4.20
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Narratives of COVID-19 in China and the world
Narratives of COVID-19 in China and the world
The two-day symposium brought together scholars to discuss a broad range of topics, from racism against Chinese students studying in the United States to digital workplace surveillance of Chinese workers.
Hate crimes against Asians in Italy linked to economic woes
Hate crimes against Asians in Italy linked to economic woes
Research by political scientists Guy Grossman, Stephanie Zonszein, and Gemma Dipoppa shows hate crimes in Italy increased at the pandemic’s onset in areas where higher unemployment was expected, but not in places with higher infections and mortality.
Alumna Jessica Vaughn examines workplace space and culture in ICA solo exhibition
Alumna Jessica Vaughn examines workplace space and culture in ICA solo exhibition
Artist and Weitzman School of Design alumna Jessica Vaughn examines the spaces and culture of the American workplace in her first major solo exhibition, now on view at the Institute of Contemporary Art.
Twitter bots may not be as influential as you think
Twitter bots may not be as influential as you think
A new study from Annenberg School for Communication finds that verified media accounts are more central in the spread of information on Twitter than bots.
COVID-19 and women in the workforce
COVID-19 and women in the workforce
Experts across Penn explain how the pandemic has exacerbated gender inequality and challenged female career advancement in the STEMM fields, education, and business.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is playing safe
The Philadelphia Orchestra is playing safe
Penn experts are working with The Philadelphia Orchestra to study the aerosol droplets that wind and brass musicians produce when playing. Their findings, aimed at reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission, could help the Orchestra once again play together.
Husnaa Haajarah Hashim sees poetry as transformative
Husnaa Haajarah Hashim sees poetry as transformative
As poetry is in the national spotlight following the Biden inauguration, junior Husnaa Haajarah Hashim, a Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate, reflects on her writing and scholarship.
History is the ‘narratives we tell’
History is the ‘narratives we tell’
To understand how ideas about racial difference took root in American history, Makiki Reuvers, a Ph.D. candidate in history, examines 17th-century encounters between British colonists and Native Americans.
‘Research at Penn’ showcases University breakthroughs and innovations
‘Research at Penn’ showcases University breakthroughs and innovations
Produced by the Provost’s Office, the brochure highlights groundbreaking research from each of Penn’s 12 schools. This year it is online-only.
Working at the intersection of data science and public policy
Working at the intersection of data science and public policy
Ken Steif’s new book, “Public Policy Analytics: Code & Context for Data Science in Government,” available online and in print, provides guidance for how governments and policymakers can use data and algorithms to solve complex service-delivery problems.
In the News
The New York Times
Unemployment is high. Why are businesses struggling to hire?
Ioana Marinescu of the School of Social Policy & Practice co-authored a study that found that every 10% increase in unemployment benefits received corresponds to a 3% decline in jobs applied to. “Right now what seems to be happening is that job creation is outpacing the search effort that workers are putting forth,” she said.
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The New York Times
Zoom burnout is real, and it’s worse for women
Emily Falk of the Annenberg School for Communication said the results of a recent Stanford study, which found women scored higher than men on all types of fatigue associated with video calls, were unsurprising but that Zoom itself may not be fully responsible for burnout. “It’s correlational data, and there could be other potential variables at play here,” she said. “When we’re feeling exhausted right now, how full is our emotional or mental tank to begin with?”
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The Guardian
Study reveals alarming trend in US death rates since 2000
Samuel Preston of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about rising mortality rates in the U.S. over the last two decades. Preston and his colleagues attribute the shift in part to this country’s lack of a universal health care system.
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Time
‘Haunted countries deserve haunted stories.’ How America’s history of racial housing discrimination inspired Amazon’s new horror series THEM
Camille Z. Charles of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about how discriminatory housing practices like redlining shaped U.S. neighborhoods in the 20th century. “If you take the redlining maps that were used before the passage of fair housing legislation and overlay them on present-day maps of pretty much any major city in the U.S., and certainly any city that has any meaningful Black population, they look really similar in the sense that Blacks are still largely shut out of those neighborhoods that they were legally shut out of during that time period,” she said.
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The New York Times
A novel effort to see how poverty affects young brains
Martha Farah of the School of Arts & Sciences commented on a study exploring the links between poverty and brain development. “It is definitely one of the first, if not the first” study in this developing field to have direct policy implications, she said.
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