This article originally appeared in The Conversation. Solo travel is surging – and an industry still largely built for two is taking note. Google reported in April 2026 that online searches involving “solo travel” hit an all-time high this year, with queries for “women solo travel” reaching a 15-year peak.
Embodied Absence she was to arrive like sunshine. a form in the doorway, a suitcase in the corner, a red thread pulled through a gray budapest room. i already wrote the scenes. coffee. steam from the baths. her in my bed. the city at last opening like a fist. instead
An open letter to my students: I know what you are up to Dear Students, For years, tens of thousands of educated Kenyans made a living writing papers for college students in the United States, Britain, and elsewhere. At its peak, the shadow industry employed an estimated 40,000 people in
This post was originally published at The Conversation. When a couple marry in a church, synagogue or mosque, the ceremony does more than sanctify a union. Often, it binds two families to an institution. For centuries, marriage and child-rearing have been among the main ways adults are integrated into congregational
This article was originally published at The Conversation. In 1960, 72% of adults were married, and over 90% would go on to marry. HR policies and management practices back then catered to nuclear families with a lone, male breadwinner. Today, dual-career couples and working mothers are common, largely due to the growth of women in the workforce in
This post was originally published at The Conversation. Every February, Valentine’s Day amplifies what single people already know – that public life is built for two. Restaurants roll out prix fixe menus for couples. Hotels promote “romantic getaway” packages designed for double occupancy. A table for one still invites the
An open letter to my students: Are you a dog or a wolf? Dear Students, One cold, windy night, a hungry wolf prowled the outskirts of a farm, searching for its next meal. In the fenced-in yard, it spotted a dog—plump, well-fed, lounging without a care in the world. The
I’ve been tracking the Solo shift. Who will see it next? In their recent cover story, “The Great Relationship Recession: The Rise of Singlehood is Reshaping the World,” (link but paywalled at the moment). The Economist takes note of the precursors of what I call the Solo Economy: a striking
What does a man become when divorced from possessions? As Peter McGraw prepares to leave Denver for Bogotá, I discover that getting rid of
Welcome to the final episode of I’M NOT JOKING. Comedian JD Lopez returns from Episode 1 to debrief and reflect on Peter’s experience building
