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Michele W. Berger
Senior Science News Officer
mwberger@upenn.edu
Philosophy
The Divine Comedy’s ‘universal message’
The Divine Comedy’s ‘universal message’
Seven centuries years after Dante Alighieri's death on Sept. 14, 1321, his “Divine Comedy,” a poem in which an autobiographical protagonist journeys through hell, purgatory, and paradise, is still widely influential.
In These Times: Race and repair
In These Times: Race and repair
OMNIA’s final episodes look into how institutions have perpetuated racial hierarchies, how the past reverberates through the present, and consider what justice looks like.
The ins and outs of research, through a yearlong practicum
The ins and outs of research, through a yearlong practicum
The course, which just completed its third iteration, takes undergrads through the process, from generating a hypothesis and creating experiments to analyzing results and writing a paper. The most recent cohort studied mentorship and educational inequality.
‘Global Health Justice and Governance’
‘Global Health Justice and Governance’
In a special issue of the journal Global Health Governance, seven experts reflect upon Jennifer Prah Ruger’s call for a new model of global public health that prioritizes equity and cooperation between nations and agencies.
Morality isn’t fixed but changes around close relationships
Morality isn’t fixed but changes around close relationships
Research from MindCORE postdoc Daniel Yudkin found that the importance people place on certain moral values shifts depending on who is around in a given moment.
Nationalism in times of crisis
Nationalism in times of crisis
A team of Penn philosophers examine whether it’s morally acceptable for the government to prioritize its own people’s interests and needs during a global pandemic.
Penn senior named Truman Scholar
Penn senior named Truman Scholar
Senior Sakshi Sehgal, a philosophy major who has submatriculated into the philosophy master’s program, has received a merit-based Harry S. Truman Scholarship of as much as $30,000 for graduate or professional school to prepare for a career in public service.
Penn junior Chinaza Ruth Okonkwo named a Beinecke Scholar
Penn junior Chinaza Ruth Okonkwo named a Beinecke Scholar
Junior Chinaza Ruth Okonkwo has been awarded a 2021 Beinecke Scholarship to pursue a graduate education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. She is one of only 16 Beinecke Scholars chosen this year.
Fostering the next generation of Black philosophers at Penn
Fostering the next generation of Black philosophers at Penn
In the past decade, the department has become a hub for race theory and a welcoming environment for a diverse group of young academics, mentored by those who have paved the way before them.
The link between perceptions of autonomy and global views of income inequality
The link between perceptions of autonomy and global views of income inequality
Research from the Center for Social Norms & Behavioral Dynamics finds that people who feel independent think that most others are, too. They also underestimate the level of poverty in the United States.
Media Contact
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
When should we mind our business right now? Here’s how to decide
Sukaina Hirji of the School of Arts & Sciences offered advice about when to intervene in a variety of scenarios. “Sometimes you have to speak up. Sometimes you have to stay in your lane. There is no easy answer,” she said.
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NPR
‘Can we change social norms?’
Cristina Bicchieri of the School of Arts and Sciences joins a philosophical discussion about the possibility of changing social norms.
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Christian Science Monitor
Grab your moral compass: ‘The Good Place’ takes philosophy mainstream
Errol Lord of the School of Arts and Sciences offered commentary on the Emmy-nominated series “The Good Place,” which regularly grapples with ethical issues. “I don’t think there has ever been a network sitcom that talks about philosophers in this way,” said Lord.
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Inside Higher Ed
7 hours a week on existential despair
In a uniquely reflective course taught by Justin McDaniel of the School of Arts and Sciences, students meet weekly to read an entire book cover to cover and then discuss. Noting the quality of the resulting discourse, McDaniel said, “it’s the best conversation I’ve ever had in a classroom.”
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The New York Times
The Pain and Promise of Black Women in Philosophy
Anita Allen of the Law School was interviewed about the obstacles black women encounter in the predominately white male field of philosophy. “My vision is for a more inclusive, self-aware and publicly engaged profession whose leaders serve as strong ambassadors for our vital share of the humanities,” said Allen.
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