Monitor Weekly News Today

Sweden is, of course, more complex than the Utopian collective that some have long considered it to be. That’s not to say that its societal emphasis on better living doesn’t persist. Writer Erika Page reported from around Sweden on the aspirational concept of “lagom” – essentially, a life kept in balance. She tells host Clay Collins about the reporting, and what it showed about a Scandinavian concept that reflects a universal yearning.

Letters to the editor from the Jan. 22 Weekly. Readers discussed progress made in 2023, battles for land rights, and resistance to climate-saving policy.

For many young people around the world, a shifting climate is not a point of contention so much as an ever-present facet of life. They are doing what most people do when problems crop up: roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Small-group learning has been around for a while. It got a boost from pandemic learning pods. Are microschools – essentially modern-day one-room schoolhouses – effective? Education writer Jackie Valley joins host Clay Collins to discuss her reporting on an emerging trend that one proponent says is about “building a civil society from scratch” – and that others hail as a transformational, bottom-up movement that could ultimately transform U.S. education.

Reparations are a fraught political topic. But as the Monitor looks at the issue in depth, we look for one key element: building community.

Sure, some Republicans and Democrats have their dug-in stances on key aspects of climate change. But a middle may be bulking up, led by those from across the political spectrum who value immersion in nature and feel compelled, finally, to act – even if in different ways. Christa Case Bryant and Stephanie Hanes spoke with host Clay Collins about shifting perspectives.

March 14, or 3.14, is Pi Day. Get it? Pi Day celebrates all things related to the mathematical constant that measures the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameter. Here are five things you should know about π.

As Benjamin Franklins birthday is celebrated on Jan. 17, here are some of the best quotes from the pithy revolutionary, scientist, and writer.

Native adoption and child welfare have reached the U.S. Supreme Court. There’s no simple answer to the question of whether the Indian Child Welfare Act works. The Monitor’s justice writer, Henry Gass, talks about presenting different, nuanced perspectives compellingly and without judgment, with dignity and respect. Hosted by Samantha Laine Perfas.

Letters to the editor for the June 6, 2022 weekly magazine. Readers discuss what make the Monitor different and why flight shame isnt helpful for everyone.