Latest from Eloise Stark
In Egypt and Sudan, Nubians Are Trying To Bring an Alphabet Back From the Dead
It is widely acknowledged that the extinction of a language is a devastating cultural loss for ethnic minorities, but these Nubians raise a different question: What happens when an alphabet disappears? And is it possible — or even desirable — to save a script?
How an 18th-Century Shipwreck Changed France’s Conversation About Race
The story of the enslaved Malagasy abandoned by French sailors following the wreck of L’Utile reveals the deep-seated racism prevalent in 18th-century French society. The subsequent outcry, both from the public and from prominent intellectuals, marked a turning point in views of slavery in France.
Women Are Taking Part in a Shinto Festival for the First Time in Over 1,000 Years
The recent inclusion of women in an ancient Shinto festival is a mark of how depopulation threatens Japan's way of life. With almost a third of people over 65, the country’s politicians warn that its society must transform or it will cease to function.