Selected work
Bhutan is one of many countries actively working to flourish in a changing world, and the only one whose democratically-elected government is so thoroughly integrated with Buddhist institutions and ways of life. But, as you’ll hear, even with the best of intentions, development is complicated. We spoke with people across Bhutan about the real choices and challenges that come with efforts to balance tradition, development, and environmental preservation.
What happens when a religious idea like ‘sanctuary’ is transformed into a secular and bureaucratic one? How has “setting aside” this land affected the people and animals who have historically lived within its borders? And can any man-made border keep out the effects of climate change? We head to Yellowstone National Park to find out.
Island of Immortals
Angel Island lies in the San Francisco Bay, not far from its more famous cousin, Alcatraz. But Angel Island is compared to an island on America’s other coast: Ellis Island. That’s because from 1910 to 1940, it was the site of a U.S. immigration station that processed more than a million travelers crossing the Pacific. A look at the poetry some of them left behind.
1865:united states of uncertainty
A lot happened in April 1865: Richmond fell to the Yankees, Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Lincoln’s funeral train set out on a long and meandering route for Springfield, Ill., and four years of brutal conflict came to an end. But at the close of the Civil War — 150 years ago in April 2015 — no one knew how things would turn out for the United States and the defeated Confederacy.