Culture
Reconsidering the Indelible Legacy of the “Feminist-Critical Mother of Us All” Reconsidering the Indelible Legacy of the “Feminist-Critical Mother of Us All”
The life and times of pioneering feminist scholar Carolyn Heilbrun revealed the defining pressures, struggles, and joys of her era.
Tomorrow’s Antisemitism Today Tomorrow’s Antisemitism Today
While real antisemitism is rearing its head, the assurance that “anti-Zionism is not inherently antisemitic” can feel like gaslighting.
How “Reservation Dogs” Changed the TV Landscape How “Reservation Dogs” Changed the TV Landscape
The pioneering FX show offered a window into contemporary Native life in all its joys and vicissitudes.
Should America Keep Celebrating Thanksgiving? Should America Keep Celebrating Thanksgiving?
Sean Sherman argues that we need to decolonize Thanksgiving, while Chase Iron Eyes calls for replacing Thanksgiving with a “Truthsgiving.”
Film
Influence and the Rise of Digital Celebrity Influence and the Rise of Digital Celebrity
A history of social media from the perspective of the poster, Taylor Lorenz’s Extremely Online examines the roots and rise of our sponsorship-saturated ecosystem.
Wang Bing, the World’s Hardest-Working Director Wang Bing, the World’s Hardest-Working Director
In his new film, Youth (Spring), the prolific director examines how the People’s Republic became the workshop for much of the world.
The Long, Wild, Bloody History of the Hollywood Strike The Long, Wild, Bloody History of the Hollywood Strike
Today’s strikes are part of a nearly century-long tradition within the entertainment industry.
Scorsese’s Indigenous Epic Scorsese’s Indigenous Epic
On this episode of The Time of Monsters, David Klion on Martin Scorsese’s new film, Killers of the Flower Moon.
Letters From the November 13/20, 2023, Issue Letters From the November 13/20, 2023, Issue
The economics of freedom… Oppenheimer: red or pink?…
Television
How “Reservation Dogs” Changed the TV Landscape How “Reservation Dogs” Changed the TV Landscape
The pioneering FX show offered a window into contemporary Native life in all its joys and vicissitudes.
Influence and the Rise of Digital Celebrity Influence and the Rise of Digital Celebrity
A history of social media from the perspective of the poster, Taylor Lorenz’s Extremely Online examines the roots and rise of our sponsorship-saturated ecosystem.
The Misunderstood History of American Wrestling The Misunderstood History of American Wrestling
A recent biography of WWE executive Vince McMahon presents him as an entertainment tycoon who changed culture and politics. The real story of his rise is as banal as it is brutal….
Architecture
Architects Must Refuse to Profit From the Ruins of Palestine Architects Must Refuse to Profit From the Ruins of Palestine
Gaza is a site of human tragedy, not a prize of war.
What Good Is Architecture on a Drowning Planet? What Good Is Architecture on a Drowning Planet?
We need political solutions to climate emergencies, not design solutions.
The Future of Design Is Designing for Disability The Future of Design Is Designing for Disability
Accessibility should not be a grudging afterthought. With planning, it can lead to elegant, beautiful, and engaging art.
Music
The “Digital Blackface” Artist Competing for a Grammy The “Digital Blackface” Artist Competing for a Grammy
Ghostwriter’s “heart on my sleeve” became a viral hit thanks to vocals by Drake and The Weeknd. But neither artist contributed to the song.
Louis Armstrong Gets the Last Word on Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Gets the Last Word on Louis Armstrong
For decades, Americans have argued over the icon’s legacy. But his archives show that he had his own plans.
Letters From the October 16/23, 2023, Issue Letters From the October 16/23, 2023, Issue
Island records… The West Wing… Corrections… Class grievances (web only)…
Jann Wenner’s Blinkered Rock ’n’ Roll Revolution Jann Wenner’s Blinkered Rock ’n’ Roll Revolution
He built an empire on the foundations laid by Black musicians—but fails entirely to recognize that.
Top 10 Labor Day Songs Top 10 Labor Day Songs
In honor of Labor Day, here’s a stab at the impossible task of naming the best songs ever written about working people.
Publishing
The FTC Lawsuit Against Amazon Is the Biggest Antitrust Fight of Our Time The FTC Lawsuit Against Amazon Is the Biggest Antitrust Fight of Our Time
It’s also a test of whether even the federal government has the power, and the political will, to rein in corporate monopoly power.
Once Upon a Time in “Artforum” Once Upon a Time in “Artforum”
Artists and critics are polarized—and under great pressure from both sides of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The Haunting of the Publishing House The Haunting of the Publishing House
The racism and prejudice of the industry has been the subject of recent novels. In R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, that plot becomes a horror story.
Latest in Culture
The Settled Actors’ Strike Brings Hollywood Back Online The Settled Actors’ Strike Brings Hollywood Back Online
SAG-AFTRA agreement addresses key issues, but future struggles await the entertainment industry.
Nov 15, 2023 / Ben Schwartz
How the New York Waterfront Shaped American Modernism How the New York Waterfront Shaped American Modernism
In The Slip, Prudence Peiffer looks at the role an overlooked neighborhood played in the lives and work of an eclectic set of postwar artists.
Nov 6, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Tausif Noor
The Small Gestures and Big Questions of Annie Baker’s Plays The Small Gestures and Big Questions of Annie Baker’s Plays
In Infinite Life, Baker asks: How do you reach out to others when everyone ultimately suffers alone?
Oct 31, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
Leonardo DiCaprio Is Just the Latest of Martin Scorsese’s Husbands From Hell Leonardo DiCaprio Is Just the Latest of Martin Scorsese’s Husbands From Hell
Killers of the Flower Moon offers a vivid and compelling study of racism as domestic violence.
Oct 27, 2023 / Jeet Heer
Jonathan Lethem Returns to the Scene of the Crime Jonathan Lethem Returns to the Scene of the Crime
In his new novel, the bard of Boerum Hill interrogates the brutal truths of gentrification.
Oct 27, 2023 / Ross Barkan
The Dark Message of “Killers of the Flower Moon” The Dark Message of “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Unlike the visions of unbounded freedom found in traditional westerns, Martin Scorsese’s new film is a study of a West bounded by the vertical geometry of oil rigs and the violent…
Oct 25, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Jorge Cotte