• January 28

ONLINE: Sticky Subject: The History and Culture of Sugar

When King Henry VIII wanted three pounds of sugar for his guests at an important banquet, he had a tough time getting it. Now the average American eats that much sugar in a single week. Once a rare, exotic ingredient, sugar has become a dietary staple, leaving its sticky fingerprints all over the globe. Anthropologist […]

• February 2

ONLINE: Who Was Chief Seattle?

Chief Seattle wrote nothing down during his life, yet his words—both real and imagined—are known throughout the world. The result is a man made up of both historical and fictional aspects, from which conflicting messages can be gleaned. David M. Buerge, a biographer and a historian to the Duwamish Tribe, Seattle’s mother’s people, spent more […]

• February 8

ONLINE: Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion

In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Starting with this small community, a national strategy began, with more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Clarence Moriwaki shares the story of Bainbridge Island—the […]

• February 11

ONLINE: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Principal’s Office?

Beginning as early as preschool, Black students are disproportionately suspended and expelled from school. As many of these students reach adulthood, these punishments can lead to legal trouble, creating what some call the “school-to-prison pipeline” that affects many Black communities. Why are Black students punished more than others in the classroom? Based on his extensive […]

• February 16

ONLINE: She Traveled Solo: Strong Women in the Early 20th Century

During a 5,000 mile solo bicycle ride from southern California to Maine, Tessa Hulls heard the same thing daily: that a woman can’t travel alone. She began researching other women who traveled solo in different ways, and became fascinated with many in stories from the early 20th century: explorers, mountaineers, and even a circus performer—women […]

• February 18

ONLINE: Who Was Chief Seattle?

Chief Seattle wrote nothing down during his life, yet his words—both real and imagined—are known throughout the world. The result is a man made up of both historical and fictional aspects, from which conflicting messages can be gleaned. David M. Buerge, a biographer and a historian to the Duwamish Tribe, Seattle’s mother’s people, spent more […]

• February 18

ONLINE: What Your Home Says about the World

Whether it’s teacups or televisions, what you decide to keep—and not keep—in your home provides deep insights about you, your family, and society itself. Join sociologist and writer Michelle Janning to discover how home spaces and objects tell the story of what’s happening in contemporary families. From stuffed animals to smartphones to love letters, the […]

• February 24

ONLINE: Heating Up: The Ethics of Climate Change

What if we could tell ourselves a new story about climate change—and, in doing, so, alter our relationship to our planet? With larger, longer wildfire seasons, accelerating species extinction, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise, it’s increasingly clear that climate change isn’t something that’s about to happen—it’s here. But while the laundry list of problems wrought […]