Essay

Life On a Blacklist

A scholar on China reflects on the moment he was denied access to the country — and the compromises others must make to maintain it.

The Thief Who Became a Celebrity

When Zhou Liqi went viral for stealing scooters to protest lack of opportunity, he sparked a debate between the popular movement of “lying flat” and the state’s desire for “positive energy.” The state won.

From the Archive

Found in Translation

An award-winning novel set in Japanese-occupied Taiwan explores the relationship between colonizer and subaltern, translator and translated — and how some distances can’t be closed.