From Critique and Humanism, populist movements are a threat not because they raise the issue of direct democracy, but because they advocate nationalist mobilisation based on xenophobia; is populism identical to the crisis of democracy or rather a symptom of it? Populism vs Democracy: The idea of the referendum as an instrument of the people's will rests on pre-democratic foundations (and a response). Dahlia Lithwick on why the Supreme Court matters next election — seriously. From TNR, Jed Pearl on nihilism and capitalism in the art world: US museums are now fully-owned subsidiaries of the market. A review of Cosmic Anger: Abdus Salam, the first Muslim Nobel Scientist by Gordon Fraser. Gus Russo reviews The Road to Dallas: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by David Kaiser. From Salon, an article

… full text available to registered users