Stories and literature
Stories and literature
idea
Fiction has a special power to give us insight into our flaws
Losing yourself in a book, film or show provides a useful mirror for character – one that is hard to access in real life
by Martina Orlandi
Sex and sexuality
idea
My take on ‘Venus in Furs’ as a modern-day dominatrix
My experiences as a 21st-century femdom echo the gendered themes that feature in Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s 1870 novel
by Gia Marcos
Grief
idea
After my mom died, I found comfort in a medieval Andalusi tale
Ibn Tufayl’s story of a man mourning the gazelle who raised him helped me appreciate the interconnection of all things
by Veronica Menaldi
Technology and media
idea
What does switching from paper to screens mean for how we read?
It’s well established that we absorb less well when reading on screen. But why? And can we do something to improve it?
by Lili Yu, Sixin Liao, Jan-Louis Kruger & Erik D Reichle
Sacred places
idea
Why Indian Buddhism has gardens, not monasteries
Wishing trees, jewels, unfading flowers – what place do these sensual pleasures have in the ascetic life of Buddhist monks?
by Simran Agarwal
Stories and literature
idea
What is it about film and TV antiheroes that’s so captivating?
They’re entertaining, of course – but research highlights a deeper psychological reason viewers are drawn to the bad guys
by Ana Gantman & Jordan Wylie
Consciousness
idea
The myth of machine consciousness makes Narcissus of us all
The idea that AI can be conscious is a mistake. It’s just a very shiny mirror of humanity, reflecting what we want to see
by David Bentley Hart
Stories and literature
idea
Why the concept of invisibility so captivates the imagination
From ancient fables to the latest science theory, invisibility represents some of humankind’s deepest fears and desires
by Greg Gbur
Stories and literature
idea
Reading books is not just a pleasure: it helps our minds to heal
Through my own struggles and in teaching bibliotherapy to students, I know that books can help to heal minds and hearts
by Peter Leyland
Cultural diversity
idea
The Quechua idea ‘pacha’ urges us beyond narrow self-concern
The Quechua term ‘pacha’ embodies an Andean worldview that sees everything as related, transcending narrow self-interest
by Jorge Sanchez Perez
Human rights and justice
idea
Hidden in translation – Jewish resistance to Spanish empire
Translation as a powerful form of resistance: how a 16th-century Sephardic Jew conquered the colonial narrative from Spain
by Flora Cassen
Stories and literature
idea
Forget ‘Little Women’. How did girls learn to be grown women?
How might 19th-century novels for adolescent girls help us find healthier models of what it means to grow up female today?
by Julie Pfeiffer