Category: Opinion

News Analysis: Making the case for ‘soft power

By Robert Koenig and Mary Ellen Noonan Koenig >> After the defeat of Nazi Germany, the United States – in addition to basing thousands of troops there – built dozens of “America House” cultural centers to help Germans learn about America. And when the Soviets blockaded Berlin in 1948-49, the U.S. sent thousands of flights

Opinion: The month that shook our world

By William H. Freivogel >> French publication Le Monde headlined this week that it was “The week the US shook Europe’s world.” Americans could justifiably say it’s the month that shook ours. There is no precedent for President Donald Trump’s massive restructuring of the government with a flurry of executive orders, pronouncements, firings and pardons

Op-Ed: Super Bowl halftime show a cultural wake-up call

By Michelle Gaber >> American rapper Kendrick Lamar headlined the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, delivering a performance that wasn’t just entertainment. It was a statement. A warning. A mirror held up to America.  Every moment—every lyric, visual, and movement—was intentional. And if you were really paying attention, you felt it. More than music,

Facts, lies, elections and the press: In search of a shared national story

By William H. Freivogel >> “Facts can’t fix this.” That was the headline that emerged from a post-election discussion recently at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard Law School about how the press fell short covering the presidential election. The point: The press constantly repeating facts and pointing out lies won’t stop a man like