New Year, Old Stories

Our stories in 2018 investigated a range of subjects: redefining the concept of “winning” for the national-security arena of the 21st century, threats to journalism in Myanmar, the future of LGBTQ rights in the wake of the 2018 midterms. Here are 10 of our most popular stories from the year we just left behind—important stories that we’ll be thinking about well into 2019.

1. In a paradoxical way, Millennials are both the most cyber-secure generation—and the most cyber-insecure one. Dillon Roseen explained why that matters.
2. Emily Tamkin argued how, even though the Grammys gave Kesha a stage for a night, that wasn’t an examination of or a reckoning with the alleged abuse that had plagued the singer for years.
3. If we want to sustain the current cultural momentum around extinguishing sexual violence, Gary Barker wrote, we must address a simple fact: that we make boys into harassers every day.
4. The United States has a problem of talking about gun violence—and what to do about it. Peter W. Singer discussed the debating tactics used to avoid talking about sensible, common-sense measures to tackle gun violence.
5. Donna A. Patterson explained how to watch Beyoncé’s Coachella performance is to marvel at an artist who does more than just elevate herself—she unapologetically elevates key elements of black culture too.
6. Hana Passen explored how Janelle Monáe’s latest album, Dirty Computer, offers listeners—and viewers—an Americana that embraces the marginalized.
7. Marina Nitze discussed how Rhode Island’s approach to foster care has become an example of the fact that, sometimes, technology isn’t the silver bullet we make it out to be.
8. Silvio Waisbord investigated how the alliance between the Trump presidency and Fox News is a sobering reminder that political propaganda isn’t exclusive to government-owned and state-funded media.
9. Today’s homeschool advocates aren’t the Christian Right, trying to dismantle public education. Rather, Elena Silva wrote, they’re parents who don’t believe that the current school model is best, or enough, for their children.
10. Chloe Safier reflected on how, one year into #MeToo, victims of sexual assault have become more visible—but there’s been no explicit wave of self-reflection among alleged abusers.