The Stanford Review
The Stanford Review is one of Stanford University's student-run publications.
I started as a writer my freshman year (2014) and ended as Executive Editor my senior year (2017).
Shocked into Numbness: How Shock Art Has Been So Overused That It No Longer Shocks at All
A Stanford Review op-ed
October 25, 2015: Banksy's "Dismaland", a script-flipping parody of Disneyland, failed to receive positive reviews. Critics noted its lack of nuance and lack of surprise; instead, the exhibit relied on the same "shock art" techniques that have become almost synonymous with Banksy's name.
This op-ed argues that the same critic applies to the shocking techniques, including die-ins, shutdowns, and signage, used by Stanford students to draw issues to the institution's response to conflict in Gaza, sexual assault, and others. The over-reliance on these techniques have mitigated their message, leaving audience members both numb to the message and its medium.
Read this op-ed on The Stanford Review's website.
Exploring the Sections of Intersectionality
A Stanford Review op-ed
September 30, 2015: The word "intersectionality" has grown in popularity over the past few years as groups with different social goals realize their similarities and their overlaps.
However, as this article argues, a reliance on intersectional causes can confuse rather than unite. By adding causes, it can lose supporters who believe in one cause but not others, it can dull the impact of one forceful and simple message, and it can even obscure the original goal of the group.
Read this op-ed on The Stanford Review website.
Should "American Sniper" Come Under Fire?
A Stanford Review op-ed
May 26, 2015: Was U.S Navy Seal Chris Kyle, the subject of the recent movie "American Sniper", an American hero? Or, as one critic wrote, a "hate-filled killer"?
This article argues that viewers have to see the movie to see for themselves and to understand that Chris Kyle's situations may have been morally ambiguous rather than easily binarized. For that reason, "American Sniper" should not be banned from screenings, such as on college campuses, but should instead be used as a catalyst for productive, differing, and educational dialogue.
Buzzword, Buzzword, Blah, Blah, Blah: Why We Tune Out ASSU Senate Campaigns
A Stanford Review op-ed
April 14, 2015: "Funding", "mental health", "transparent": as students prepare their campaigns for the Stanford student senate (ASSU), the same words and themes come up across flyers, websites, and debates. The result, though is not campaign support but semantic saturation: the audience is so bombarded by the same words and phrases that they unconsciously reduce them only to meaningless sounds.
To stand out in a crowded field, ASSU candidates must rely on novel approaches and unique messages rather than buzzwords or else their values and their platforms simply become oversaturating and, subsequently, meaningless.
Read this op-ed on The Stanford Review website.
The Connection Between Race, Riots, and Rational Thinking
A Stanford Review op-ed
March 30, 2015: From Harvard to Stanford, schools across the country are adopting race and ethnicity programs and classes to encourage analysis, address racial critiques, and prepare for an increasingly globalized world.
But these programs shouldn't be spaces for generalized statements about right, wrong, and racism in events such as the Rodney King Riots in 1992 or the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014. Instead, they should be opportunities to look at both sides of issues - including both police and public fear - to achieve rational thinking and to understand nuances, contexts, and analyses from all perspectives.
Read this op-ed on The Stanford Review website.
The Law, the Farm, and the Federal Government: No Child Left Behind and Stanford
A Stanford Review op-ed
March 3, 2015: From improving the life of three species in the San Francisco Zoo to stretching their imagination and problem-solving in virtual reality, Stanford boasts an array of classes and experiences designed to promote creativity and innovation responses to real-world issues.
The No Child Left Behind Act, though, does not encourage these same values. This article explains that NCLB, despite its admiral goal of increasing access to education, does not embody the same goals of institutions of higher learning. Thus, it does not adequately prepare public school students with the foundational knowledge, diverse experiences, and creativity that schools like Stanford promote and prioritize.
Death with Dignity
A Stanford Review op-ed
November 19, 2014: At 29 years old, Brittany Maynard become the face of a controversial movement: that of physician-assisted suicide. After being diagnosed with brain cancer, Maynard decided not to put her family through any of the "nightmare" treatment scenarios and instead fought for the Death with Dignity Act (DWDA).
Although many believe DWDA negates a physician's role as a healer, this article explains some of the safeguards built into the Act to prevent patients and their families from abusing this measure and to recognize that death with dignity may be the most healing and helpful treatment that a physician can administer.
Should We Replace our As, Bs, and Cs?
A Stanford Review three-part news series
November 6, 2014: Despite the ubiquity of As, Bs, and Cs, institutions of higher learning are turning to nontraditional methods to combat grade inflation. This article looks at several examples - Princeton University, Cornell University, Purdue University, and Duke University - and how they have tried to work around grade inflation and where their efforts have fallen short or have succeeded.
This article is the third in a three-part news series on grade inflation.
Read this op-ed on The Stanford Review website.
Where Stanford Falls in an Environment of Raising Grades
A Stanford Review three-part news series
October 15, 2014: Is it really hard to fail at Stanford? A Business Insider article thinks so because of the prevalence of grade inflation at this institution. This article looks at public grading trends (when publicly available) at Stanford and the different perspectives behind the rising grades: are they due simply to grade inflation? Or do they have another explanation, like the increasing quality of Stanford students over the past several decades?
This article is the second in a three-part news series on grade inflation.
Note: the original is not available on The Stanford Review website but an identical copy can be found by clicking the link below.
Grade Hyperinflation
A Stanford Review three-part news series
September 23, 2014: If nearly half of all students receive As, does this high grade lose its meaning completely? Schools around the country are facing grade inflation and the question of rewarding good work and distinguishing students of above-and-beyond merit. This article, which is an introduction to grade inflation, looks at case studies at Princeton University and Wellesley College to discuss the pros and cons of grade inflation and the proposals that institutions have made in order to combat it.
This article is the first in a three-part news series on grade inflation.
Should Tal Fortgang Be Checking His Privilege?
A Stanford Review news article
May 21, 2014: What is "privilege"? And can society truly judge others' privilege - or lack thereof - based solely on external appearances? In an op-ed for The Princeton Tory, freshman Tal Fortgang argues that skin color is not the only medium through which privilege should be assumed, citing his own grandfather's struggle as an example.
This article analyzes the two different responses to Fortgang's opinion: Does he make a valid point that privilege goes beyond skin color? Or is he simply demonstrating the privilege that he doesn't think he has by assuming his white grandfather's struggles are equal to those of a different skin color?
Still $0.23 Short: The Debate Surrounding the Workplace Wage Gap
A Stanford Review news article
April 30, 2014: More than 50 years after President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, the workplace wage gender-based discrepancy still exists. This article looks at the social and legal reasons behind the wage gap, from the lack of empowerment women feel in the workplace to the Paycheck Fairness Act that died in Congress, and what that gap means for women and their families across the country.
Read this article on The Stanford Review website.