Ariel Dorfman’s Novella ‘The Compensation Bureau’ Is a Fantastical Plea for Hope
A thin book of big ideas, Ariel Dorfman’s ‘The Compensation Bureau’ leaves much to the imagination, like a brilliant sketch of a fantastical parable.
human rights
Megan Rapinoe’s ‘One Life’ Is Pitch-Perfect
In Megan Rapinoe's memoir One Life, her training, hard work, and competitive spirit are coupled with an impassioned account of her political awakening.
John Lennon: Revolutionary Man As Political Artist
John Lennon helped transform the art and image of the pop star. His very public political activism and socially and politically aware lyrics have earned him a prominent place in the creative and political history of rock.
Activist Documentary ‘Church and State’ Shows a New Mythos for Change
The fight to legalize gay marriage is a story the Left must cherish, a tale of systemic justice in an era of burgeoning oppression, a refreshed vision for a time that needs a refreshed "public dream" for change.
Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2020
This year's 'digital edition' of Human Rights Watch's consistently engaging and enraging collection of documentaries is at its best when spotlighting the activists fighting to make humanity more human.
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When the Migrants Come to Collect Their Due: On Suketu Mehta’s ‘This Land Is Our Land’
Suketu Mehta offers a powerful, angry, and brilliant defense of immigrant rights in This Land Is Our Land: An Immigrant's Manifesto.
‘On Her Shoulders’: Awareness of Trauma Is Not Enough
In this interview with Director Alexandria Bombach centered on her recent documentary about Nadia Murad, On Her Shoulders, she reflects on how we process another's trauma, and how we might be moved beyond simply awareness.
On Mankind’s Hubris and Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’
When promises of draining proverbial swamps have only blurred the distinction between legislation and capitalism, it is now the responsibility of individuals to advocate for Rachel Carson's environmental vision.
On George Orwell’s Long-lost Human Rights Manifesto
A newly discovered document sheds important light on the author, his thought, and the struggle against authoritarianism, as discussed with Orwell researcher David Smith.
In Defense of Errol Morris’s ‘Standard Operating Procedure’
Morris knows how our own projections have been weaponized against both those in the Abu Ghraib photos and ourselves as the public consuming the photos, obfuscating the standard operating procedure of the title.
Don’t Google It! How Search Engines Reinforce Racism
Algorithms of Oppression addresses the growing concern about the consequences of commercial control over information and the harm it does to communities.