Race

The Descent of Democracy

While the United States has expanded its borders of inclusion over time, the borders of whiteness have never fallen. Only a robust black public sphere can change that.

Khalil Gibran Muhammad

Class & Inequality

Draining the Swamp

Mar-a-Lago is the apotheosis of the Florida Dream in which wealthy interests degrade the environment and hollow out prospects for the poor. But as Hurricane Irma shows, this dream was never sustainable.

Julian C. Chambliss

Politics

The German Left Is Its Own Worst Enemy

Could Germany's left-wing parties unseat Angela Merkel in Sunday's election? Only if they bury the hatchet.

Paul Hockenos

NEWSLETTER

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Fiction

Submit: The Aura Estrada Short Story Contest

Judged by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the contest is open until October 1. The winner receives publication and a $1,500 prize.

Forum

Losing and Gaining Public Goods

To build a tangible, inclusive, meaningful, and durable community, we must begin with public goods.

K. Sabeel Rahman

Science & Nature

The Global Calculus of Climate Disaster

Global capitalism is no longer simply characterized by uneven development, it is characterized by uneven disaster.

Ashley Dawson

Class & Inequality

It's The Gap, Stupid

Three new books draw a disturbing picture of America as a system of compounding inequality driven by a hereditary meritocracy of professional elites.

Archon Fung

Politics

The Putin Problem

The West thinks of Putin as an aberration among recent Russian rulers, but he stands in line with them. Understanding that continuity is vital to preventing the U.S.–Russian relationship from deteriorating further.

Thomas Graham, Rajan Menon

Poetry

Announcing the 2017 Winner of Boston Review’s Annual Poetry Contest

Congratulations to Mia Kang, Amy Woolard, and Benjamin Garcia.

Boston Review

Education & Opportunity

A Brown v. Board for Higher Ed

When higher education is a prerequisite for getting a job that pays better than minimum wage, we cannot stop until it is free and accessible to all. The good news is we have done this once before.

Marshall Steinbaum

Literature & Culture

Two Paths for the Personal Essay

The personal essay is not dead, but has it traded politics for style?

Merve Emre

Print Issues

The President's House Is Empty

Our new print issue—on public goods that are owed to citizens of a democracy—is out! Get your copy today.

POETRY

BR Poetry

A new home for poetry and criticism. Discover, read, and share your favorites today.