The Banishment Playbook draws a sharp line from Anne Hutchinson’s exile in 1637 to the Trump administration’s 2025 attack on Harvard. This essay explores how institutions wield power to silence dissent—and why that pattern still shapes our democracy today.

A plastic icon and a 1960s chemist might seem worlds apart, but together they expose the myths women still fight today—and how imagination can break them.

When COVID-19 struck, our fragmented, overstimulated media environment was ill-equipped to meet the urgent need for reliable, local information. This essay explores how the pandemic exposed the critical role—and fragility—of local journalism, and what its decline means for civic trust and democratic resilience.

In Kenya’s western region, local radio stations have become flashpoints for ethnic division, spreading coded hate speech that fuels conflict. This report explores how journalists and civil society leaders are working to defuse tension and rebuild trust — one broadcast at a time.

In post-war Sri Lanka, sexual violence remains a taboo subject, buried beneath the official narrative of reconciliation. This essay explores how wartime atrocities persist in silence, the role of impunity in prolonging trauma, and the urgent need for truth-telling as part of the country’s path toward healing.

In a country emerging from decades of conflict, a new generation of Sri Lankan journalists is helping bridge divides and rebuild trust through inclusive storytelling, courage, and community engagement.

As Myanmar’s government clamps down on dissent, small independent newsrooms are risking everything to report the truth. This dispatch highlights the courage of local journalists defying authoritarianism to keep the public informed.

What is a girl’s education worth—and who gets to decide? A story that blends culture, metaphor, and the quiet revolution of female ambition.

In the chaos of war, truth-tellers emerge. This essay spotlights Ukrainian journalists risking everything to expose corruption—and preserve democracy.