Prisons & Punishment: Conceptions of Justice in SFF
In trying to come up with a fictional example of prison, I was reminded of a discussion I had with one of my professors in college. The topic was determinism...
Category: Politics
Politics is the study or practice of the distribution of power and resources within a given community (a usually hierarchically organized population) as well as the interrelationship(s) between communities. Politics is about achieving and exercising positions of governance — organized control over a human community, particularly a state. A political system is a framework which defines acceptable political methods within a given society. Formally, politics refers to the operation of a system of government and publicly defined institutions and procedures. Political parties, public policy or discussions about war and foreign affairs would fall under the category of “formal” Politics. Many people view formal politics as something outside of themselves, but it can still affect their daily lives.
Removing Monuments to White Supremacists & Racists
Henry Olsen wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington Post about removing monuments in which he claimed: Knocking down or defacing statues of national founders or heroes not only displays ignorance...
Interview with Bruce Castle
This month I had a chance to speak with Bruce Castle, the low-key Indie author of a deeply underrated tale with a lot of interesting structural elements underpinning the story. A Tale of...
Interview with Katharine Wibell
Katharine Wibell, author of the Incarn Saga, has graciously agreed to be interviewed this month! Even more graciously, she agreed to give us some spoilers for her novel, Issaura’s Claws. This interview represents a...
It’s Not Harmless Talk: On Sexual Assault
I usually write about academic topics; history, politics, folklore — that sort of thing. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about people’s implicit acceptance of friends and associates’ sexual assault,...
Why Africa Matters: Civic Duty & Career Training
I explain why Africa matters — not just mean globally, either. Africa matters to young, small-town Americans still learning to understand their world. It even matters to readers like you!
One Week Later: Republicans’ Control of Government
Republicans voted the 115th United States Congress into office, and should write their congressmen and explain their priorities. If you’re against racism, write in and say so! Your voice matters.
Gary Johnson & other Republicans turning Libertarian
I think there’s a strong case to be made for a certain subset of Republicans turning Libertarian. Let me preface this with some vital statistics. I am 28, female, and...
Heroes and Parenting: Achilles vs. Hawkeye
I recently read a Washington Post article claiming that President Obama’s most unusual legacy will be that he was a good father. It rang true for me. We rarely get...
Exaggeration: History Becomes Myth
It was the Black Company series by Glen Cook that made me realize how often history becomes myth, exaggerated beyond meaningful belief. The Books of Glittering Stone detail a religion...
