Perspectives

John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion, writes an article in The Atlantic about the importance of the right of assembly, saying that American leaders too often ignore that right.

And Americans of all political stripes can choose to exercise the right of assembly as a peaceable but firm reminder that e pluribus unum was always more aspirational than embodied, knowing that the many must still work to live together in spite of their differences, writes John Inazu.

While any sexual assault is one too many and one can never diminish the seriousness of these issues, critics need to take a closer look at the statistics to make a truly informed decision about Uber’s safety, writes Liberty Vittert.

Exchanging gifts doesn’t have to be painful, writes Elanor Williams. By nudging givers to focus more on not just the giving of a gift, but the having of a gift, these four suggestions can help make the holidays more enjoyable, regardless of which side of a gift exchange you’re on.

The School of Law’s Neil Richards co-writes an op-ed in The Hill about the online privacy legislation pending in the U.S. Senate, saying that it’s a good step if the substance doesn’t change significantly before passage.

Even if progressives win at the ballot box, conservative judges stand ready to strike down progressive legislation on health care, climate and economic justice, writes Greg Magarian.

Chancellor Andrew D. Martin shares reflections as the fall 2019 semester comes to a close. “I’m also proud of all we’ve accomplished, and look forward to seeing all we’ll continue to do as we increase our momentum and bolster the strong legacy upon which this university was built.”

Benjamin Akande, the university’s assistant vice chancellor for international affairs-Africa, writes a guest column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the lessons that generations of children have learned from “Sesame Street,” which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

We can do better on privacy than a GDPR-lite, or the inadequate Wicker bill, and the Cantwell bill is a good, if imperfect, place to begin, writes Neil Richards.

Akiko Tsuchiya, professor and a faculty fellow with the Center for the Humanities in Arts & Sciences, shares a preview of the book she is working on, which explores how Spanish women in the mid-1800s spoke out against slavery in the Spanish colony of Cuba.