From the Wreckage of the ’92 Riots, a Better Los Angeles Rises

After 25 Years, a More Diverse, Civic-Minded City Is Embracing Its Shared Destiny

Luxury condominiums compete with foreign banks on the new skyline of Koreatown. On a Saturday night, 20-somethings crowd the sidewalks, huddling around food trucks, circling in and out of karaoke bars, biryani places, barbecue joints, and a high-rise driving range. This same neighborhood, and other swathes of Los Angeles, seemed doomed 25 years ago when more than 2,000 Korean business were damaged or destroyed during the three days of civil unrest that followed the infamous verdict in the prosecution of police officers who beat Rodney King.

The distance L.A. has traveled …

By Roberto Suro and Gary Painter | April 27, 2017

There’s a Difference Between Riots and Rebellion

Dismissing Unrest in America’s Cities as Aimless Violence Overlooks the Roots of People’s Anger

by Paul Bisceglio | July 13, 2015

From the Boston Tea Party to the recent protests in Baltimore and Ferguson, Americans have a long history of using violence to combat oppression and push for social change. But …

Could the Riots Make Sweden a Better Democracy?

I Love My Adopted Country. But Democracy Can’t Be All Top-Down.

by Bruno Kaufmann | May 29, 2013

I moved to Sweden 26 years ago, a Swiss native and journalist following his wife home to Falun. I became a citizen in 2000 and feel the country is my …

Be Grateful, London

Like It or Not, You Need L.A.'s Help

by Miles Corwin | August 25, 2011

As some went to Europe to see the living past, so one must visit Southern California to observe the future.
– Alison Lurie.

The rioting, looting and clashes with police in …

My Stiff Upper Lip

A Californian Keeps Calm and Carries On During the London Riots

by Saskia Vogel | August 15, 2011

When I moved to London to attend university, my parents were afraid I’d get caught in an explosion. In my first weeks in London, I saw a polished blonde foam …

riots