Portside

The Conversation asked scholars to explain what they saw – including ancient Norse images and more recent flags from U.S. history. Here are five articles from The Conversation’s coverage, explaining what many of the symbols mean.

As the economy opened up to women a half century ago, one in three working women was an office employee. As the clerical workforce grew by leaps and bounds, so did a sense of injustice among the women, leading to the founding of the 9 to 5 Movement.

Republicans and New York’s ‘Democratic’ mayor demagogue on the issue, even as many real Democrats fail even to engage it.

Champions of a more egalitarian society made important strides, building the power of workers while reducing the power of wealthy tax dodgers and greedy pharma execs.

"We cannot forget a community that is suffering from an illegal occupation, a community that is resisting, a community that is seeing its rights and dignity violated every day," Chile's leftist president said.

Year end reflections on the ever-changing world of communications

She Said, the new film about the exposure of Harvey Weinstein, keeps its focus on the disgraced movie producer and poster villain for #MeToo — but misses a chance to expose the “girl bosses” who protected him for years.

Ten private-sector union pension funds have applied to the U.S. Treasury Dept. for the green light to slash retiree payouts, the Pension Rights Center says Among them are labor organizations affiliated with the auto industry, several from the trucking industry and others from the iron workers and bricklayer unions. Sixty-eight plans are listed as having “critical and declining status,” meaning they too will soon have to apply for permission to cut retiree payouts.

Preemption is a legal term that allows corporations to boost their profits by suppressing local government power, community groups and citizens.

Let me take this opportunity to thank J Street for the bold voice that they’ve provided in support of American leadership in the Middle East and efforts towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I understand that, given the political climate in this capital, that has not always been easy. I also applaud them for being part of a broad coalition of groups that successfully fought for the historic nuclear agreement between the U.S. and its partners and Iran.