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This week Mexicans will celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. A feature of all the events will be countless reproductions of a garish skeleton with a wide, toothy grin, wearing an extravagant hat.
Known as “La Catrina,” the image can be traced to José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican engraver who died in obscurity in 1913. His broadsides featuring uncanny skeletons were sold for pennies to working-class Mexicans.
In a story of patronage, propaganda and globalisation, cultural historian Mathew Sandoval details how Posada’s “Catrina” was transformed from the subject of cheap prints into a transcultural icon who has appeared in parades and been featured on everything from beer cans to Barbie dolls.
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Mathew Sandoval, Arizona State University
An obscure Mexican engraver named José Guadalupe Posada created the satirical skull in the early 1900s and sold it for a penny. But after he died, it took on a life of its own.
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Paul Morrow, University of Dayton
A human rights scholar explains how social media users can take charge of what content comes into their feed and reduce the risk of receiving misinformation.
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Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University
People, including children and adolescents, are being exposed to horrifying imagery in the news and on social media. But there are ways to stay informed without overconsuming harmful content.
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Marick Masters, Wayne State University
Rank-and-file union members employed by the automakers have to ratify the new contracts before they can become final.
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Amuche Nnabueze, University of Nigeria
An installation at Tate Modern and two other shows in London are cementing the artist’s global reputation.
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Michael Serazio, Boston College
With identity the most lucrative commodity social media platforms trade in, their fetishization of authenticity remains ironclad.
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Jane O’Connor, Birmingham City University
Britney Spears’ memoir illustrates once again the potential lifelong damage that can be caused by being a child star.
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Amanda Cole, University of Essex
Accents are constantly changing.
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