All From the Editors

Distilling the essence of a story down to two or three words in 80-point type can be a challenge under any circumstance. When it comes to politics, it takes even more deftness. 

We looked through all our work last year and found 10 stories that most embodied the Monitor’s desire to uplift, enlighten, and improve through journalism. And we thought, why not share?

Torzhok is experiencing a resurgence because of one woman’s activism.

We would never accept news that is disproportionately positive. Why are we so willing to accept the reverse?

Separateness can be beautiful, expressed in distinct cultures, traditions, and nations. But when the Supreme Court declared in 1954 that “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,” it touched on a truth.

What obligation do more prosperous nations have to help those in disarray or distress?

No matter the injustices heaped upon them, liberty and freedom percolate beneath the surface.

What are borders, really? In an evolving world, what should they do?

Only by not resorting to violence can you develop a relationship built on trust and respect.

The story of Juba Arabic is one of colonization. The language is a mixture of different tongues imposed upon the South Sudanese by outsiders. That makes the story of Juba Arabic an allegory of sorts. 

Opinions about the best way forward can fracture a country in countless ways. Democracy, at its most fundamental level, is about creating a structure that can absorb those disagreements without violence or tyranny.

Money does other things that are subtler yet in some ways just as concerning as outright corruption. And, in a bit of a shock, new research suggests that money doesn’t do something that many think it does. 

What the Kavanaugh hearings showed is the tendency to be satisfied with the 'politics of personal destruction.'

Perhaps the answer to growing concerns about capitalism is not in black or white – it is in the perpetual reconsideration and recalibration that reveals the symphony within the gray.

When politics appeals to our zero-sum fears just to get us to the ballot box, it is a small step back toward the Stone Age.

Is saving the Amazon really just about protecting some trees here and some species there? Behind each of these efforts is a larger question that begins to show that the partisan 'us vs. them' narrative is full of false choices. The question is whether we can learn to live in balance with nature.

What is the right balance between a living faith that embraces the changing times and the religious traditions and doctrines that are often millenniums old?

Every so often, I take this space to let you know about happenings at the Monitor.

For two consecutive American presidential elections, many of the losers have seen the winner as illegitimate. Putting aside the merit of the claims, that broad fact speaks volumes.

Science is one of the most reliable ways to coach humans out of narrow, static thinking and into mental channels that grow and challenge our views of – well, everything.