“My
forehead is throbbing, sweaty. What are the initial
symptoms of malaria? Or maybe it'll be dysentery.
I'll shit my guts out, slowly. What are the chances
I'll be raped first?”
—from Brent Hayes Edwards' “Evidence”
TRANSITION 90: Table of Contents
DISPATCHES____________________
Marginalia
Nations, like prisons, are only as strong as their
borders. Does that mean citizens, like inmates, are
only as sane as their desire to escape? On the trail
of India's shifting frontier, Kai Friese ruminates
on roots, restlessness, and divided loyalties.
The People Smugglers
Looking to go to Italy? For $4,000, you can fly. For
$2,000, you can take a ferry. And for a mere $600,
you can go by speedboat—though the captain reserves
the right to toss you overboard if the going gets
rough. Mario Kaiser goes underground with Europe's
immigrant industry.
MEMOIR____________________
EvidenceAmerican tourists are flocking to West Africa. The old slave mansions are breathtaking. The exchange rate is unbeatable. If you ask nicely, the guards might even bring you lunch. Brent Hayes Edwards reflects on doing time in a Senegalese jail.
UNDER REVIEW____________________
BlackballedThere's no denying that black players have transformed the game of basketball into a contest of style and attitude, balletic ball-handling, and fashion-forward haircuts. But if you actually want to win, you may have to call in the white guys. Tom Scocca ponders the art of the dunk.
FICTION____________________
He Who Is Without SinEverybody must get stoned.
By Paul Beatty
Immigrato
Punks and pariahs in Sicily.
By Mario Fortunato and Salah Methnani
When people talk about world music, they don't usually mean disco. But for “Little” Louie Vega and Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez, two Puerto Ricans from New York, disco was a gateway to the globe: Latin rhythms and German electronica, African drums and African American harmonies. Kelefa Sanneh chats with Masters at Work about the geopolitics of dancing.