Ethics in Culture

On January 1, Anne Frank’s diary was published online by more than one person, despite outcry from the Anne Frank Fonds, the foundation founded by Anne’s father. The argument of the … Continue reading "Copyrighting Anne Frank’s Diary"

Michael Bay’s new film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi was released on Friday. The film is meant to depict what happened in the infamous 2012 Benghazi attack in … Continue reading "The Ethics of “13 Hours”"

Oscar nominations have been announced, and for the second year year in a row, all the acting nominees are white. This has raised controversy, especially in the wake of the much-protested … Continue reading "#OscarsSoWhite: The Academy Award Controversy"

Part of Post-World War II policy in Germany was to ban Nazi propaganda and symbols from being displayed. This includes propaganda from the Nazi regime that we commonly see in … Continue reading "Mein Kampf and German Censorship"

A Cincinnati, Ohio suburb is fighting over a zombie themed nativity scene at a private residence. Jasen Dixon and his family operate a haunted house for Halloween, and used some … Continue reading "Zombie Nativity Scene"

Cultural appropriation does not simply apply to Halloween costumes and racial slurs. The world of sports is currently attempting to wade the waters of race.

The past thirty years have seen a rise in “fast fashion” – a system of mass production that “refers to cheap, trendy, and popular clothing chains which rapidly change their … Continue reading "The Cost of Fast Fashion"

Happy Back to the Future Day! October 21, 2015 is the day that Marty McFly travelled to the future in Doc Brown’s time-traveling DeLorean. To commemorate this day, I thought … Continue reading "Would It Be Wrong to Build a Time Machine?"

Hungarian photographer Norbert Baska sparked wild controversy with his new series "Der Migrant", featuring Syrian migrants in high couture.

Spirit Halloween released a costume for Halloween 2015 in the likeness of Caitlin Jenner’s Vanity Fair magazine cover. The immediate reaction of many was one of disgust, feeling that the costume was mocking the former Olympian and her recent transition. Others were concerned that the costume perpetuates a transphobic view.

Examining the controversy behind a film's re-imagining of the 1969 Stonewall Inn riot.

Marvel's latest film shows the ethical quandaries of technology and warfare.

This article has a set of discussion questions tailored for classroom use. Click here to download them. To see a full list of articles with discussion questions and other resources, … Continue reading "Whiteness and Go Set a Watchman"

Examining the legacy of the Srebrenica genocide through the personal possessions of its victims.

The difficult struggle between saving antiquities and practicing cultural colonialism.

Why are cartoon producers driving female viewers away from their shows?

In the age of Orange is the New Black, prison tourism stands to redefine the ethical tourist.

In defense of incorporating first-person into academic texts of all kinds.

Drawing on images of beauty and atrocity alike, the poems of ISIS spark questions of how literature is defined.

In February, Dr. Wesley Cray of Grand Valley State University presented his talk “Unperformable Works and the Ontology of Art” as a part of the Young Philosophers Lecture Series hosted by … Continue reading "Unperformable Works and the Ontology of Art"