Karen Sue Smith

As a religiously literate culture-watcher I often keep an eye out for religious phrases as they are bandied about in titles and reviews in order to see just how they are being used in contemporary culture It isn rsquo t that I am either defensive or offensive that is waiting to pounce on someone

Roxana Saberi was released today from Evin prison in Tehran where she has been held since January on what the U S State Department has called ldquo baseless rdquo charges of spying for the United States government Sentenced in April to eight years in prison by Iran rsquo s Revolutionary Court

I recently wrote about Lynn Nottage rsquo s important play ldquo Ruined rdquo which since that blog post has received the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for drama It has also received five nbsp Drama Desk Award nominations for outstanding play actress featured actress director and music Such criti

ldquo Ruined rdquo a play by the award-winning playwright and MacArthur grant winner Lynn Nottage showing Jan ndash May 10 off Broadway at the New York City Center has received many rave reviews since its debut in Chicago and its opening in January in New York Perhaps more importantly in te

Since the election of Barack Obama as president many people are asking Has the United States moved beyond race Couched within the question is a hope that if we can move past race in the way we see each other we might move beyond racism as well The question shows up in the media in the blogosph