Probably very few people would brag about the happy state of political discourse in the US right now. Complaints and squabbles (and more) resound loudly from all directions 24/7, drowning out most of the suggestions and proposals for how we might work our way toward more productive civic engagement. In the midst of the cacophony, …

Continue reading Civility isn’t the answer: Jennifer Mercieca on the state of political discourse

A TV sitcom is just a frivolous thing, right? Not worth taking seriously, surely. Except that we do; we take TV shows and TV characters very seriously. The enormous hoopla and press coverage surrounding the reboot of the sitcom “Roseanne” is a case in point, and TV writer and actor Kelvin Yu makes a very …

Continue reading Not “all caught up”: Kelvin Yu on “Roseanne”

Oh, those famous ‘three little words’! No, not “I love you,” although they’re important, too, of course. The ‘three little words’ of our era are “I hear you,” and don’t underestimate their power. But here’s the thing: it’s easy to hear the voices and ideas that we already agree with. How well do we hear …

Continue reading Bubble scrubbing: Joan Blades and John Gable on the power of conversation

Criticisms of amateurism in college sports usually center around compensation for student athletes. Here, sports historian and former NCAA national champion distance runner Victoria L. Jackson calls out college sports amateurism for another reason—racism. Her January 2018 op-ed was published in the Los Angeles Times; Jackson was also interviewed for the Chronicle of Higher Education …

Continue reading Who pays the price: Victoria L. Jackson on race, revenue, and college sports