Story in the Public Square

Arguments are natural and can be authentic. But media critic Eric Deggans warns that the rise of so-called “argument culture” breeds cynicism while sapping the public’s confidence in reliable news and information.

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For 30 seasons, female professional athletes in the United States have been part of an effort to build a professional basketball league while also confronting racism, sexism, and anti-LGBTQ bias. Award-winning journalist Tamryn Spruill recounts that history—and the players whose gritty determination on and off the court—built the league and changed the country. 

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From the oracles of antiquity to the AI-driven tech giants of today, humanity’s desire to foresee the future is long-standing. AI ethicist Carissa Véliz warns that predicting the future is not the same as foretelling the truth. 

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Dr. Cheryl L. Willman, Director of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses cancer’s toll as the second leading cause of death throughout the world and the research aimed at improving outcomes and bettering lives.

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Historian Nicholas Reynolds and award-winning journalist Katie S. Sanders tell the story of a combat-veteran of the French Foreign Legion who ultimately distinguished himself for valor as a U.S. Marine fighting in Europe during the Second World War. 

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The Vatican has long concerned itself with the practical interaction of theology with the world in which its followers live. Scholar Sean O’Callaghan says that the recent message from Pope Leo XIV on Artificial Intelligence follows in that tradition and offers profound insights for believers and non-believers alike. 

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It’s been said that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. But Amy Hanauer of the Institute on Tax Policy and Economic Policy says that for some, taxes might not be on that list anymore—with societal implications for us all. 

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The data says that more than half of the country’s population is made up of women. But women’s healthcare has grown increasingly politicized. Dr. Mary Fariba Afsari is on the front lines of care, offering healthcare from a mobile clinic that meets patients where they are.

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The United States and Israel began bombing Iran in February 2026. In the months that followed, we have seen spasms of violence and claims of diplomatic progress. New York Times reporter Farnaz Fassihi covers the conflict, its impact on the Iranian people, and the diplomatic efforts to end it.

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Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton stand astride the core debates in American history from neutrality to civil rights and beyond. New York Times bestselling author and constitutional scholar Jeffrey Rosen traces that history, the rise and falls of each man’s reputation, and the enduring questions they asked about power, the citizen, and the American state. 

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