Sam Haselby
Sam is a historian of early America with a particular interest in religion and politics. He was a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows and has been a faculty member at the American University of Beirut, the American University in Cairo and at Columbia University in New York City. He was a Senior Executive Producer at Al Jazeera America and is the author of The Origins of American Religious Nationalism (paperback, 2016). @samhaselby
Edited by Sam Haselby
Parenting and families
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The history of family offers a liberating view of custom and love
Chronicling the families of the past shows just how much family values, feelings and decision-making can morph over time
by Katie Barclay
Memory and nostalgia
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Before it was ‘bittersweet’, nostalgia was seen as a parasite
Early modern ideas about nostalgia, infused with the elements of horror, invite us to think more deeply about human longing
by Jac Lewis
Addiction
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My great-grandfather poisoned drinkers during Prohibition
In a grim irony, his descendants – my grandmother and mother – struggled with drink. Here’s what I’d tell him about addiction
by Rebecca Lester
Communication and language
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For this unsung philosopher, metaphors make life an adventure
Susanne K Langer understood the indispensable power of metaphors, which allow us to say new things with old words
by Sue Curry Jansen & Jeff Pooley
Human rights and justice
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True solidarity requires Burke’s ‘sympathetic revenge’
Social media utterances aren’t enough. Burke’s stand against colonial injustice shows we must confront our own complicity
by Jack Jacobs
Virtues and vices
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Social comparison is driving us to despair. It doesn’t have to
In the social media age, it seems impossible not to measure ourselves against others – but we can dodge the worst pitfalls
by Wojciech Kaftański
Progress and the future
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We need the toolkit of utopian thinking, now more than ever
Many dismiss utopian ideas. But imagining a better world is a vital political skill for tackling today’s challenges
by Caitlin Rajan
Social history
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How the law soothed broken hearts in 19th-century America
What does a deep dive into the transcripts of historical seduction trials reveal about how we account for hurt feelings?
by Jinal Dadiya
Technology and media
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Why deepfakes pose less of a threat than many predict
Applying Descartes’ sceptical puzzle to deepfake videos reveals the challenge they present is one that we can rise to
by Keith Raymond Harris
Work and vocation
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The ways Sugar Babies navigate two roles: lover and employee
‘Sugaring’ involves the commodification of romance – presenting a puzzle of love, labour and autonomy for those involved
by Brynn Valentine
Parenting and families
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Why are tiger parents willing to trade love for success?
Growing up under tiger parenting, I’ve seen that pushing a child to succeed often fails – and isn’t worth the emotional cost
by Louis Li
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