🦁 Africa

• 📝Into the scrum

  From Ethan Zuckerman, a reflection on the power of grassroots blogging and community storytelling.

• 🧸West African teddies, by Glenna Gordon

  A fascinating look at the sentimental value of second-hand stuffed animals, affectionately known as "teddies," in Monrovia, Liberia.

• 🌍Forty-seven kinds of greens

  Reflecting on the insights of Fran Osseo-Asare about the complexity of African cuisines and the risks of ethnocentrism.

• 🎶The slightly universal language?

  A study reveals the nuanced relationship between music and emotion across cultures, highlighting its effectiveness in conveying feelings with some limitations.

• 🐣Applied semiotics

  This amusing reflection on "American-style Easter" highlights the quirky blend of commercialism and tradition.

• 🎶A dirge revival

  A reflection on the cultural decline and potential revival of traditional funeral dirges in the Volta region of northern Ghana.

• 🗺️Beehives, cones, hips, and domes

  Exploring diverse architectural styles across Africa through historical cartography reveals intriguing patterns and cultural nuances.

• 🎶“The Boy in the Bubble,” live from Zimbabwe, by Paul Simon

  An exploration of Paul Simon's "The Boy in the Bubble" and its reflections on technology and politics.

• 🎨Obey

  An exploration of cultural irony through Shepard Fairey's work and a celebration of Nigerian music from Ebenezer Obey.

• 🗺️Six degrees of urbanization

  Exploring how interconnected human networks can help in finding loved ones, even in unfamiliar cities.

• 🛍️Use, storage, and sale

  A significant move in Delhi as officials take a strong stance against plastic bags, following the footsteps of other countries like Rwanda and Bhutan. "Carry a plastic bag in Delhi and you could be imprisoned for five years..."

• 🎨Poverty Is Not Economics, by John Kofi Ayree

  This artwork by John Kofi Aryee offers a powerful commentary on the misconceptions about poverty and economics.

• 🍹Two worlds, one club

  An immersive installation art piece blends contemporary UK and Congolese cultures, featuring distinct environments where patrons can traverse freely between them.

• 📺Six continents’ worth of static

  An exploration of the chaotic and diverse world of satellite TV in Jordan.

• ✝️Africa and missionaries, pt. 1

  In reflecting on Matthew Parris's insights, I find myself both appreciative of his observations and critical of his reasoning regarding faith's impact in Africa.

• ✝️Africa and missionaries, pt. 2

  A heartwarming exchange between cultures, showcasing the impact of priests serving in U.S. parishes and their connection to home.

• 🥽Glasses for the masses

  Addressing global vision disparities with innovative, user-adjustable glasses.

• 🎶The birthplace of the blues

  Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn collaborates with Malian bluesman Ali Fakra Toure in the vibrant setting of Timbuktu.

• 🐔Chicken à la Queens

  A halal poultry store in Queens creates unexpected connections among diverse communities.

• 🎨Frickin’ awesome!

  A reflective look at the balance between cultural giving and more pressing humanitarian needs from Allison Schrager.

• 📺The Station Nigeria

  This popular Nigerian soap opera, funded by Search for Common Ground, tackles significant societal issues facing Nigeria today. The captivating narrative unfolds in a fictional television news station, offering insights into the challenges of a diverse population.

• ☕Bean Broker Coffee Shop, Chadron, Nebraska, by Jake Stangel

  Exploring local culture through Jake Stangel's photographic journey in Nebraska's Bean Broker Coffee Shop.

• 🦗Eating grasshoppers has gotten so commercial

  Here's an intriguing look at the changing dynamics of the Ugandan grasshopper harvest and its cultural significance.

• 🎤“It isn’t a noise, it’s my language”

  A tribute to Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa, who imparts a vital lesson in isiXhosa pronunciation through her music.

• 🌍Getting beyond “I don’t know”

  Megan White shares her passion for addressing social justice through the ZanaAfrica initiative, aimed at providing sustainable solutions for health and education challenges faced by girls in Kenya.

• 🤪You don’t have to be Russian, but it helps

  An exploration of the rich tradition of holy fools in both Western and Eastern Christianity, particularly highlighting the unique manifestations in Russia.

• 🌍Tough luck, Mel

  A filmmaker's vision of a Hollywood studio in South Africa clashes with the local Khoi-San community's deep connection to their ancestral land.

• 🌍A breath wafted from Paradise over the human world

  An exploration of how spices from foreign lands captivated the imagination of Medieval Europeans.

• 🍊Seed and feed store, Lincoln, Nebraska

  An intriguing snapshot from 1942 captures the economic landscape of Nebraska, reflecting on the significant price disparity between oranges and grapefruit, and the association of grass with Sudan.

• 🌍The places we live

  Explore the lives of a billion people living in slums through immersive photography and personal stories.

• 🌟Glamour and grace

  This post explores the rich and varied history of glamour, spanning from renaissance art to contemporary culture.

• 🌳Tree of life

  From Vijaysree Venkataraman, a reflection on the journey of the moringa tree and its potential in addressing malnutrition across cultures.

• 🤝Reconciliation and the oval ball

  A reflection on Nelson Mandela's clever adaptation to the challenges of prison life through his unexpected engagement with rugby.

• 🕊️Depressed, minority church-going teens

  This study highlights the complex relationship between religious participation and adolescent mental health, particularly among minority teens.

• 📱Cell phones and African elections

  Cell phones are fostering democracy by ensuring fair elections in Africa.

• 🎨“Portrait of Andries Stilte II”, by Kehinde Wiley

  An exploration of Kehinde Wiley's work, merging historical European art with contemporary African-American identity.

• 🆕Cuba’s generation y

  An exploration of how naming in Cuba serves as an act of creative resistance against political and cultural constraints.

• 🎶Never mind the propaganda, let’s dance!

  An exploration of the vibrant musical culture of Kinshasa and the phenomenon of libanga in Congolese music.

• 🍲Community kitchens in Lima, Peru

  Women in Peru unite through community kitchens, not only to feed those in need but also to empower themselves and demand change.

• 🎤Ugandan hip-hop doc

  A glimpse into the inspiring world of anti-war and -corruption themed hip-hop in Uganda, reminiscent of the emotional journey explored in "Buena Vista Social Club."

• 🪖It takes a village to ruin a country

  A chilling account of political power struggles and violent coercion in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's regime.

• 🌍All the countries that’re fit to print

  An observation on the media coverage of countries located in the interior of continents.

• 🚌A bit of 1990s Kenyan public transit hip-hop

  The cultural implications of public safety in Nairobi, as highlighted in Jimmy Gathu's impactful 1993 track.

• 🚗Parking diplomacy

  An exploration of creative solutions to the challenges posed by neglected embassy properties.

• 💍Marry or be fired!

  A top-down approach to creating that basic unit of culture making - the family.

• 🍛Currying favor

  A reflection on how the global journey of curry began with its roots in India and transformed into a culinary phenomenon.

• 👶You can call me Al

  Reflecting on evolving parental nicknames and the cultural influences behind them.

• 🎶Mix CD | Connexcellent!

  A unique mix celebrating Connecticut, featuring songs and artists that pay homage to the Nutmeg State.

• 🗺️A star in the East- The enduring myth of Prester John

  The legend of Prester John serves as a lens through which we examine medieval European dreams of Christian power in distant lands.

• ⚔️Omission impossible - Why we need enemies

  An exploration of the complex relationship between humanity and the notion of enemies, revealing their role in spiritual and moral growth.