8.21
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
In Hong Kong, a new round in the long-standing clash over law, autonomy, and democracy
In Hong Kong, a new round in the long-standing clash over law, autonomy, and democracy
Political scientist Jacques deLisle explains what spurred the latest conflict, and whether the desire to end it could prompt mainland China to intervene with force.
A society’s cultural practices shape the structure of its social networks
A society’s cultural practices shape the structure of its social networks
Biologists Erol Akçay and Marco Smolla used mathematical models to show that societies that favor generalists, who have a wide range of skills, are less well-connected than those societies that favor specialists, who are highly skilled at a smaller number of traits.
A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world
A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world
The portable EEG created by PIK Professor Michael Platt and postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan has potential applications from health care to sports performance.
Penn remembers and celebrates Toni Morrison
Penn remembers and celebrates Toni Morrison
The Penn community recalls the life and legacy of renowned author and teacher Toni Morrison, H‘88.
Minding the gap between mass transit and ride-hailing apps
Minding the gap between mass transit and ride-hailing apps
With support from the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, doctoral students Caitlin Gorback and Summer Dong are researching how services like Uber and Lyft are changing our transport habits, cities, and environments.
Engaging history
Engaging history
Junior Margarita Ortiz conducted a comprehensive survey of 18 sites as a summer intern for the Historic Germantown consortium in her hometown of Philadelphia.
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence?
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence?
In a Q&A, criminologist Richard Berk discusses why definitions matter and what role social media and mental illness play in this context.
Through gemstones, a glimpse into ancient Egyptian civilization
Through gemstones, a glimpse into ancient Egyptian civilization
Doctoral student Shelby Justl’s research expands what we know about who controlled semiprecious stones like red jasper and carnelian, plus their cultural and economic significance.
Stage presence
Stage presence
Senior music major Leo Sarbanes has become a leading voice on the little-known opera “The Love for Three Oranges” during his summer internship with Opera Philadelphia.
Minorities in majority spaces
Minorities in majority spaces
Ashleigh Cartwright, doctoral candidate in sociology, examines how nonwhite students are selected and prepared to integrate historically white schools.
In the News
WHYY (Philadelphia)
China’s multiple crises
Jacques deLisle of the Law School and the School of Arts and Sciences joined a conversation about pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and about U.S.-China relations during the ongoing trade war.
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NPR
Understanding Kashmir
Suvir Kaul of the School of Arts and Sciences talks about political conflict between Indian and Pakistan. “I’m watching this [Indian] government doing all it can to change that kind of unitary sense of the nation and that’s what worries me enormously,” said Kaul.
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The Washington Post
Is a recession looming? Here’s what experts on the economy are watching
Ioana Marinescu of the School of Social Policy & Practice weighed in on the possibility of a recession in the near future. “I expect a recession any day now, because it’s been almost 12 years since the last trough,” she said. “However, it’s impossible to predict with high accuracy when it will happen since recessions are often precipitated by market panics coalescing around a particular event that is usually hard to anticipate.”
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Philadelphia Inquirer
American flags in Hong Kong show people still fight for our values. Americans should join them
Carolyn Marvin of the Annenberg School for Communication spoke about the relationship between Chinese protestors and American symbolism. The U.S. flag, she said, “represents democracy and—on a good day—it represents human rights.”
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USA Today
Motels as homeless shelters? More local governments are housing people in motel rooms
Dennis Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice discussed the advantages of repurposing old motels as shelters for people experiencing homelessness. “First of all, it’s built, so there’s no acquiring property and going through the process of getting architectural drawings and building something from scratch,” he said. “You have an asset that you can basically just polish up and improve.”
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