Community
Cults needn’t fit stereotypes to be dangerous. Here’s how to identify a controlling social group
Video by BBC Ideas
How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries
The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies
by Bénedicte Sère
How to chat with almost anyone
It can be awkward at first, but people are more open to conversation than you think – and it could lead to deeper connection
by Michael Yeomans
Confessions of a teenage fundamentalist
My world was dark and scary. But beautiful things crept in, and threats of hell just couldn’t compete
by Liz Boltz Ranfeld
We can live well, even though we don’t have a higher purpose
The novelist and poet Ursula K Le Guin shows we can reject nihilism and naive optimism by practising our collective freedom
by Alexis Shotwell
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
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While some consider the long, shared dining table outdated or inconvenient, it is actually a powerful social tool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
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
For Hutterites, ‘love thy neighbour’ is both gospel and practical necessity
Directed by Colin Low
When the lights went out and the city came together over two days in Toronto
Directed by Sharron Mirsky
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
Life on Bruny Island, population 750, is suffused with trade-offs and joys
Directed by Guido Pezz
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
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