Contending Voices: Problems in World History

The recent “New York Declaration” supports an end to the war in Gaza through a two-state solution. This may appear to be a significant step toward possible Palestine nationhood, but it brings both good news and bad news.

The objectives of Israeli and U.S. leaders, especially since 2000, have united in a strategy of corporate-military dominance of the Middle East. This approach has come to a head in recent days, with Israeli-American attacks against Iran. Will global democracy win out, or will the conflict escalate into a wider war?

Universities have advanced knowledge and shaped society through the power of academic freedom. But as that freedom comes under increasing threat, what might be at stake for research, innovation, and the public good?

In my third annual commentary on the V-Dem Project’s democracy report, I break down the data on global trends in democracy and autocracy.

This historical overview summarizes regional conflict and change in Arabic-speaking Asia from 1800 to today. It traces empires, national movements, wars, migrations, diasporas, decolonization, and economic change over time.

Scientia recently published a summary of a 2023 article I wrote, which detailed the patterns of human evolution as they relate to the origins and development of households and communities.

The ongoing war in Gaza is not just a war between Israelis and Palestinians. It is a defining global struggle in decolonization and national equality. What key events have led to this harrowing moment?

This overview looks at five periods of hominin species, tracing the evolution of group behavior through their overall phenotype, the details of individual senses and signals, and varied links between individuals.

The information that animals take in—combined with the signals they outwardly project—has enabled the formation of groups and group behavior. This development can be traced throughout the Animal Kingdom from early times to the present.

Examples of past (and current) global protests show how people in different nations—and with differing political views—come together to make a statement about human values. Such global activism is powerful; it may even have an impact in reshaping the United Nations.

Environmental degradation continues to outpace reform. What are the key factors driving this crisis and humanity's understanding of it? And what might offer the best chance of limiting environmental collapse?

Climate and the environment are top policy issues today. In this blog post—the first in a two-part series—I trace the history of these topics. I highlight key trends and moments in history that exacerbated environmental degradation, as well as those that shaped public opinion about such destruction. I also outline key scientific advances that have… Read More »A Timeline of the Rise of Environmentalism: 1940s–1970s