Commentary | From the Editors

Ukrainian resilience and a son’s homage to his father

A Monitor reporter shares how his Ukrainian father’s experience shapes his coverage of the current Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Finding hope for the future in a complicated past

Rich, complex Native American societies offer a rebuke to the idea that civilization can only thrive at the expense of the environment. 

In Kashmir, journalist's arrest intensifies pressure on media

The arrest of Fahad Shah sends a harsh message to other Kashmir journalists, one observer says. Journalists globally face rising threats. 

Recognizing Black history as American history

Does a monthlong focus on Black history make that material more or less likely to be recognized as American history year-round?

Why this Tennessee teacher sees value in ‘Maus’

"People don’t just walk out of a concentration camp and go back to living their lives,” says Heather Green. "Maus" explains that lingering trauma.

In search of a truly United States

President Abraham Lincoln’s answer was that the contradictions inherent in the nation were not fatal but rather the source of its transcendent value.

What I learned on the progress beat

It felt like searching for a piece of hay in a pile of needles. For every hint of progress, I encountered at least 30 distressing headlines.

Pass the mic: Amplifying voices of the unheard

Finding the hidden gems among the stacks

Literature creates opportunities for readers to discover commonalities with people who might seem quite different. Here’s how the Monitor selects what to recommend to readers.

Can comedy help us achieve a kinder society?

Cancel culture can veer from an attempt to rebalance the power dynamic to an attempt to be the new arbiters of virtue.