Culture in the Round

As tensions between the United States and Iran continued to reshape the Middle East and global politics, FOLCS went beyond the headlines with former Senior CIA Official Norman Roule to examine the deeper history behind the conflict, the strategic calculations driving both governments, and the far-reaching consequences for regional stability, global security, and American foreign policy. As a Headl...

As artificial intelligence transforms industries and human connection, how do we redefine the meaning of creativity and intelligence itself? FOLCS was joined for a thought-provoking conversation exploring the evolving relationship between humans and machines in relationships, the workplace, and beyond. Renowned neuroscientist and prolific author David Eagleman and pioneering computer scientist and...

Donald Trump reclaimed the White House and, on the first day of his second term, took out his Sharpie pen and signed 26 Executive Orders a record, with the total thus far exceeding 200. He's not the first president to exercise this privilege of the presidency with frequency, but he has generated more challenges to the reach of his constitutional authority than any president who preceded him. The m...

Educating young children responsibly and inspiring a love of learning in an entertaining way has never been more urgent. For three decades, The Wiggles, the world's most popular producer of entertainment for children, have enriched the lives of generations of fans – children and parents alike. Live shows annually sell out in three continents and their content is broadcast in over 190 countries, ge...

Across the country, streets have became stages for a new wave of dissent and protest against ICE, as demonstrators demanded an end to mass deportations, detention centers, and the very existence of the agency. Newly at the center of this fury were the killings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. As federal forces responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and ma...

Released in 1980, the film not only marked a powerful transition in Redford's career but also redefined the American family drama, earning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Redford, and Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton (then just 20, and still the youngest recipient of that award). Ordinary People  is renowned for its subtle, deeply moving exploration of gri...

Casablanca  (1942) is one of the world's most beloved films, and widely considered the best screenplay ever produced. The film has been immortalized not merely for its 1943 Best Picture Academy Award win, but for the way this World War II love story, improbably with Morocco as its backdrop, showcases so many memorable lines and startling images – blending both romance and suspense in one smokey ca...

A Supreme Court decision in 2018 forever transformed the landscape of sports fandom. For the first time, fans could gamble on games legally; the outcomes of every detail of every contest across a multitude of sports was available to wager on. Sports betting and its platforms today comprise an industry worth over $100 billion worldwide. While sports betting has increased engagement among fans, it h...

Today, everyone knows the infamous name, Jeffrey Epstein. But back in 2005, however, when initial police investigations into the frequent presence of young girls at his mansion took place, Epstein was largely anonymous to the general public, although his wealthy celebrity friends seemed to know what was happening behind the gates to his many homes. His victims hired lawyers, who hired private inve...

It was yet another blockbuster year for the Supreme Court, filled with emergency challenges to many of President Trump's Executive Orders, testing presidential authority in immigration, deportation, and the slashing of the federal budget. The Term featured cases on voting rights, transgender rights, the regulation of "ghost guns," parental rights over school curriculum, age verification for intern...