4.2
Michele W. Berger
Science News Officer
mwberger@upenn.edu
Sociology
The risk coronavirus poses to our tenuous, complex supply chain
The risk coronavirus poses to our tenuous, complex supply chain
A disruption to any single link, from factories overseas to the truck driver delivering goods the final mile, could have a ripple effect, according to researcher Steve Viscelli.
Greener economy ‘not science fiction anymore’
Greener economy ‘not science fiction anymore’
A new book from Penn sociologist Daniel Aldana Cohen and colleagues describes four key facets of the Green New Deal and why they could become a reality in the not-too-distant future.
Less and later marriage in South Korea
Less and later marriage in South Korea
Sociologist Hyunjoon Park sheds light on why marriage rates are falling in South Korea, particularly among highly educated women and low-educated men.
The Amish and the Anthropocene
The Amish and the Anthropocene
Nicole Welk-Joerger, a doctoral candidate in the Department of History and Sociology of Science, discusses what a technology adopted by the Amish can tell us about climate change and the future.
Do DIY DNA kits revive a harmful perceived link between genetics and race?
Do DIY DNA kits revive a harmful perceived link between genetics and race?
Research from sociologist Wendy Roth reveals that on average, these tests don’t reinforce the idea of essentialism, but how much participants know about genetics going in matters.
Drug epidemic likely ‘killing more Americans than we think’
Drug epidemic likely ‘killing more Americans than we think’
Research from Penn and Georgetown shows that the estimated number of drug-associated deaths in the U.S. in 2016 was approximately double the number of deaths attributed to drugs.
The religious battle over birth control and the unpleasant motivation that fueled it
The religious battle over birth control and the unpleasant motivation that fueled it
In a Q&A, sociologist Melissa Wilde discusses her new book, which probes the racism and elitism that spurred religious groups to fight for legalizing contraception.
Socioeconomic status in the U.S. harder to change than any time in past 150 years
Socioeconomic status in the U.S. harder to change than any time in past 150 years
Research from Penn sociologist Xi Song and colleagues shows that mobility declined substantially during this period, particularly for those born in the 1940s and later.
The data at the heart of Green New Deal public housing legislation
The data at the heart of Green New Deal public housing legislation
Beyond improving living conditions, greening these spaces would reduce emissions and create 250,000 jobs annually, according to research from Penn and Data for Progress.
Social interactions in the housing market
Social interactions in the housing market
Doctoral candidate in sociology Doron Shiffer-Sebba’s prize-winning research paper examines the interpersonal dynamics of landlords and tenants.
Media Contact
In the News
FiveThirtyEight
Why the Democrats have shifted left over the last 30 years
Dan Hopkins of the School of Arts and Sciences was cited for his research, which found that racial prejudice in white Americans has decreased since 2007, particularly among Democrats.
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Popular Science
Why a decline in U.S. birth rates could actually help our economy
Hans-Peter Kohler of the School of Arts and Sciences explained falling birth rates, saying, “There is a broader transformation in young adulthood where there is an increasing prominence in education, career building, human capital, and so forth so that children tend to be desired later in life.”
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The Wall Street Journal
A white woman searches for her black family
Wendy Roth of the School of Arts and Sciences said consumer DNA tests rely on information based on migration patterns from thousands of years ago, even though borders have changed significantly. “The tests present it as if it determines who you are today,” she said.
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WAMU Radio (Washington, D.C.)
Shattered: Intimate partner gun violence
The School of Social Policy & Practice's Susan B. Sorenson is quoted on the likelihood that domestic abusers own guns.
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The New York Times
Where does affirmative action leave Asian-Americans?
Two studies led by Camille Z. Charles of the School of Arts and Sciences found an overrepresentation of black immigrant students at “highly selective” colleges and universities, compared to black American descendants of enslaved people. “I think there are American blacks whose families have suffered generationally who are being squeezed out,” she said.
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Los Angeles Times
Train station experiment reveals one way to counteract bias against Muslims
Nicholas Sambanis of the School of Arts and Sciences spoke about the results of his study on the perception of immigrants and ways to mitigate the discrimination they face. “If we want to think about policy interventions to reduce these [discriminatory] behaviors, first we have to understand exactly what is the mechanism that causes this bias,” he said.
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