All Society
FocusWomen take the tractor wheelFor some women farmers, it's a second career. Others are young visionaries with a passion for reimagining the food system. Still others grew up on a farm but fled – vowing to never lift another shovel of manure – only to have a change of heart.
Rent-then-own tiny house village seeks to reinvent Detroit's low-income housingResidents, who include formerly homeless people and those who were in foster care, pay low rent on houses that range from 250 to 400 square feet. After paying rent for seven years, they will be given the deeds to their homes.
From #MeToo to #MenToo? Why men play a role in battling harassment.Men are voicing support for women who speak out against sexual harassment or assault. The next step, experts say, is follow-through by taking a stand against it when it surfaces in the workplace.
After Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas grapples with how to heal togetherMental health counselors leaped to action in the wake of the Oct. 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas, offering help to individuals struggling with trauma. But public health advocates suggest that mass trauma requires a broader community-wide approach.
Puerto Rican puppies find forever homes in New EnglandAnimal lovers helped hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico by bringing puppies, one senior dog, and cats from the island to Massachusetts for adoption.
Focus'Casting couch' or 'crime scene'? Hollywood's culture of sexual harassmentThe words society chooses to use to describe sexual harassment and assault can tint the lens the public uses to assign judgment, belief, or blame, experts say. They can help foster a culture of silence and compliance – or they can empower the vulnerable.
Letter from Las Vegas: a first-timer's view of the gun rangeFor reasons personal and professional, I wanted to shoot a gun for the first time – and join the 72 percent of US adults who already have.
First LookHow Amazon's boom brought growing pains to SeattleAs Amazon looks for a new city to host its second headquarters, Seattle provides a cautionary tale. Issues such as housing prices and traffic have forced many lower- and middle-income families outside the city limits.
Grit and the gridiron rescue a townResidents of Refugio, Texas, defying a hurricane’s destruction, rallied around a football team and each other.
NFL owners to meet, with racial divide on the agendaSometimes sports become a venue for overcoming racial tensions. Amid anthem protests, pro football has a high-profile opportunity.
First LookWomen join forces against sexual assault with 'me too' social media campaignActress Alyssa Milano asked her social media followers to tweet 'me too,' if they have ever suffered sexual harassment or assault as claims against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein continue to come forward.
Puerto Rico's children: a focus of concern ... and source of inspirationEven as educators and psychologists watch for signs of the emotional toll on children in Maria's aftermath, many Puerto Ricans say young people are demonstrating a desire to give in the midst of so much loss.
Is Harvey recovery changing the way Texas defines fiscal responsibility?As the eastern part of the state recovers from Harvey, the costliest storm in US history, flood-prevention measures that had stalled due to lack of funding are now priorities for some Republican lawmakers.
In Puerto Rico mountains, more than muddy roads delay relief effortsAs civilian and military officials work to bring supplies to 'forgotten' residents of Puerto Rico's hard-hit hinterlands, personal and partisan rivalries over who gets to claim credit for delivering the relief are slowing the process.
San Juan residents pitch in with cleanup, lifting their own spiritsPuerto Rican society is starting to mirror the island’s jarring post-Maria natural landscape, where the ghostly gray-brown of wind-slashed tropical trees is already being overtaken by the iridescent green of emphatic new growth.
'Blade Runner 2049': Why some science fiction writers are tired of dystopiasThe long-awaited sequel to 1982's 'Blade Runner' seems inspired by present-day concerns. But amid the grim apocalyptic narratives, authors such as Neal Stephenson and Cory Doctorow argue that futuristic fiction should leave room for optimism and vision.
Why gun experts don’t support banning – or buying – ‘bump stocks’Twelve of the 23 guns found in the Las Vegas shooter’s hotel room were retrofitted with an add-on that allows a semiautomatic weapon to mimic the action of an automatic, according to the ATF. The buzz surrounding these add-ons follows a now-familiar pattern.
For country fans, grappling with attack on ‘the most American of music’Modern mass shootings target places where people gather to connect – concerts, colleges, nightclubs, theaters, schools. They attack both individuals and different versions of community. Now another American family struggles to recover following apparently senseless gun violence.
Las Vegas tragedy tests America, but also summons faith and resolveReactions to a mass shooting range from prayer vigils to ‘I need to stay off Facebook.’ Many Americans stayed on social media, as they sought to share – or to find – some hope.
Can Houston find path to recovery that doesn't leave poor behind?Inequalities that exist before disasters tend to be exacerbated afterward, research shows. As it rebuilds, Houston – one of the most multicultural cities in the US – has the opportunity to break from this trend in a way that benefits its poor and immigrant communities, experts say.
