Disability and Disaster

I wrote a long feature for Pacific Standard about disability and disaster response: There are four basic different types of needs related to disability that emerge in the aftermath of disasters: health maintenance (medicine, electricity, medical care), ability to move in and through physical areas, effective communication access, and what the experts call “program access.” … Continue ReadingDisability and Disaster

Betsy DeVos: Theocratic Vandal

New today at Pacific Standard; We’re just beginning to scratch the surface of the damage that the Trump administration’s particular combination of incompetency and vandalism can do. The Republicans have empowered a class of people who either don’t understand federal policy or actively resist enforcing federal protections for the people and places in need. The … Continue ReadingBetsy DeVos: Theocratic Vandal

Disaster Studies – There are No Natural Disasters

I talked to Jacob Remes about Critical Disaster Studies, Hurricane Maria, Imperialism, Trump, and more. New at Pacific Standard: “At the heart [of the field] is a saying that became common in the 1970s: There’s no such thing as a natural disaster. There are hazards, some of which are natural (earthquakes, tornadoes, river floods) and … Continue ReadingDisaster Studies – There are No Natural Disasters

There Ain’t No Normal: Hamilton and Headphones

I wrote about my son’s bright green hearing protectors for Pacific Standard. I hesitated to get them at first, badly swayed by the idea that they would more firmly mark him as different and cause isolation. They do the opposite. They open up the world. Including Hamilton. Here’s the takeaway: I’m not alone. I know far … Continue ReadingThere Ain’t No Normal: Hamilton and Headphones

Free Speech is Messy

For Pacific Standard, I write about the free speech complexities of the upcoming “free speech week.” First, the organizers didn’t even ask the speakers or book the spaces before they started crying oppression. Second, “security concerns” forced the Anthropology department to cancel a long-planned talk. I write: “Thanks to “safety concerns,” the annual distinguished lecture … Continue ReadingFree Speech is Messy