Society

American history is much more about rapid and cheap transport than about extremes of population density.  Even New York, our densest major city by far, became dense relatively late in American history.  To this day, the United States is not extremely dense, not say by European or East Asian standards. But in American history, themes […]

Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

A 17-year-old student has launched a dedicated portal to exposing Germany's 'secret' pirate site blocklist to the public.

An anthropologist explains the roots of our workaholism and offers a vision of a more leisurely future.

In August 2023, we launched 404 Media with a novel idea: pay journalists to do journalism. Here we are, a year later.

The party had lost hope. Now it has it back.

Limited liability has come to cover for not just incompetent but also criminal conduct. But what to do?

In May, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to the editor of the New York Times Opinion section. In the brief missive, Rep. Pelosi pointed to four legislative reforms to reinforce American democracy that House Democrats passed in 2022, only to see the bill, the Freedom to Vote:

By Erica C. Barnett A sad spectacle played out at Seattle City Hall today, as council members who support a…

Surveillance Watch is an interactive map revealing the intricate connections between surveillance companies, their funding sources and affiliations.

With remarkable creativity, young Kenyans used technology to organise nationwide protests. The state’s digital response has been equally remarkable, but for all the wrong reasons.

Rounding up migrants. Lists of “friendly” sheriffs. Debating political assassinations. Internal messages reveal AP3's journey from Jan. 6 through the tumultuous lead-up to the 2024 election. One member predicts: “It’ll be decided at the ammo box.”

The DOJ brought the right kind of case against an Aggregator, which stagnates by being too nice; the goal is for companies to act like they actually have enemies.

Some practical ideas for how to manage population shrinkage. But will neoliberalism get in the way?

I ran across the alarming phrase intellectual menopause a few months ago in John Gall’s Systemantics, and it naturally stuck in my brain given I’m pushing 50 and getting predictably ang…

Twelfth in the News Commons series Last week at DWeb Camp, I gave a talk titled The Future, Present, and Past of News—and Why Archives Anchor It All. Here’s a frame from a phone video: DWeb C…

Here’s the hard pill to swallow: Your insecurities should not hold back the tide of innovation.

Trumpist county election officials are preparing to throw the process into chaos.

In this bonus episode, Rohan Grey speaks with Philip Diehl about #MintTheCoin in the wake of this season’s debt limit showdown. Director of the United States Mint under President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 2000, Diehl is best known today as the person most responsible for 31 U.S. Code 5112(k).

Whodunit and what to do about it

Good afternoon from summertime Washington, where I am writing this dispatch along the Anacostia River. Alex Howard here, with another civic text. Thanks to everyone who has subscribed and amplified this series so far, particularly the folks who have signed up for a paid membership. This newsletter will need to