Conversations
The Black Sheep of Harvard Economics
Today, he sits surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shelves with books on topics from social change to imperialism, a physical manifestation of Marglin’s stark difference from many of his peers in the department.
Next Up On Harvard Divinity School’s Playlist: Jesus is King
From being "broken down" by the Devil in "The College Dropout" to proclaiming himself a god on "Yeezus," Kanye West now "bows down to the King upon the throne" in his latest release "Jesus Is King," a self-proclaimed gospel album. While some gospel artists have embraced the album, music critics have largely dismissed it as inauthentic.
Relics of An Old Cambridge
“It’s my only source of income," Brehm says. "It’s always been sort of a grand adventure. I’ve always been too optimistic. Too out-of-touch.”
Learning Happiness With Professor Jason Mitchell
For Mitchell, combatting the tragic consequences of the reported spike in mental illness on college campuses was a key motivation behind his new course, GenEd 1154: “The Science of Happiness.”
Seeing Red with Steven Biel and Lauren Kaminsky
Yet over the course of our conversation, their story — how they individually pursued their passion for history and literature and, eventually, came to work together as colleagues and close friends — is anything but boring.
FM Talks to Jennifer Winters and Her Three Suns
Discovering a planet isn’t a celebratory feeling, exactly. Winters describes it as more of a deep, satisfying exhale after three months of challenging work.
Shooting for the Stars with Derek Kopon
As an astrophysicist, environmental activist, and now a candidate for Cambridge City Council, Derek A. Kopon finds inspiration at the intersections.
The Art of Loitering
The cultural work produced in the class ranges from oil paintings to playing the same note on the Sitar for an hour.
Michael Kremer’s Nobel Fight Against Global Poverty
Michael R. Kremer ‘85, who is the Gates Professor of Developing Societies, recently received the Nobel Prize in Economics alongside M.I.T professors Esther Duflo and Abhijit V. Banerjee for their “experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.”
Judy Chicago's Intervention
“There's a huge amount of unknown work by women that is worthy of study, conservation, archiving, preserving and would be a contribution to the future, instead of writing another goddamn Ph.D. on Jeff Koons.”
The Heart of Harvard’s Houghton Library
Despite being a soft-spoken lover of books, John H. Overholt is not your typical librarian.
‘Listen, listen, listen’ to Leslie S. Jamison ’04
I don't know if the desire to make great art is wholly about wanting to be loved, but I think it shares something, in the sense of wanting to be heard.
Socializing with President Obama's Social Secretary
Dyer, who served as Social Secretary from 2015-2017, has no shortage of stories from her time working in the Obama administration. She was in charge of hosting all the social events at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, ranging from formal state dinners to tea with the First Lady. “Man, it was crazy,” she remembers, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
Hey Professor: Nobel Achievements with Dr. William Kaelin
A conversation with Harvard's most recent Nobel prize winner on the philosophy behind his research, the welcomeness of unexpected experimental results, and whether or not he normally wears button downs at 5 a.m.
Hey Professor: Serhii Plokhii on Ukraine’s Political Frontiers
Fifteen Minutes sat down with Professor Serhii Plokhii, the Mykhailo S. Hrushevs'kyi Professor of Ukrainian History, to discuss Ukranian history, the Trump-Ukraine scandal, and the roles that both Russia and the United States have played in shaping the country’s politics.
Food for Thought with Christina Warinner
A row of colorful, plastic-wrapped toothbrushes lines a shelf in Christina Warinner’s office. Their presence is a bit ironic, as Warinner’s research seems to put her at odds with dental hygiene: some of her most important discoveries come from residue left on the teeth of ancient humans.
Asking Philosopher T. M. Scanlon ‘What We Owe to Each Other’
The title of Professor Scanlon's book, "What We Owe to Each Other," was adopted into an episode of NBC's "The Good Place." FM sat down with Scanlon to chat about "The Good Place," the definition of morality, and why we should study philosophy.
On Enduring, and Acting Class
If you act because applause feels good, you won’t be long for this profession, he said. “Because the math doesn’t help you.”
Robert Reid-Pharr's Task to Thrive, Regardless
For Robert Reid-Pharr, cultural production allows people to understand that their humanity is “so much broader and so much grander than the things that oppress us.” Thus, he strives to write “in a way that actually feeds the soul.”
The Trigger Warning War at Harvard
Trigger warnings — advance notices that precede potentially disturbing material, often for the purported benefit of those with PTSD — have been the subject of great contention in recent years. Bellet’s studies claim to show that trigger warnings have a negligible impact on anxiety levels in response to “distressing” literary passages.
Working Out With Professor Pull-ups
Sandel hopes to continue combining his interest in philosophy with his interests in both law and fitness. “I try to take lessons that I would learn in the gym and apply them to life more generally,” he says. “Your goal is an event in its own right; pour everything you have into that and don’t look at the finish line. That is something you learn from training for these pull up competitions.”
Ju Yon Kim is Building from the Inside
When Kim took her job at Harvard in 2011, she didn't know she would be the only tenure-track Asian American Studies faculty member. "I was very surprised when I came to campus."
Migratory Language
Yiddish belongs to many, exists all over, and yet, as Feldman notes, “Students can’t go study abroad in a Yiddish land.” It is now considered a language of migration and marginality.
Lipstick and Legislation in Obama’s White House
When Andrea Flores was elected as the first Latinx president of the Harvard Undergraduate Council in 2008, her lipstick posed a problem.
The Illogical, Irrational, Luxurious Dream of Min Jin Lee
"I thought it’d be simpler to be a writer, so I quit law and I started to write fiction. I was entirely wrong."