By Juliette Workman

During times of war and strife, domestic governments, international organizations, and NGOs turn to fund immediate humanitarian needs for affected populations. When it comes to funding during wartime, however, there is one sector that is consistently overlooked: cultural institutions and the arts. The Ukrainian state has over 140,000 registered monuments and objects of immovable cultural heritage. As of October 2023, the World Monuments Fund has documented 835 instances of destruction or damage to museums and cultural heritage sites due to the Russian invasion. Ukraine’s system of cultural heritage protection has undergone a profound transformation during four years of full-scale war, arguably creating a shift from a cultural preservation concern to a humanitarian priority.

By Merritt Lubetsky

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (2023) marked the end of race-conscious admissions that had been constitutionally tolerated since Bakke and Grutter. For many decades, elite universities had justified the holistic use of race as a means of realizing the educational benefits of diversity. In SFFA, the Court reinterprets race classifications in admissions as unconstitutional. In doing so, although explicit racial categorizations are abolished, the decision likely invites more nuanced legal battles over less conspicuous attempts to promote diversity.

By Ava DeBenedet

Few events rival the Super Bowl halftime show in viewership or cultural impact. This year’s halftime show for Super Bowl XI was no different; with 128.2 million viewers of the live broadcast and millions more still counting, conversations surrounding Bad Bunny’s headlining show are unavoidable. Unlike years past, an alternative “All-American Halftime Show” with supposedly “no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family, and freedom” was simultaneously aired by Turning Point USA. The performers, however, repeatedly endorsed common conservative viewpoints, creating an ideological contrast with Bad Bunny implied to represent the political left. While Bad Bunny has publicly voiced his political opinions in the past, such as by denouncing ICE at the 2026 Grammys, politics have never been separate from sports.

By Kiana Raoufiniai

As protests and reports of violence grow, the political situation in Iran is proving to be more and more precarious. The possibility of foreign aid through the United States, when framed as humanitarian aid rather than geopolitical interference, seems alluring to many Iranian citizens. Though there are many pressing legal limitations that must be taken into consideration, historical precedent demonstrates that the United States has previously supported international human rights causes through sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and military intervention. Since the victory of the Iranian people is an invaluable victory not only for the country but also for global democracy and peace, carefully calibrated US intervention may be warranted.

By Jacqueline Rodriguez

The rapid rise of synthetic media, including generative artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfakes, has revolutionized content creation. Generative AI has empowered advertisers to produce visually convincing images, voices, and even virtual characters inexpensively and at scale. However, this technological leap has also blurred the line between what is real and what is fabricated, creating new pathways for consumer deception.

By Lawrence Wu

When a company misclassifies an imported product or certifies compliance with a dense trade regulation, the error has traditionally been treated as just an error. It might prompt an external audit, a civil penalty, or a course of correction, but rarely does it trigger allegations of fraud. Increasingly, that assumption no longer holds. Today, a mistake in filing can expose companies to damages, whistleblower suits, and years of litigation under the False Claims Act.

By Ameera Mehan

Justice Neil Gorsuch once wrote that judges should not be mistaken as “politicians in robes.” [1] The separation of powers between the judicial and legislative branch, while constitutionally apparent, is superseded as many label justices biased towards either conservative or progressive agendas. This particularly stems from the appointment process, wherein judges are selected by partisan Presidents who often base their decisions upon the preexisting alignments of their nominees. Such classifications carry a different meaning in the judiciary where law is not driven by politics; outcomes of court rulings are often unanticipated, solely grounded in constitutional right or wrong rather than ideological right or left.

By Harrison Green

The United States occupies a dichotomous role in the global order as both a primary security guarantor and the world’s largest arms exporter. This position creates a profound legal tension when American-manufactured munitions are linked to documented civilian harm in foreign conflicts. As reports of “gross violations of human rights,” or GVHR, surface in modern theaters of war, the legal community must grapple with the threshold for legal responsibility, both concerning the state and its individual actors, when providing the means for violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

By Sarah Guttman

A cornerstone of the American legal system is the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees everyone the right to a fair jury trial. Despite this assurance, an increasing number of defendants are being sentenced without exercising their right to a full trial. Each year, around 98% of criminal cases in federal courts are being decided not by a trial, but by a plea bargain. Plea bargains are deals offered by the government before trial that grant defendants reduced sentences in exchange for an admission of guilt in court.