Essays

Amid a changing climate and a wave of demographic transformation in Italy, this existential look at the history of Italian food and its iconic "gastronativism" asks the question: do you really have a national cuisine if your ingredients are stolen from abroad? Selected for Best American Food Writing 2023.

The Catholic Church has been undergoing a long, slow shift, playing out on the timescale of centuries: a shift to distance itself from the popular enthusiasms of its most devout parishioners.

To survive in a chaotic world, the discipline of history may need to evolve into something quite unpalatable to many historians: a form of narrative that politicizes the present.

For the first time since the fall of the Roman empire, wilderness is returning to Italy. Are Italians ready?

Following the election of Giorgia Meloni's far-right Fratelli d'Italia, I take a look at their intellectual lineage, tracing obscure extremist philosophies from the pre-war work of Julius Evola through to today.

Listen to my interview on CBC's Tapestry about this story.

Despite its rich coffee and cafe culture, Italy does not produce its own coffee beans. One man is trying to change that, against all odds.

A historical examination of monarcho-socialism, answering the question: is it possible to be a good socialist and a monarchist at the same time?

A long, deep historical look at the human obsession with the smell of God, and our many failed attempts to capture it. Finalist for SoCal Journalism Award.

Listen to my interview with ABC's Counterpoint on this story.

Newly relevant (and heavily cited) in light of Giorgia Meloni's rise to power in Italy, this article explored a lesser-known episode in the history of the European far-right, and its attempts to co-opt Tolkien's fantasy world for their own ends. 

Listen to my interview on CBC's Tapestry about this story.

We still don’t understand the role language plays in consciousness. The future of AI may upend what little we know.

An exploration of the little-known rituals of medieval veterinarians, and the logic of the magic that powered them.

Produced for the centenary of Canada's last numbered treaty, this online feature dives into the complicated legacy of a treaty born through deception and double-dealing.

 A radio documentary and accompanying feature to launch a special six-part series on education for NPR, taking the long, long view of the development of the American education system.