Essay
One of Shakespeare’s conceits is the wisdom of clowns. From Feste in Twelfth Night to the Fool in King Lear, they speak truth to power, but tell it slant and …
Essay
A joke can be the best way to present real-life issues. Comedians can poke fun at the absurdity of the human condition, even take on topics that feel taboo—like America’s …
Connecting California
I went to Petaluma to learn what might become of the world’s ugliest dogs. The Sonoma County city also showed me the future of California democracy.
That future arrived with an …
Essay
If the British monarchy is to survive, it needs someone who is as bland as Queen Elizabeth II.
You would look in vain for any controversial statements made by the queen …
In the Green Room
News & Notes
We are excited to announce two new members of the Zócalo Public Square Board of Trustees: former California gubernatorial press secretary Margita Thompson and Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental …
Culture Class
Here in Southern California, the Santa Ana winds are blowing, summoning us back to school, back to our routines, back to our lives.
The potential that once hung so heady in …
Prizes
Since 2011, Zócalo Public Square’s annual book prize has recognized the U.S.-published nonfiction book that best enhances our understanding of community and the forces that strengthen or undermine human connectedness …
Prizes
Since 2012, the Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize has recognized the U.S. writer of a poem that best evokes a connection to place. Zócalo will begin accepting submissions for our …
Connecting California
If this train is so SMART, why can’t I find it?
That’s the question I asked myself in Larkspur, in Marin County, after arriving on the ferry from San Francisco one …
