I’ve been thinking a lot about medieval slavery, lately, especially in Venice (the place I study). I’m interested in commodity and the movement of objects, but unfree people are mostly invisible in my texts. I know they are there, because I know something about the medieval Mediterranean economy, but they aren’t appearing in my sources…
For my non-academic readers, over the last week there’s been a big story about academic freedom in the age of Twitter. An arab-American professor lost a job, it seems, because he was rude about Israel on Twitter. There’s lots to say here and I am working on several essays. Here are some resources. First, on…
This week I wrote about Down syndrome in two context: abortion issues and comedy. Many thousands of people read my CNN piece on Down syndrome and comedy. I am deeply impressed by Wyatt Cenac’s willingness to call me and talk at length about the bit and his approach to comedy. To me, it’s what resolution…
Crucifixion of William of Norwich, Holy Trinity church, Loddon, Norfolk As a historian, I work on narrative, memory, and myth. I’m interested in how people respond to events by creating new stories or re-interpreting old ones, applying a narrative lens to the world around them. I have a specific focus on the 13th-century Mediterranean, but I…
Yesterday, I published a piece on CNN focusing on an episode from This American Life that, I felt, mocked people with Down syndrome. What was interesting to me, though, is that the comedian in question (Wyatt Cenac) wasn’t just telling jokes using the r-word, but had something more complex going on. As a listener, it…
After my latest CNN piece on Down syndrome and comedy was published, Wyatt Cenac reached out to me and we had a long conversation. I had tried to reach him through his official emails previously, but it didn’t get through (which I regret). It was a good talk and I think the context is interesting….
I have a piece up on CNN today about comedy and disability, focusing on an episode of This American Life. I’m interested in the use of disclaimers, something I’ve talked about before, as a way to try to escape the consequences of one’s words. I know some will disagree. They’ll say it’s just comedy. Or…
On Sunday, my daughter and I went out to go grocery shopping while Nico and my wife did things around the house. As we drove by the local high-school, my daughter, 5, said, “If we still live here that will be my highschool someday!” “That’s right,” I replied, “And you will be able to walk…
This is from Sketchers. It’s called “Gimme Kisses” from the brand line “Daddy’s Money.” If you look closely, you can see a $ and the word Daddy above the laces. This one is called “Cha-Ching” is a pretty good looking shoe. The one covered in bling is “Gimme megabucks.” Why yes, I am writing an essay…
Last week I wrote an essay on the way elements of the right-wing are trying to use prenatal testing as a wedge issue in the abortion wars. Among other pieces, I wrote: What they should ALSO do, however, is to offer complete information that will help people make informed decisions – decisions that will, I hope,…