Contingent Magazine

The Second Skeleton Museums construct knowledge by constructing objects—literally.

"I saw a specimen of science and the natural world, of course, but I also saw a beautiful object constructed, created, by people—by paleontologists, museum curators, engineers, and welders."

(pssst we'd love to know what pieces you've loved over the years)

War Happens in Dark Places, Too In thick woods and swamplands and on small river islands, they bided their time.

Seven years ago, we published our first piece, a gorgeous essay by @kerileighmerritt.bsky.social. Since then, we've published nearly 400 pieces and paid every single contributor for their work. Thanks to everyone who's donated to, read, and taught with our magazine over the years!

War Happens in Dark Places, Too In thick woods and swamplands and on small river islands, they bided their time.

Seven years ago, we published our first piece, a gorgeous essay by @kerileighmerritt.bsky.social. Since then, we've published nearly 400 pieces and paid every single contributor for their work. Thanks to everyone who's donated to, read, and taught with our magazine over the years!

A Known and Unknown War Twenty years later, I am living through the making of the Iraq War as history.

"When the field of history is left uncrowded by historians with full-time employment, historical actors—with self-serving intentions—who wish to exculpate and justify their actions will fill the vacuum."

A Known and Unknown War Twenty years later, I am living through the making of the Iraq War as history.

"When the field of history is left uncrowded by historians with full-time employment, historical actors—with self-serving intentions—who wish to exculpate and justify their actions will fill the vacuum."

I shared some of my thoughts about writing historical fiction over at Contingent.

Catholic Library, Muslim Books In the 1950s and 1960s, the Dominicans in Cairo collected rare printed books in Arabic, particularly Muslim devotional works rarely found in other libraries.

"In the 1950s and 1960s, the Dominicans collected rare printed books in Arabic, particularly Muslim devotional works . . . These books are slim and ephemeral . . . Most other repositories of rare books in the Muslim world don’t think they’re worth collecting."

Why Write Historical Fiction? I wanted to understand a hidden part of my own family’s history.

“Imagination is a vital tool that any writer must deploy to access aspects of the past.”

Our latest, from Ben Nadler.

Why Write Historical Fiction? I wanted to understand a hidden part of my own family’s history.

“Imagination is a vital tool that any writer must deploy to access aspects of the past.”

Our latest, from Ben Nadler.

Catholic Library, Muslim Books In the 1950s and 1960s, the Dominicans in Cairo collected rare printed books in Arabic, particularly Muslim devotional works rarely found in other libraries.

"In the 1950s and 1960s, the Dominicans collected rare printed books in Arabic, particularly Muslim devotional works . . . These books are slim and ephemeral . . . Most other repositories of rare books in the Muslim world don’t think they’re worth collecting."

Don't We Have To Judge People By The Standards Of Their Time? Many who reach for this cliché want it to function as a shield against judgment altogether.

". . . let’s consider one way the cliché is frequently used by white people in the United States: in conversations about the history of enslavement, especially ones about 'Founding Fathers' who enslaved people."

Don't We Have To Judge People By The Standards Of Their Time? Many who reach for this cliché want it to function as a shield against judgment altogether.

". . . let’s consider one way the cliché is frequently used by white people in the United States: in conversations about the history of enslavement, especially ones about 'Founding Fathers' who enslaved people."

Hunting Dinosaurs in Central Africa Before ancient aliens—before Lizard People—there was the search for living dinosaurs.

"Of course, the okapi was new only to European eyes. To people from Central Africa, the okapi had been known for millennia. But to the British, it did not exist until Europeans could see it—or at least its corpse. Even then, African facts were far less appealing than European 'discoveries.'”

Hunting Dinosaurs in Central Africa Before ancient aliens—before Lizard People—there was the search for living dinosaurs.

"Of course, the okapi was new only to European eyes. To people from Central Africa, the okapi had been known for millennia. But to the British, it did not exist until Europeans could see it—or at least its corpse. Even then, African facts were far less appealing than European 'discoveries.'”

We, the Nation, Born Under This Tree So much converges on the Washington Elm.

"America is littered with bogus historical markers, especially those detailing the mythic activities of George Washington and other Founding Fathers. The question becomes, does the insidious logic of the white nation exist within those memorials today?"

A Postcard from Getaria The birthplace of Cristóbal Balenciaga

"We were easy to spot, clad in architectural garments in Balenciaga’s signature black."

A postcard from @hottycouture.bsky.social

We, the Nation, Born Under This Tree So much converges on the Washington Elm.

"America is littered with bogus historical markers, especially those detailing the mythic activities of George Washington and other Founding Fathers. The question becomes, does the insidious logic of the white nation exist within those memorials today?"

A Postcard from Getaria The birthplace of Cristóbal Balenciaga

"We were easy to spot, clad in architectural garments in Balenciaga’s signature black."

A postcard from @hottycouture.bsky.social

Over There, Again The American Legion at home and abroad

from @contingent-mag.bsky.social and worth your time: "the central contradiction of the early American Legion ... a benign custodian of memory and shared sacrifice in combat, yet one haunted by its history of vigilantism and exclusionary nationalism."

contingentmagazine.org/2026/02/02/o...

If you’re a donor to the magazine, make sure to check the bonus podcast feed today for our latest, @ebermichael.bsky.social reading “Christ, What a Monster!”

Christ, What a Monster! Something gendered was going on here.

You can read the piece on our website any time!

Donate Contingent is supported by its readers, not by any university or think tank. We think that makes it possible for us to do this magazine right.

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If you’re a donor to the magazine, make sure to check the bonus podcast feed today for our latest, @ebermichael.bsky.social reading “Christ, What a Monster!”

Over There, Again The American Legion at home and abroad

"During the First Red Scare, public officials from California to Indiana deputized local American Legion posts as armed vigilante forces, ready to purge the perceived threats of labor unrest, Bolshevism, and anarchy, threats sometimes attributed to immigrant communities."

The Olympic Paradox The Olympics has always relied on two antithetical forces: nationalism and internationalism.

Who do the winning medals belong to: country or empire?

The Olympic Paradox The Olympics has always relied on two antithetical forces: nationalism and internationalism.

Who do the winning medals belong to: country or empire?

I can't wait to assign this as part of my Centralia Massacre activity

Over There, Again The American Legion at home and abroad

"During the First Red Scare, public officials from California to Indiana deputized local American Legion posts as armed vigilante forces, ready to purge the perceived threats of labor unrest, Bolshevism, and anarchy, threats sometimes attributed to immigrant communities."

Towns Like Pulaski Duane Barry is a symbol of collateral damage inflicted by powerful interests.

Tonight we're watching Duane Barry/Ascension and reading this: "When Duane begs for honesty, he echoes thousands of people who demand answers from those that pollute their bodies and their land."