not all cases are the same.
Through the Psychedelic Looking Glass
The psychedelic renaissance often fixates on the real power of the drugs to heal, while dismissing their equally real propensity to harm. One reason: Big psychedelics means big profits, and there are already huge sums of cash flowing into the industry.
A Diary of Gaza’s Destruction
Now, within the hollows of devastation, we stand as we watch our worlds crumble around us. A barrage of agonizing inquiries besieges us, propelling us toward oblivion: What of safety? Of dreams?
How ‘The Message’ and ‘The Lion of the Desert’ Forever Shaped How Libyans See Themselves
Two epic films — financed by Gadhafi and shot on location — have shaped Libyans’ vision of themselves for over 40 years. “The Message” and “The Lion of the Desert” have cast long shadows over filmmaking in the country that are hard to escape.
The Olympics Transformed a Tiny Italian Village — But at a High Cost
Cortina d’Ampezzo, a mountain town of about 5,000 people, has won a bid to co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics together with Milan. The event will come 70 years after Cortina hosted one of the first Winter Games post-World War II, in 1956, which helped propel the town to stardom, making it a must-stop for jet-setters as a home to elite sports and the most extravagant real estate and shops. But the locals are left with another set of options.