The inaugural issue of the Journal of Ethnographic Theory is out, on the g-factor of anthropology: Archaeologies of kin(g)ship. Alex de Waal (Tufts), Jens Meierhenrich (LSE), and Bridget Conley-Zilkic (Tufts): How Mass Atrocities End: An Evidence-Based Counter-Narrative. Jack Balkin on why the health-care mandate is clearly a tax — and therefore constitutional. Far too slow to make headline news, desertification is nevertheless putting the lives of more than one billion people at risk, and sooner or later, will require the urgent attention of the international community. Max Berger on why Occupy can't — and shouldn't — become the progressive Tea Party. “I want to be like Jesus”: Cornel West is a self-proclaimed prophet who believes in the virtues of love and justice — but in his own life, he can’t seem to find either. It is, of course, quiet possible for a film about cryonics to be good — even great — and still be bad for it; Freezing People is Easy offers substantial possibilities for both of those elements to be in play. Does American democracy still work? Brad DeLong wonders. Will Smith tries cheerleading and finds that it's not all about pompoms.
