History
The role of rituals in human history
Each December, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, among others, take over our thoughts and our wallets as we participate in ceremonies …
Gorbachev’s appeal for peace and freedom
As a world statesman and a student of world affairs, Mikhail Gorbachev’s perspective is worth having. His 2019 book, What …
Mikhail Gorbachev wanted to save communism, but buried it instead
The death of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, under whose leadership the communist bloc was brought to …
How Hitler conspiracies and other Holocaust disinformation undermine democratic institutions
Godwin’s Law posits that any online argument, if it continues long enough, will inevitably invoke a comparison to Hitler. Perhaps there …
Why the Middle Ages have such a bad reputation
“People have the right to live as they wish, we are no longer in the Middle Ages.” This statement, made …
Moral ambiguity and the representation of genocide
On January 10 2022, the McMinn County School Board in Tennessee voted unanimously to remove Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus …
Ukraine as a ‘borderland’: A brief history of Ukraine’s place between Europe and Russia
One interpretation of the name ‘Ukraine’ is borderland. This needs to be taken seriously. Borderlands are all about diversity and …
Ukraine crisis: The Russian leader’s vision of the past
The day that Vladimir Putin sent Russian forces into Ukraine, President Biden spoke publicly about the sheer mendacity of Putin’s …
Why I won’t be celebrating Australia Day on 26 January
Most nations – the United States, Greece, Finland, India, Indonesia and many others – celebrate their national day on the …
The sordid underbelly of Christmas past
When English Puritans outlawed Christmas in 1647, it was not without good reason. When American Puritans, in turn, outlawed Christmas …
Tolstoy’s last years
Tolstoy’s death in 1910 occurred just seven years before the Russian Revolution. His last two essays What’s To Be Done? …
How do you spot a witch? A notorious 15th-century book gave instructions
Books have always had the power to cast a spell over their readers – figuratively. But one book that was …