People around the world have been fascinated by dragons for millennia. From the snake-like dragons of the East to the dinosaur-like dragons of the West, we just can’t get enough of these gargantuan reptiles! They feature prominently in myths and legends (like St. George slaying a fearsome dragon or the Norse hero Sigurd battling the terrifying dragon Fafnir), and even after all of these years, dragons …
On August 11, 1973, Clive Campbell—aka DJ Kool Herc—and his sister Cindy organized a back-to-school party for mostly high-schoolers in the Bronx, bringing together the elements that would form the foundation of an art form, a culture, and a phenomenon: hip-hop. On the occasion of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, we set out to capture its trajectory from cultural mashup to source of global influence by highlighting …
The contributions of Latino Americans and the influence of Hispanic American culture extends far beyond the history and borders of the US. Fittingly, the celebration and exploration of these heritages and histories must extend beyond Hispanic Heritage Month. In this article, we’ll focus on eight key terms crucial to understanding and exploring both the richness and joys of these cultures and identities as well as …
Recent news has been filled with analysis that attempts to make sense of current events by comparing them to past moments in history—and applying some of the terminology that originated in the midst or aftermath of those earlier events. Prominent examples include terms based on the combination of a place name and the ending -ization, such as Afghanization (in the context of the withdrawal of …
The 2010s were the era of Instagram, Beyonce’s Lemonade album, and arguing about whether a viral photo showed a blue dress or a white one. The decade may not seem like that long ago, but a lot has changed since then, including many parts of our language. Vocabulary evolves quickly, especially when you’re talking about the words associated with slang and pop culture. Take yeet, …
Black history is American history, but it’s also bigger than that. The reach and influence of Black culture is global. Black history is too vast to be covered or contained in a single month, or a single article. Black History Month is nevertheless a reminder to engage in a year-round, lifelong celebration and exploration of Black history and its many facets. It’s an opportunity to …
November is Native American Heritage Month, a monthlong observance dedicated to celebrating, honoring, and learning about Native American heritage and culture and its diversity. Recognition and preservation of such heritage is particularly important given the history of Indigenous Peoples in North America and their continued efforts to preserve their rich cultures—despite the many acts of genocide, systemic oppression, and erasure they have been targeted with …
From shows like Squid Game to musical sensations like Twice and BTS, it’s no secret that Korean pop culture is trending worldwide. In the US and elsewhere, people can’t get enough of all things Korean, from food to music, movies, and fashion. Korean pop culture is so huge, in fact, that it’s spawned its own category of words: K-words. In the US especially, adding a …
Pop culture means “cultural activities or commercial products reflecting, suited to, or aimed at the tastes of the general masses of people.” Let’s take a look at some videos that show us a little bit more about pop culture. From how to use emoji to Twitter, we have pop culture covered in our pop-culture videos. Sit back and relax while you learn more about what …
