Best of the Moment
society-law-religion
britain
Maureen Dowd | Vanity Fair | August 2010
Exactly the piece you'd expect from Maureen Dowd in Saudi Arabia. Shrewd, sarcastic, superficial, full of odd factoids and jibes against Islamist misogyny. And very funny
Luo Jieqi | Caixin | 28 July 2010
From China, a terrific, convoluted, murder-and-extortion story in which seemingly everybody, possibly excepting the corpse, is double-crossing. Even the crime scene, a coal mine, is illegal
Anthony Kenny | TLS | 28 July 2010
Beautiful essay on 19th-century religious thinker and writer. His attempts to reconcile Church of England with its Roman Catholic heritage failed, but both churches honour his memory
Lisa Wade | Jezebel | 28 July 2010
Survey reports, in some detail, on what young American Christian men think about women. Results suggest a pernicious asymmetry between men and women, not far from rationale for the burqa
Kathryn Schulz | NYT Blogs | 28 July 2010
We tend to despise or deny our mistakes, disparage those of others. Succinct essay suggests we'd do better to embrace American founding fathers' view that errors are inevitable, should be tolerated
Kristin Ohlson | Smithsonian | 27 July 2010
Studying ancient graffiti leads to some surprising discoveries, among them that Nero was more popular than generally supposed. Walls also used to display wit, declarations of love and appreciative remarks by visitors
Ashley Makar | Killing The Buddha | 26 July 2010
Wide-ranging conversation about history and purpose of American penal system, punishment, torture, with Caleb Smith, Yale professor. Interesting—and depressing— throughout
Peggy Nelson | Nieman Storyboard | 23 July 2010
Of course we should take cellphone calls in the middle of dinner. We're part of a global networked conversation, not just the one going on at table. Note the risqué first paragraph
Ronald Dworkin | Policy Review | June 2010
America has 30 times as many clinical psychologists as it did 50 years ago, and as many more diverse therapists. Why? Are Americans suffering from an onrush of mental fragility?
Jaclyn | Feministe | 26 July 2010
Unpromising looking article that explodes into life when author begins telling how she revived her sex life through Craigslist Casual Encounters. Thoughtful, astonishingly candid and definitely not for prudes
Anonymous | Economist | 22 July 2010
Technical tour de force. Material for a dozen short stories packed into three spare paragraphs about a group of African women. Not exactly uplifting, but should leave you feeling better about your own life
Andy Beckett | Guardian | 24 July 2010
Much of what we associate with being middle class is coming under strain, starting with notions of job security, home ownership and saving for retirement. The crisis of a generation may be just beginning
Tom Chatfield | What Happens Next? | 20 July 2010
Engaging account of how long-term real-life friendships can bud within multi-player online games. To the gamer this must be commonplace; to the non-gamer, it's a glimpse into a parallel world
William Dalrymple | Killing The Buddha | 29 June 2010
Thrilling investigation into death cult of Great Goddess Tara, in Bengal. First sentence: “Before you drink from a skull, you must first find the right corpse.”
Jeffrey Rosen | NYT Magazine | 19 July 2010
Legal scholar examines impact of social media and internet search on private life and reputation. "The worst thing you've done is often the first thing that everyone knows about you"
Shiby Thomas | Economic Times | 18 Jul 2010
Indian court rules that Hindu gods cannot hold electronic share-trading ("demat") accounts, although deities of registered public trusts are generally allowed to acquire property
Ronald Dworkin | NYRB | 20 July 2010
Kagan an outstanding pick for Supreme Court, but her Senate confirmation hearings a farce. She stonewalled every question. Nominees should discuss judicial philosophy, if not concrete cases
Heather Havrilesky | Salon | 17 July 2010
"Mad Men" shows how American dream was cynically packaged for mass consumption in post-war years—creating a society perpetually distracted, dissatisfied
Alain de Botton | New Statesman | 19 July 2010
Wonderful short essay on Auguste Comte, and his attempt to create a new godless religion which could "console sceptical, secular minds facing the irritations of communal life or the terrors of finite existence"
Jonathan Derbyshire et al | New Statesman | 19 July 2010
Archbishop of Canterbury discusses liberal model of religious belief—a right to be heard in the public space, but not a right to dominate—which is both the strength and the weakness of the Anglican Church
Drake Bennett | Boston Globe | 18 July 2010
Poor are poor because, by definition, they don't have money. So why don't aid agencies just give them money, instead of pursuing expensive, inefficient schemes to change living conditions?
Anthony Gottlieb | New Yorker | 18 July 2010
Elegant discussion of voting methods and their imperfections, around the world and through history, beginning with Venetian Republic's ten-step process for choosing Doge
William Glaberson | NYT | 16 July 2010
Hitchcock film in the form of a newspaper story. Dying widow, sex-change daughter, idle son battle for ownership of apartment on Central Park West. Ends with jail sentences, hired killer
Alastair Smith & Alejandro Quiroz Flores | Foreign Affairs...
Western countries cope better with natural disasters because democratic systems deliver better building codes, emergency services, preparedness. Relative wealth has little to do with it
Jane Kramer | New Yorker | 15 July 2010
Concise account of historical, political perspective. Thousands of French Muslim women wear burka daily, symbol of widening cultural divide. Big social repercussions if ban goes ahead
Suzanne Daley | NYT | 15 July 2010
Inspired. Zooms in on small town of Wemmel, near Brussels, to show craziness of Belgium's language laws. Most residents speak French, but officialdom speaks only Flemish
Clayton Christensen | HBR | July 2010
Harvard professor's talk on balancing work and life. Energetic people over-invest in careerism because it gives quick results: products, wages. Family life, social life, take decades to mature
James Crabtree | FT | 9 July 2010
Church still has weird, cultish reputation. But it is big, rich, and increasingly part of American establishment. As prejudice fades, younger Mormons move easily into top jobs, elite institutions
Charles Simic | NYR Blog | 7 July 2010
Brief history of final words of the condemned. John Owens, executed for murder in Wyoming in 1886: "I wish you'd hurry up. I want to get to hell in time for dinner"
Sean Safford | OrgTheory | 6 July 2010
Management professor explains, in highly stylised form, how to find people you need with knowledge you want. Roughly speaking, they're often friends of your casual acquaintances
Jennifer Senior | New York | 4 July 2010
Numerous studies show children bring more pain than pleasure. Yet parents persist. What's going on? This anecdotal feature finds no real answers, but plenty of evidence that parents make it hard on themselves
Matthew Engel | FT | 3 July 2010
Ulster's second city is still segregated, even its name remains contentious. But writer struck by good nature of "the largest place I have ever been where a stranger has nodded a good morning to me in the city centre"
Marian Smith Holmes | Smithsonian | 17 June 2010
Nail-biting true story of married couple who escaped slavery in 19th century Georgia by fleeing north to Philadelphia—Ellen disguised as a male invalid, husband William as her slave
Editorial | Chicago Tribune | 28 June 2010
American cities confront Supreme Court's ruling on Monday that gun ownership is a "fundamental right", as much so as freedom of speech. Meanwhile, in Chicago, 23 are shot and three killed over a weekend
Roger Ebert | Chicago Sun-Times | 27 June 2010
Notes on high-school reunion, class of 1960. "Within our bodies of 67 or 68 years lived all the people we had ever been or seemed to be. All the success, all the defeat, all the love and fear"
A.J. Jacobs | Esquire | 24 June 2010
What would happen if we stopped lying, for fear of hurting others' feelings, and just told the truth? Virginia-based psychotherapist says do just that. Magazine reporter gives it a try
John McWhorter | New Republic | 24 June 2010
Studious black pupils mocked by peers for "acting white". Drags down performance, widens black-white scholastic gap. Originates in 1960s desegregation, needs to be corrected
Marc Lynch | Foreign Affairs | July 2010
Essay on political Islam and West, centred on Tariq Ramadan and his pragmatic challenge to fundamentalism. Long piece, slow to build, quite hard work, but well worth effort
Bryan Caplan | WSJ | 19 June 2010
Economist on rationale for having children. They make you less happy—but most parents would still do it all over again. And don't sweat it: bad parents don't make bad kids
Issendai | Live Journal | 9 June 2010
Bizarre piece of writing, on how to keep a spouse or employee in a state of exhaustion, dependency. Full of useful insights—if you happen to run a cult, or have a sadistic streak
Adam Liptak | NYT | 14 June 2010
Innocent man convicted of murder 35 years ago, on wife's testimony, while she was working in sheriff's office with access to evidence. There's a great book in this news story
Christopher Corbett | American Heritage | 14 June 2010
Fascinating myth-debunking history of the Pony Express, colossal business failure and American epic. Almost everything you think you know about it is wrong, from the famous job advert to the biggest dangers for riders
Christopher Hitchens | Slate | 14 June 2010
Vituperative attack on heir to British throne following latest speech. Longer on invective than analysis, and marred by reference to "wolfish" Muslim audience. Enjoyable though
Peter Singer | NYT | 6 June 2010
Thought experiment. Life is pretty disappointing for most people already. So why don't we agree to have no children, do what we like with the earth's resources, party our way to extinction?
David Thompson | Volokh Conspiracy | 10 June 2010
Google has changed legal and conceptual fundamentals for libel, reputation, privacy. Ramblings of a lone speaker can reach more readers than the New York Times, and stay readable for ever
Hannah Rosin | Atlantic | July 2010
US parents prefer daughters over sons. Even Asia following suit. Why? Because women outperform men in advanced, post-industrial economies. More productive, more employable, better educated
Mark Kende | Christian Science Monitor | 10 June 2010
Supreme Court nomination process is unedifying spectacle, minefield for candidates. Law professor argues for de-politicised approach, drawing on successful South African experience.
Jesse Bering I Scientific American I 7 June 2010
Psychologist examines concept of women who like men who like men. Finds "fag hags" exist across cultures, from Mexico to Japan. But why are there so few straight men who like to socialise with lesbians?
Steve Fishman | New York | 6 June 2010
Champion conman starts 150-year sentence at Buttman prison, North Carolina. Inmates treat him as counsellor, celebrity
Michelle Cottle | New Republic | 4 June 2010
Gores' breakup shows that even the stablest, longest marriages can fail. 60 isn't old any more, and it's easier to split amicably when you don't have to worry so much about kids or work
Anonymous | Economist | 27 May 2010
Sparkling review of new social history of Iceland. "The book opens with an account of a man who rips his own testicles off with a cord after a tantrum involving allegations of infidelity"
Paul Duggan | Washington Post | 3 June 2010
Old-fashioned, breathless, horrifying, hammed-up crime reporting. Investigation of how a half-witted teenager's anger over a lost charm bracelet turned into a multiple revenge killing
Michael Idov | New York | 30 May 2010
Enjoyable, chatty account of "Global Russians" and their grip on New York cultural and business life. Pegged to Mikhail Prokhorov's purchase of New Jersey Nets basketball team
Mark Steyn | Maclean's | 27 May 2010
Social compact of postwar era amounted to throwing money at problems and causes. That must end, as middle classes in developed world begin to understand they aren't so rich after all
Pankaj Mishra | New Yorker | 30 May 2010
Illuminating essay on conflicts between and around Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Tariq Ramadan, and Paul Berman. Depicts Hirsi Ali as naive, Ramadan over-rated, Berman belligerent, ill-informed
Ruadhan MacCormaic I Irish Times I 29 May 2010
French woman recounts tragic story of kidnap in Indian Ocean, botched rescue attempt by French special forces, subsequent battle to establish how her husband died
Winston Smith I 28 May 2010
Giving users of social services say in minor decisions is indulgent not empowering. It perpetuates sense of entitlement, wastes money, leads to absurdity of consultation exercises over replacement of tatty furniture.
Mohammad Qayoumi | Foreign Policy | 27 May 2010
Photo-essay on Afghan life in 1960s, with illustrations from contemporary guide book. Amazing, chastening, to see Westernised country with well-functioning factories, unveiled women, hospitals, buses, telecommunications
William Leith | Telegraph | 23 May 2010
Man's perspective on perplexing-to-men question. Why are women generally so much more anxious than men about the way they look? It might be advertising, it might be evolution
Graeme Wood | Atlantic | June 2010
Witchcraft prosecutions make up 40 percent of cases in Central African Republic courts. Lawyer advises defendants to "act normally and refrain from casting any spells in the courtroom"
Khaled Diab I The Guardian I 25 May 2010
A top 10 of mould-breaking women, starting with first convert to Islam. Includes founder of one of world's oldest universities and Egyptian queen who repelled Crusaders. Lebanese-born Miss USA doesn't make the list
Frank Furedi I Spiked Online I 25 May 2010
Pressure on adults not to discipline children leads to rape trials for 10 year olds. Society morally disoriented, unable to distinguish between behaviour appropriate between adults, between children. Justice infantilised
Paul Baker | Guardian | 24 May 2010
British gays used private language drawing on Elizabethan, Italian, Cockney, Yiddish, theatrical slang. Police were "Betty bracelets", "orderly daughters". Fell away in 1970s when homosexuality was legalised
Farhat Taj | Express Tribune | 24 May 2010
Slice of life in a Taliban-controlled corner of Pakistan. "Their accuser had forgiven them, but he was afraid to convey this to the Taliban, for fear they might chop off his hands as well"
John Heminway | FT | May 21
Anne Spoerry, French-born doctor serving Kenya's poorest, hid WW2 past as death-camp collaborator. Fascinating story, finely pieced together and sensitively told
David Greenberg and Tony Michels I Slate I 21 May 2010
History professors assess US Supreme Court nominee's undergraduate thesis. No outré ideological radicalism but sympathy for social democratic left. Intellectually nimble and mature, could have been superb historian.
Madeleine Bunting I The Guardian I 21 May 2010
Toxic mix of historical, cultural causes. Unlike West, idea of sex de-linked from reproduction still perceived as unnatural. Gay and lesbian activists face huge task, much personal danger.
Graham Tayman | Village Voice | 4 May 2010
Police officer secretly tapes work environment for 15 months, publishes tapes. Like "The Wire", only better. Golden rule: always look busy, but don't ruin statistics by booking crimes
Leon Neyfakh | NY Observer | 19 May 2010
Epic history of New York all-night gay diner, now closing. Centre of debauchery in 1970s; celebrity hang-out as Chelsea gentrified in 1980s. Parental guidance recommended
Winston Smith | 9 May 2010
"I've seen enough used condoms and soiled clothing to do me a lifetime, thank you very much". Social worker (and prize-winning blogger) argues for dealing more strictly with young people in care
Brendan O'Neill I Spiked Online I 19 May 2010
Well-judged jibe at unthinking critics of Islam. "Muhammad-baiting is shallow and theatrical. It is not barbarians at the gates but institutions inside the gates that have denigrated Enlightenment values."
Alma Guillermoprieto | NYR Blog | 17 May 2010
"Astounding and still unfolding story" of Mexican bigamist, pederast, dope fiend, who founded the Legion of Christ, a conservative Catholic order, and became a favourite of John Paul II
Ben Macintyre | London Times | 18 May 2010
"Cameron is upper-upper-middle class with a dash of English gentry, but Clegg is middle-upper-middle class with a hint of European aristocracy. These are quite different things.”
Adam Gopnik | New Yorker | 16 May 2010
Interesting if discursive essay on what we can deduce about the real or historical Jesus from Gospel narratives. Reviews literature up to Philip Pullman's "Good Man Jesus"
Mark Hughes, Rob Sharp | Independent | 13 May 2010
British police ban €500 note, used almost exclusively for money-laundering. "You can swallow €150,000 in €500 notes, or hide €20,000 of them a cigarette packet"
Richard Lloyd Parry | London Times | 10 May 2010
Service for unhappily married Japanese: "The wakaresase-ya is the direct opposite of a dating agency: with great ingenuity, and the right fee, they will prise apart human relationships"
Stephen Adshead | Anthony Painter's Blog | 12 May 2010
London taxi drivers spend years learning how to get around the city, and how to deal tactfully with difficult customers, before getting a licence. CEOs should do the equivalent
Jack Shafer | Slate | 10 May 2010
"Only by sending a gay nominee through the meat grinder of Senate confirmation—as with Catholics, Jews, blacks, women—can we purge identity politics from the court"
Christine Rosen | In Character | 26 April 2010
From teeth-whitening to Facebook-friending, we happily do in public now what would once have been considered private acts. Makes life easier in many ways, but also less civil
Oliver Burkeman | Guardian | 8 May 2010
Askers go right ahead and ask for what they want, even when the answer may be "no". Guessers avoid asking for something, unless they think the answer will be "yes". The trouble comes when they meet
Philip Weiss | Mondoweiss | 10 May 2010
Elena Kagan's nomination to Supreme Court is a "glorious Jewish and American moment. Never before in history have Jews been so included, so trusted, as we are in the US"
Michael Duffy | SMH | 8 May 2010
Fantastic piece of crime reporting. Has everything: drugs, beatings, motorcycle gang called the Nomads, whistleblower whose wife was gang-boss's "nanny, cleaner, and tester of amphetamines"
Brendan Kiley | Stranger | 4 May 2010
Long meditation on theology and logistics of suicide, from writer with terminally-ill mother. Slow start, but then a trove of insight and detail—of a kind rarely published, for fear of giving people ideas
James Mustich | B&N Review | 5 May 2010
Historian on causes, effects of Prohibition. Interesting throughout. America had serious drink problem. Main political factors enabling Prohibition were women's suffrage, introduction of income tax, First World War
Jonathan Rauch | National Journal | 1 May 2010
Conservative states discourage contraception, abortion—leading to early pregnancies, unhappy marriages, higher divorce rates. America's stablest families are in liberal Massachusetts
Editorial | Nation | 1 May 2010
Reprint of editorial from 18 April 1912: "1,300 lives were flung away because the White Star Line, like the other steamship companies, has persistently refused to carry sufficient life-boats"
Sharell Cook | Open Magazine | May 2010
Disarmingly candid account of what it's like to be a white woman, married to an Indian, in India. "My husband is neither loudspoken, nor imposing. As a result, he often gets mistaken as my guide"
Jean-Paul Flintoff | London Times | 17 April 2010
Briton shocked by government data-gathering, angered by ubiquitous closed-circuit television, tries to disappear for a month, pays detectives to track him down. Publicity stunt, but revealing
Jean-Paul Flintoff | London Times | 17 April 2010
Briton shocked by government data-gathering, angered by ubiquitous closed-circuit TV, tries to disappear for a month, challenges detectives to find him. Publicity stunt, but nonetheless revealing
Robert Amsterdam | 28 April 2010
Russia's opening of Katyn files suggests Polish president's death has triggered change for better in Polish-Russian relations, perhaps also in Russian approach to history
Correspondent's Diary | Economist | 21 April 2010
Notes on a journey through Gaza. First stop, Fahmi al-Atiri's Islamic dating agency. "No matter, said Mr Atiri, that I already had a wife. Polygamous marriages comprised half of his business"
Stanley Fish | NYT | 26 April 2010
If the US Supreme Court gives constitutional protection, on grounds of free speech, to fetish-videos in which animals are tortured to death, then jurisprudence has taken a wrong turn
Peter Leeson | Coordination Problem | 24 April 2010
Wry paper (PDF) defending medieval use of armed combat as means to determine property rights. Think of it as an auction, where you "bid" by hiring a champion to fight for you
Anonymous | Economist | 22 April 2010
Fascinating. India's Criminal Tribes Act forced vagabond groups to register with police, live in camps. Scrapped in 1952, effects linger. Tribal members live in poverty, without work, harassed by police
Henry Louis Gates | NYT | 23 April 2010
Europeans, early Americans to blame for slavery, but also Africans who did the selling. Obama uniquely placed to frame national debate on slavery, deal finally with question of reparations
Shubhangi Swarup | Open | 23 April 2010
Indian glossy profiles new money, gentrification, in provincial city. "While an outsider notices a dozen men pissing unabashedly on the street, Ananjay notices new toilets being constructed"
Scott Horton | Harper's | 20 April 2010
Stiff but informative interview with law professor Gary Solis. Are drones legal? Can soldiers fire on an ambulance? Does military necessity justify any action? Is the Geneva convention still of use?
Jamie Niehof | NY Public Library | 19 April 2010
Brief, engaging blog post about library service in New York's main jail complex. "There are tens of thousands of prisoners, and one single correctional services librarian. That's a pretty large patron base"
Lee Baker | Inside Higher Ed | 16 April 2010
Academic discussion of US policies towards minorities in late 19th, early 20th centuries. Anthropologists studied surviving elements of Native American culture, but didn't recognise African-American culture as such
William Dalrymple | Paris Review | Spring 2010
Interview with Tibetan Buddhist monk who fought Chinese in 1950s. "Once you have been a monk, it is very difficult to kill a man. But sometimes it can be your duty to do so"