It’s one thing for a political leader to take a principled stance against the power of public employee unions in state and local politics. It’s another thing entirely when you threaten to unleash a military force against them. And in raising the specter of calling out the National Guard in a possible showdown with public employees in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker has touched one of the most painful scars in American labor history.
While the recent protest movements in the Middle East reveal much about the present state of civic community among the people of those nations — Iran, Tunisia, and Egypt (and a growing list of others) — our reaction to them reveals more about ourselves than we should perhaps find flattering.
A look at some of the problems with current consumer activist campaigns and some lessons we can learn from the past.
A discussion of some ways teachers can keep history relevant for students.
An analysis of slavery past and present from the Alliance Against Modern Slavery.
An analysis of WikiLeaks, access to information, and the public’s right to know.
Rural Raids and Divided Loyalties – Southwestern Ontario and the War of 1812 is a new documentary in the works that examines little known stories of the American raids on Southwestern Ontario.
A new edited version of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will be published with the most offensive terms edited out. What are the merits and problems of this approach to difficult classic literature?
Bigness and bureaucracy are not always good for students, teachers, or schools. It is not a matter of turning back the clock, but rather one of regaining control over our schools, rebuilding “social capital”, and revitalizing local communities. That’s a theme connecting history with public policy and one worthy of further serious research and discussion.
Brittany Luby reflects on how her studies, particularly Sergei Kan’s “Shamanism and Christianity” inspired critical reflection of her own family’s conversion narratives.
