In Crime and Economics, Even the Data Have a Bias
How we talk about numbers is important—it determines the numbers we ask for, and the ones we’re given.
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How to Fix the GED
The high school equivalency test is broken—and a University of Chicago economist wants to get to the root of the problem.
Where Have You Gone, Al Sharpton? Chicago Turns Its Frightened Eyes to You
Late last year, Rev. Sharpton announced a bold plan to set up shop in Chicago. What happened?
Ten Stories Every Chicagoan Should Read This Week
Learn the truth about Chicago’s crime rates, meet a drug-abusing judge, see the stubborn disparity in Chicago’s pot arrests, and more.
A Brief History of the Economics of Wage Discrimination
How we think and talk about why wage gaps exist informs policy—and can change how markets work all on its own.
Why Did Chicago's Middle Class Disappear?
Most of the city was middle class as late as 1970. But the processes that would quickly divide the city by income were already in place.
What Chicago Baseball Was Like in 1914
100 years ago, Wrigley Field—er, Weeghman Park—was not exactly the same place you’d sip an Old Style today.
The Infrastructure in Illinois Is Not as Bad as You'd Think
Even in these austere times, the state’s rail and roads are not a doomsday scenario. But Chicago, one of the country’s major shipping hubs, faces and uncertain future.
Searching For Rahm, Axelrod, and Other Chicagoans In Bill Clinton's Withheld Documents
In the 33,000 pages of the former president’s papers, appearances by locals show how power works behind the scenes.
How Frankie Knuckles Saved Dance Music From the Disco Demolition Darkness
The legendary Chicago DJ reinvented a genre, transformed it into Chicago house, and preserved it for the next generation.