Strategies of distancing and denial function to uphold fictions that reinforce a belief in one's own virtuous self-image and good reputation. People cling tenaciously to the fictions that support them. Not everyone commits overt acts of violence, but many of us rationalize, minimize the impacts of, excuse, or deny violence when to do otherwise would shatter our fictions. Read more →

Ben, America won’t change until enough white people change. You have the unique benefit of using your celebrity to make a difference. All people of European descent can use our power and privilege, to whatever degree we have them, to make a positive difference. Read more →

This Earth Day, we at Beacon Press are featuring titles that showcase individuals and organizations taking a stand for our home and encourage readers to take the stand with them. Read more →

Every single one of us has power. I believe this trajectory is our best hope. Read more →

Congregations that have long worked on clean-water projects as an obligation to the poor in places like Haiti are now also tackling water sustainability back home—helping their communities use less and pollute less. Read more →

By Helene Atwan With thirteen consecutive years of surpluses behind us, we are feeling stronger than ever in our modern history, and ready to grow. After a national search, we’re bringing in two new Senior Editors not only to expand... Read more →

The RFRA controversy is just one aspect of a much larger monkey wrench hurled by the right into the entire framework of civil rights. Read more →

Most of us think in stark terms about invasive species: they are evil interlopers spoiling pristine "natural" ecosystems. But what if the traditional view of ecology is wrong—what if true environmentalists should be applauding the invaders? In his latest book, The New Wild: Why Invasive Species Will Be Nature's Salvation, veteran environmental journalist Fred Pearce argues that we should applaud the dynamism of alien species and the novel ecosystems they create. Recently, we talked with him about why he turned his focus to invasive species, what role humans have played in their rise, their benefits, and more. Read more →

Before becoming the gender outlaw we know and love today, Kate Bornstein was Al Bornstein, husband, father, and strappingly handsome lieutenant of the Church of Scientology’s Sea flagship vessel. In this selection from her memoir, A Queer and Pleasant Danger, Kate details the events leading up to her excommunication from the Church. Read more →

Our present will never be any clearer, that is, unless we commit to fully recovering our past and confronting our shared place in the unjust present it has created. Read more →