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Sudan’s Plunge into Chaos Has Geopolitical Implications near and Far – Including for U.S. Strategic Goals
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Sudan’s Plunge into Chaos Has Geopolitical Implications near and Far – Including for U.S. Strategic Goals

The sight of diplomats fleeing Sudan amid chaotic scenes reflects the gravity of the situation, but also the extent of international interest in the strife-torn nation. Days into fighting that has left at least 400 people dead, governments from across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas evacuated nationals – teachers, students and workers,...

Raw Materials, or Sacred Beings? Lithium Extraction Puts Two Worldviews into Tension
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Raw Materials, or Sacred Beings? Lithium Extraction Puts Two Worldviews into Tension

Located in the heart of South America, Bolivia contains the largest lithium deposits in the world – an enviable position, in many countries’ eyes, as the market for electric vehicles takes off. Though EVs emit fewer greenhouse gases than fuel-powered vehicles, their batteries require more minerals – especially lithium, which is also used to make...

What Socrates’ ‘Know Nothing’ Wisdom Can Teach a Polarized America
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What Socrates’ ‘Know Nothing’ Wisdom Can Teach a Polarized America

A common complaint in America today is that politics and even society as a whole are broken. Critics point out endless lists of what should be fixed: the complexity of the tax code, or immigration reform, or the inefficiency of government. But each dilemma usually comes down to polarized deadlock between two competing visions and...

In ‘Air,’ Michael Jordan’s Silence Speaks Volumes About the Marketing of Black Athletes
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In ‘Air,’ Michael Jordan’s Silence Speaks Volumes About the Marketing of Black Athletes

The film “Air,” which tells the story of Nike’s signing of Michael Jordan, isn’t actually about Michael Jordan at all. It’s about the beauty of design and the seduction of marketing. It’s about power suits, purple Porsches and Rolexes. It’s about white men languishing through midlife crises who salivate over the branding potential of a...

Art World Legend Jeffrey Deitch on Vanessa Beecroft and Kim Kardashian
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Art World Legend Jeffrey Deitch on Vanessa Beecroft and Kim Kardashian

For the fifth installment of Pierre-Alexandre Mateos and Charles Teyssou’s series of interviews on iconic exhibitions in commercial galleries, the curator-duo talk to gallerist Jeffrey Deitch about the Vanessa Beecroft performance that launched his New York gallery in 1996. Pierre-Alexandre Mateos and Charles Teyssou: You launched your gallery on Grand Street in New York in 1996 with a celebrated performance...

The Barber of Seville: Old Favorite, Contemporary Charm
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The Barber of Seville: Old Favorite, Contemporary Charm

It’s hard to resist the cheery, familiar music and vocals of The Barber of Seville. One of the most beloved operas and certainly among the most familiar, Barber is a perennial crowd pleaser; but any worthy company that stages it knows not to be lazy about the production. Barber calls for quality performance, enjoyable, and...

Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
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Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic

Opioid addiction and abuse in the United States has become a prolonged epidemic, endangering public health, economic output, and national security. Summary Since 2000, more than a million people in the United States have died of drug overdoses, the majority of which were due to opioids. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have been driving the crisis...