Topics
Truth & Justice
Same Sex Marriage Isn’t Everything
Director, Human Rights and Social Movements Program, Harvard University
Human rights advocate Tim McCarthy worries that there’s been an overemphasis on fighting for a right that shouldn’t be at the forefront of the gay rights movement.
In Love, Sex, & Happiness, Politics & Policy, Truth & Justice
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You Call That Criminal Justice?
Once a darling of the Reagan administration, Glenn Loury has serious beef with U.S. incarceration policies. He’s no stranger to the law himself. Watch
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Morality in the Era of Bernie Madoff
Philosopher Peter Singer discusses the state of global ethics. Watch
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The American Protest Tradition
Naomi Wolf laments that spontaneous, change-making mass protest is illegal in the US. Watch
Related Blogs
The Voice of Big Think
November 9, 2009 — 3:25 AM
Beating Up Teachers With Cornel West
Shaking hands with Cornel West, it's difficult to imagine that this is a man filled with rage. As the prominent “bluesman” put it in his Big Think interview, the key to a more just society lies in a form of widespread and unconditional love of others—a worldview that comes across forcibly within moments of meeting him. Yet, as a schoolboy, the Princeton Professor’s incipient campaign against injustice took some wayward turns, and he became known for bullying bullies, eventually finding himself kicked out of school after punching his teacher and inciting a riot (fortunately, he later took an IQ test and scored so high that he was placed in a better school on the "other side of town"). Read more
The View From Europe
November 3, 2009 — 11:26 PM
The French Bid Farewell To One Of Their Greatest
It is not the denim giant Levi Strauss the world is looking upon today; instead, journalists across the globe are paying homage to French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, who died on Friday at the age of 100. Following his death, which was announced this morning, we take a look at exactly how important this Frenchman's work was. Read more
Latest Ideas
The former child soldier decries the violence that many children still face. Read More
November 19, 2009
Life After War in Sierra Leone
Ishmael Beah shares his own experience of being a child soldier. Read More
November 19, 2009
Immigration Law Expert Lenni Benson explores the fate of children who are brought to the US—either by a family member or a smuggler—and whether they should be forgiven their “illegal” status. Read More
November 19, 2009
Farrow insists it is necessary for people to acknowledge and own up to our capacity to do terrible things to each other. Read More
November 19, 2009
Farrow, who has traveled extensively as an ambassador for child’s rights, confesses that she no longer cares about an acting career. Read More
November 19, 2009
Farrow, adoptive mother of fifteen, discusses how central a role adults can play in the lives of children. Read More
November 19, 2009
NYU Law professor Lenni Benson explains how U.S. immigration law uniquely imperils children, and suggests what the country can do to help. Read More
November 18, 2009
Beating Up Teachers With Cornel West
Shaking hands with Cornel West, it's difficult to imagine that this is a man filled with rage. As the prominent “bluesman” put it in his Big Think interview, the key to a more just society lies in a form of widespread and unconditional love of others—a worldview that comes across forcibly within moments of meeting him. Yet, as a schoolboy, the Princeton Professor’s incipient campaign against injustice took some wayward turns, and he became known for bullying bullies, eventually finding himself kicked out of school after punching his teacher and inciting a riot (fortunately, he later took an IQ test and scored so high that he was placed in a better school on the "other side of town"). Read More
November 9, 2009
Daily Ideafeed
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Three Held
Hijacked! -
Three men have been charged by the feds for a 2008 stunt that replaced cable giant Comcast’s homepage with a message to other hackers – costing the company an over $128,000.
November 20, 2009
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Murder
Cosmetic Use -
A gang have been arrested on suspicion of killing people and selling their fat on the black market.
November 20, 2009
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Senator’s Girl
Under Influence -
Senator John Kerry’s daughter was arrested yesterday in Las Angeles on suspicion of driving while under the influence.
November 20, 2009
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Wife Murder
’Til Death Do Us… -
In South Africa a polygamist businessman has been convicted of the murder of his pregnant wife and the attempted murder of his second wife.
November 19, 2009
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Action, Explanation
Obama’s Task -
President Barack Obama needs to take decisive action in Afghanistan and remind the American public why they are fighting the war he inherited from George Bush.
November 19, 2009
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Obama
Guantanamo Delay -
President Obama has admitted that the US government will miss the January 2010 deadline for closing Guantanamo Bay.
November 19, 2009
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Wine Fraud
Oenophilic Pyramid -
A businessman has pleaded guilty to setting fire to $200m worth of vintage wines in what is believed to be an attempt to cover up a pyramid scheme.
November 18, 2009
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Toddlers
Childish Fears -
Young children who are insensitive to fear are more likely to go on to commit crimes, according to psychologists.
November 18, 2009
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Scientology
Criminal Belief? -
An Australian senator has accused the Church of Scientology of being a criminal organization and has called for its investigation by the police.
November 18, 2009
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E-Fit
Facebook Theft? -
Social-networking site Facebook is increasingly being used as a tool for thieves to target people – but also for cops to catch them red handed.
November 17, 2009
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Israel Gaffe
Photo Forgery? -
After Israel released photographs claiming to prove Iran was importing weapons to Hezbollah militia, Iranian news agencies have retorted claiming the images were forged.
November 17, 2009
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Puerto Rico
Police Bigotry -
The police reportedly suggested that gay a gay teenager brutally murdered in Puerto Rico deserved what he got due to his “type of lifestyle”.
November 17, 2009
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Fact Chequered
“Opposition Research” -
Former governor Sarah Palin has gone after the Associated Press accusing them of “opposition research” for fact checking her forthcoming book.
November 16, 2009
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John Thompson
After Death Row -
The BBC talks to a man who spent 14-years on death row before new evidence led to his release from jail.
November 16, 2009
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Falluja
Infant Deformity -
Doctors in Iraq are treating 15 times more chronic deformities in infants since the war – due possibly to toxic materials leftover from the fighting.
November 16, 2009
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Staunch Morals
Christian Charity? -
The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington has said it will stop its social service programs if gay marriage is legalized.
November 13, 2009
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Lack of Support
Homeless Veterans -
A staggering third of all homeless men in America are veterans of the army – so where is the post commission support?
November 13, 2009
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Hit and Run
Plane Stupid -
Police in Georgia say a pilot tried to hit officers with his plane at a small airport.
November 12, 2009
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Dodgy Cargo
Arming Hezbollah? -
Israel claims it has seized a cargo ship containing evidence that Iran is supplying Lebanese militant group Hezbollah with weapons.
November 12, 2009
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Court Backing
Psychic Police -
A British police-man sacked for believing in psychics has received backing from judges in an employment tribunal.
November 12, 2009
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Death Pay
Iraqi Bribery -
Senior executives at Blackwater Worldwide bribed Iraqi officials with around $1m to silence them after civilian deaths.
November 11, 2009
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Ham-Fisted
Race Relations -
A prominent professor punched a female university employee in the face during an argument about race relations.
November 11, 2009
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Guilty Nowak
Astronaut Attack -
Former astronaut Lisa Nowak pleaded guilty to burglary and misdemeanor battery in an attack against a love rival.
November 11, 2009
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Criminal Fraud
Indefensible? -
The US government is suing a defense contractor for allegedly substituting sophisticated warhead ignition devices for unsafe equivalents.
November 10, 2009
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Poisoning
Toxic Tale -
Defense contractor KBR has been accused of exposing 100,000 people, including US troops, to cancerous toxins in Iraq.
November 10, 2009