May we recommend. . .
Looking for a little summer reading . . . or viewing, or listening? A few members of the faculty share their recommendations for books, music, and videos not to be missed.
World Population Day: Why focus on teenage girls?
In marking this year’s them, “Investing in Teenage Girls,” Catherine Cerulli, director of the Susan B. Anthony Center, offers her insights on the human rights issues that young women face today and what can be done to address these challenges.
Making the case for life on other planets
How can we calculate the likelihood of technological civilizations having existed on other planets? That’s a question Adam Frank, professor of astronomy, considers in an essay, “Yes, There Have Been Aliens,” published in the New York Times.
Brain tune-up from action video game play
Numerous studies have found that playing action video games such as “Call of Duty” helps cognitive functioning. Brain and cognitive sciences professor Daphne Bavelier explains how shooting zombies can enhance brain skills. / Scientific American
What makes America (and civilization) great
Astronomy professor Adam Frank traces the “line from [Ellis] Chesbrough’s audacious plan to make Chicago a clean, functioning city 150 years ago and the invisible infrastructures hiding behind your cell phone” today. / NPR.org
Did Caitlyn Jenner help or hinder the trans revolution?
Reflecting on the year since her first appearance on the cover of Vanity Fair, John Cullen and Nick Kapser from the University’s Susan B. Anthony Center reflect on the very public transition of Caitlyn Jenner. / Newsweek
Restrictive housing for juveniles: punitive, not rehabilitative
Restrictive housing—popularly referred to as “solitary confinement”—is widely employed in U.S. prisons and jails. Kevin Fiscella of the Department of Family Medicine examines the risks of restrictive housing, especially for juvenile offenders. / CorrectCare
Sykes-Picot and the making of the modern Middle East
As the accord turns 100 years old, Aaron Hughes, professor of Jewish studies, weighs in on the impact the secret accord that established political control of territories in the Middle East among Great Britain, France, and Russia after World War I. / The Conversation
Why Rousseff’s impeachment battle is bad for Brazil – but could be good for democracy
Associate professor and chair of political science Gretchen Helmke asks whether ousting Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff will end the country’s vicious cycle of political corruption. / Reuters
World needs more U.S. government debt
In this time of global economic uncertainty, economics professor Narayana Kocherlakota argues that the U.S. government should be issuing more debt in order to strengthen the domestic economy. / Bloomberg View