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Immigrants on ocean steamer passing the Statue of Liberty, New York City, 1887

University of Chicago historian Tara Zahra looks at the period of mass migration to America between 1846-1940. She says it was characterized by deep anxiety, both in the US and Europe.

Sunjeev Sahota

In "The Year of the Runaways," British novelist Sunjeev Sahota tells the story of three recent immigrants to the UK, and with deft precision examines their struggles, fears, and relationships.

Fence

There are currently 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. Jose Angel N is one of them.

paint on canvas

Philosopher Alva Noe has a theory about art. He says art is like philosophy, and the best art is disorienting and uncomfortable. It takes you into a space you didn't even know was there.

Frank Stella, Double Gray Scramble, 1973. Screenprint on white Arches 88 mould-made paper, 29 x 50 3/4 inches. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Gemini G.E.L. and the Artist, 1981.5.98 © 2016 Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New Yor

Frank Stella sits down with Steve Paulson to talk about a lesser known aspect of his remarkable career — his work as a printmaker.

How do you join a revolution? Egyptian artist Bahia Shehab says she was too quiet to shout in the streets during the uprising in Cairo, so she started spraying graffiti with the word "no" in Arabic.

Street art that reads "Love is Color"

Maybe you're familiar with art therapy — making art to cope with pain. Philosopher Alain de Botton has a different idea. He thinks just looking at great art can be therapeutic.

Columns

Have we lost sight of ancient virtues like courage, compassion and truth?  Mark Edmundson thinks we have, and he says we'd do well to read Homer, Plato and the ancient sages.

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