The Buffet Is Dead. Long Live the Buffet!

The Swedes Have the Smorgasbord; Americans, Vegas and Sizzler. Can All-You-Can-Eat Return Responsibly?

Growing up, few things loomed quite as large as a trip to the buffet. I say the buffet because the chafing dishes all blur together—part and parcel of one great, endless table; a physical manifestation of the infinite scroll before the infinite scroll had even been invented. To call it a meal would feel disingenuous; nothing short of “trip” captured the feeling of the experience, which stretched time and space and stomachs.

I’ve been thinking about buffets lately because, if you haven’t heard, they are back. The pandemic is far from …

by Jackie Mansky | May 27, 2022

The Swedish Concept of ‘Lagom’ Could Tame America’s Urban Supremacism

The U.S. Can Learn From Sweden’s Policies That Spread Growth, Development, and Opportunity Into Smaller Cities and Rural Regions

by John Mirisch | May 3, 2021

Lagom—pronounced “LAW-goohm”—is a Swedish word for which there is no direct English translation. Some dictionaries translate it as “moderate” or “modest” or “suitable” or “sufficient.” The “just right” of Goldilocks …

Feminist Foreign Policy Can Offer a ‘Modern Lens to a Modern World’

To Build a Better Tomorrow, a Small but Growing Number of Countries Are Bringing a Gender Lens to Today’s Biggest Issues

by Jackie Mansky | March 3, 2021

Sweden first introduced the term “feminist foreign policy” in 2014, and since then, a small but growing number of countries—most recently Mexico—have adopted or pledged to implement it.

But what exactly …

A Letter From Sweden, Which Deems Flax Seeds More Dangerous Than the Pandemic

An Immigrant From America Fell for the ‘Sensible, Progressive Attitude’ and Caution of Her Adopted Country. Then COVID Hit

by Lauren LaFauci | October 12, 2020

About a year ago, I hung upside down from my seatbelt in a small sedan. Thankfully, I was completely safe during the entire experience: It was part of the compulsory …