North America
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How Chicago’s Economic Fault Lines Dictate Classroom Success
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In a spatial analysis of Chicago’s community health, a series of five choropleth maps reveals a city deeply divided by a reinforcing cycle of economic hardship and educational outcomes. By mapping data for populations below the poverty line, unemployment rates, and proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science,…
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The Paradox of Freedom in a Country That Wants to Keep Immigrants Locked Up
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A routine visit to the immigration field office in Dallas, Texas, upended life for Mahir Tarabishi (62), who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in October 2025. Mahir’s detention proved fatal for his disabled son, Wael Taraishi, who died on January 23, 2026, in the absence of Mahir,…
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America’s manufactured medical shortage
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Why is it so hard to see a healthcare provider in America? The US has fewer doctors per person than most developed countries and too few to meet growing demand, according to projections. Most Americans have felt the symptoms of this longstanding shortage: higher prices and difficulty finding care. But what is less well-known is…
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From Collaboration to Consolidation: How Conference Realignment Concentrates Power Beyond Antitrust Reach
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College athletic conferences organize the economic and competitive structure of college sports. These leagues group universities into regional affiliations that coordinate scheduling, negotiate shared television contracts, and determine postseason competition. Two of the most prominent were the Pac-12 Conference, historically composed of major West Coast universities, and the Big 12…
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Revisiting Competency-Based Education: Lessons from Maine’s Experiment
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Outside Contributor: Nathan Lesch is a second-year PhD student studying American political institutions at Columbia University, Department of Political Science. Introduction Most American schools follow a Carnegie Unit-derived system, where students’ attainment is determined by the number of hours they spend in the classroom, in conjunction with grades that range from A to F. While…
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In Defense of Detemir: How US Drug Policy Let an Essential Insulin Disappear
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In December 2024, Novo Nordisk discontinued insulin detemir (levemir) in the U.S. They cited manufacturing constraints, alternative insulins, and reduced formulary coverage. This decision removed one of only three basal insulin options. No generic could replace it since the FDA does not allow compounding of insulins, and expedited pathways still…
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From Preclusive to Preventive: GLP-1 Accessibility
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Technological innovations often face backlash or skepticism at first before finding a place in everyday life. Famously, many believed the printing press would diminish human intellect, as the written word would replace memorization. Luddites opposed innovations during the Industrial Revolution in England, fearing that their businesses would be displaced by…
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Beyond Brain Drain: How Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws Undermine the Federal Workforce
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When lawmakers debate anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, the conversation is often framed as a cultural or moral dispute. House floor speeches and twitter fights are often centered on medicine, children, sports, and freedom of speech. It is effective for grabbing attention, to the point where people have built entire careers around anti-trans…
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The Composition of the U.S. Grid: A Structural Analysis of Generation Mix
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Data source: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/ The stacked area chart serves as a chronological trend of the American power grid’s composition from 2015 to the present. The vertical axis represents the total volume of electricity generated (measured in Terawatt-hours), while the horizontal axis tracks the progression of years. The total height of the…
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Is AI Killing Jobs? A New Bill Seeks Data
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As artificial intelligence models start performing wider ranges of tasks, companies are increasingly claiming to be cutting jobs due to AI. In May, Dario Amodei, the CEO of AI lab Anthropic predicted AI will cause unemployment as high as 20% within five years. In September, Salesforce cut 4,000 employees, saying…
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The Carney Doctrine: How Middle Powers Navigate a Weaponized Order
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At this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, two very different worlds were described. One came from Donald Trump. He spoke of America as an indispensable power, hinted again at acquiring Greenland, and told his audience that allies such as Canada owed their survival to U.S. generosity. The other…