Explore
Search results
People are in constant conversation with their dogs, says dog scientist Alexandra Horowitz, and dogs pick up on things like our tone of voice. "We think meaning is all in the words but for them, the meaning is in the context, and they’re working very hard to understand it.” Horowitz studies dog cognition and the relationship between dogs and their human owners. She runs th...
Kwame Anthony Appiah rejects the idea that cross-cultural conversations often lead to the discovery of irreconcilable differences.
What is the cause of violent crime in America? What is the role of culture? Are there any solutions?
What is the cause of violent crime in America? What is the role of culture? Are there any solutions?
Cities’ identities are made and remade over time by their cultures, but is a city’s cultural identity integral to its survival? When infrastructure is crumbling, public education funding has flagged, and the world of art and culture is accessible on any device with an Internet connection, is there still a specific, irreplaceable value inherent in the cultural identity of a...
Homicide remains an endemic, seemingly unsolvable problem in America. And violent crime afflicts African-American communities to a much greater degree than it does others, as does mass incarceration — and as does police violence. What is the cause of this crisis? What role does racism play? What is the role of culture? Are there any solutions to be had? The mayor of New Or...
How can such deeply faithful citizens support a president whose behaviors and values don’t exactly match up to traditional Christian mores?
At first blush, this year might be considered the year of parental power, with the proliferation of parental bills of rights across the country that put limitations on what can be taught in public schools and allow objecting parents to seek removal of books from the school library. These bills and similar legislation purport to provide parents a greater voice in their chil...
In a time of great national divisiveness, museums can play a critical role in bringing people together and exposing them to timely and courageous conversations. Join Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternak and SYPartners Principal Karishma Sheth for an interactive dialogue exploring how art pushes societies forward through provocation, joy, and a little mischief.
Norman Lear is the prolific television writer and producer of stories about diverse American life—among them “All in the Family,” “Sanford and Son,” “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times,” and “Maude”—as well as a lifelong political and social activist. Khizr Khan is a Pakistani American lawyer, speaker at the 2016 Democratic Convention, and parent of US Army Captain Humayun Khan,...
Whether it is #BlackLivesMatter and #OscarsSoWhite today, or whether it was All in the Family and Ms. Magazine in the past, America’s identity crises have always insinuated themselves into every aspect of our daily lives. And as politics grows more fractured and divisive, these difficult conversations have often found a more reasonable and humane airing in popular entertai...
How has extreme individual freedom led to a crisis of isolation?
With a workforce of 90,000 spanning 119 international destinations and 234 domestic locales, developing effective communications company wide poses challenging questions across regions, languages, and cultures. United Airlines’ CEO Oscar Munoz believes success is rooted in a set of values that serve employees, customers, and long-term innovation. But across such diverse cu...
When planning for the future of a city, where does culture fit alongside other prospective infrastructure needs? What cultural elements are required to ensure that a city remains dynamic and appealing? This panel will explore how cities can leverage investing in arts and culture to secure and maintain competitive advantage.
As organizations grapple with the new normal of hybrid work, what does it mean for how people feel about their jobs, their colleagues, and their connectedness to their professional communities? In a competitive talent environment, how can organizations foster a culture of meaning and connection at (and beyond) the office? What are the costs of people not feeling connected...
How will emerging technologies continue to impact a new generation of Americans?
Debating immigration is a perennial favorite in presidential elections, perhaps never more so than in 2016, when border walls and banning Muslims push the boundaries of what proposals are considered acceptable to American voters. The artists on this panel vary in their mediums and perspectives, but they all contend with the immigrant experience. Guided by Eric Liu, we have...
Jordan Peterson, author of the best-selling 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, may be one of the most famous intellectuals in North America today. He also may be among the most misunderstood. His fans say that he’s saved their lives, and detractors say that he’s the gateway drug to the alt-right. Who is this psychologist-philosopher whom so many of us had never heard...
Is America turning its back on the humanities?
A discussion with Comcast Corporation Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts and NBC Olympic primetime host Bob Costas. The rapid advances in technology are changing how we interact with events that resonate across our culture. Not that long ago, we all watched the same thing at the same time. Now we watch not just on our TVs but on our phones and tablets or through apps. Or we co...