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Photo of seven people sitting on a bench in a train station waiting area, with a clock on the wall behind them.

Civic life

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Bureaucracy and other civic bullshit can be good for us

No one enjoys waiting in stuffy buildings or on congested roadways, but there’s an upside to our fellowship of frustration

by Joel Cox

Photo of a crowded street dinner with blue flags, people sitting at long tables amid warm lights in a historic setting.

Community

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Take a seat: the long table is an antidote to loneliness

While some consider the long, shared dining table outdated or inconvenient, it is actually a powerful social tool

by Antone Martinho-Truswell

Photo of a diverse crowd holding American flags and banners during a street protest, with buildings in the background.

Community

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Does embracing local customs help immigrants feel at home?

Moving from Belgrade to Toronto, learning the social ‘rules’ fostered my sense of belonging. But there’s an important caveat

by Ljiljana Radenović

Photo of a woman in an orange shawl touching a decorative wall with colourful, intricate patterns and Islamic calligraphy.

Mental health across cultures

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Why a Sufi approach to healing mental illness is so powerful

In Sufi shrines, rituals offer sufferers a path beyond the fear and isolation of their mental distress

by Bhrigupati Singh

Photograph of a person lying on a floral sofa wearing jeans socks and an ankle monitor with a red cushion nearby.

Stigma and taboo

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The families of people who commit sex crimes need care and support

While they deal with a kind of grief, the relatives of those who harm others sexually are subject to blame and judgment

by Azadeh Nematy

Photo of a man in a plaid shirt enthusiastically gesturing in an art-filled room with a seated woman in the background.

Poetry

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Why spoken word poetry is so much more than a poetry reading

As poetry returns to its roots as a performance art, it’s providing many with a powerful source of healing and community

by Erica Fletcher

Photo of two people entering a room with a view of a cityscape through large glass doors, Empire State Building visible.

Disability

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Blindness transformed my social world, and I changed with it

One of the biggest challenges in becoming blind late in life has been overcoming sighted people’s negative assumptions

by Jeffry Ricker

Photo of two people in a gritty urban street with peeling painted walls, graffiti and shoes hanging on a wire.

Cultural diversity

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Cultural differences are far more nuanced than East vs West

It’s simply not the case that ‘Eastern’ cultures are relationally-minded, while ‘Western’ societies are individualistic

by Matt Huston

Photo of a vibrant street parade with people celebrating amid swirling confetti and waving American flags.

Cooperation and collaboration

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Defining social trust is a first step toward nurturing it

Researchers agree that social trust causes many positive social outcomes. But they differ on its definition and causes

by Kevin Vallier

Photo of people using virtual reality headsets and controllers at a gaming event with a vibrant yellow background.

Play

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A game is not a game without a special kind of conflict

From 5,000-year-old boardgames to last year’s video-game blockbusters, all games feature a kind of collaborative conflict

by Eric Zimmerman

Photo of a person with a backpack silhouetted against a white wall under trees, using a phone on a walkway.

Mental health

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How a feeling that you belong could protect your mental health

Research on young adults at a time of social transition highlights the significance of feeling that you belong to a group

by Janine M Dutcher & Amber Quinn

Ancient fresco depicts a seated figure holding a child, while another figure approaches, accompanied by a young child with wings, on a weathered background.

Civic life

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Can political persuasion be something more than manipulation?

Kant argued that persuasion was a product of manipulation and deception. But it can also be a force for good in civic life

by James Kastely