Letter of Recommendation: Cracker Barrel (New York Times Magazine) by Jia Tolentino “Based on my recent investigations, it’s possible to spend an hour, as an adult of middlingly sound mind, … Continue reading "What We’re Reading: February 4, 2016"

A South African mayor is under criticism for the decision to award 16 university scholarships to women on the condition that they remain virgins. The mayor and her office argue that … Continue reading "Virgin Scholarships"

With the 2016 presidential election looming, we’re inundated with a number of messages from both major political parties. Many of these messages invoke patriotism as a reason to support one … Continue reading "Patriotism Run Awry"

Humanitarian intervention is an oft-discussed section of ethical debates. The issue of when, how, and where to send aid regularly plagues the world community. The flip side of the coin, … Continue reading "The Toll on Aid Workers"

In the state of New York, former public officials who have been convicted of misconduct in office can still apply for their pensions. This is due to part of the … Continue reading "Convicted Officials and State Pensions"

Mamula, an island situated on the border of Montenegro and Croatia, was the site of a World War II Italian concentration camp, in which 2,300 people were imprisoned and 130 … Continue reading "From Concentration Camp to Hotel"

Many people were shocked earlier this month when both musician David Bowie and actor Alan Rickman, both 69, died of cancer. Neither obituary stated the type of cancer they died … Continue reading "The Cancer Stigma in Obituaries"

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that minors convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment have a right to argue that they be released from prison. This 2012 decision was … Continue reading "A Right to Review"

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"

An opinion piece in The New York Times by Aaron James Wendland details what we owe each other – specifically, involving refugees – if we are to be ethical beings. He uses … Continue reading "To Be Ethical Beings: The Refugee Crisis and Europe"

A California court ruled in favor of a ex-Marine who was wearing military medals that he did not earn. The ex-marine, Elven Joe Swisher, has the right to wear the medals, … Continue reading "Can You Wear Medals You Didn’t Earn?"

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”"

An opinion piece on CNN calls into question the ethics and morality of the lottery. The numbers to the biggest Powerball lottery pot ever were announced on January 13, and … Continue reading "State-Sponsored Gambling"

Swiss officials are defending their practice of seizing the assets of asylum seekers entering Switzerland who carry assets greater in value than 900 euro (1000 USD). The controversial new law is … Continue reading "Seizure and the Swiss"

It’s a well-known fact that servers make below minimum wage, with the assumption being that the difference will be made up for in tips from their tables. However, if one … Continue reading "Ethical Tipping"

Ethical Traveler has just released their top 10 best ethical travel destinations for 2016. Each year, they rank ten developing countries that are the most forward thinking in terms of human … Continue reading "Where You Should Go On Vacation"

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"

Birth control access has been a long debated issue in the United States. Obtaining birth control methods usually means women must go to a doctor’s office in order to obtain … Continue reading "Ethics of “Over-the-Counter” Birth Control"

The Chinese government announced in October that they are setting up a “social credit” system, designed to determine trustworthiness. Every citizen will be put into a database which uses fiscal … Continue reading "Judged by Algorithms"

Rolling Stone is in hot water over Sean Penn’s interview with notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as “El Chapo.” The interview, conducted in October and published … Continue reading "Journalistic Ethics, Sean Penn, and Rolling Stone"

This piece originally appeared in the Providence Journal on December 9, 2015. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long advised parents to keep children under age 2 away from video screens, … Continue reading "Pediatricians back away from screen use guidelines"

Italian fashion company Dolce & Gabbana recently released a new line of clothing containing hijabs and abayas. People around the world who follow the fashion industry were excited about the … Continue reading "The Fashion Industry’s New Target Market"

In many states, minors charged with certain crimes can be tried as adults. Although some of the minors who enter the system are convicted of serious crimes, many are charged … Continue reading "Should Minors Stay in Adult Prisons?"

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"