Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

Vote That Jawn written in bright yellow chalk on the sidewalk

Engaging in the election

In a collaborative English course taught by Lorene Cary in the fall, students shared their experiences with civic engagement by writing for publication, partnering with nonprofits like Vote That Jawn to share non-partisan information with other young first-time voters.

Louisa Shepard ・

Closeup of a syringe with a droplet at the tip of the needle reflecting the American flag pattern.

Science, politics, and vaccine acceptance

As the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed across the country, new research out of the Department of Philosophy shows that knowledge about the nature of science can combat political biases.

From Omnia ・

Large rendering of the healthcare cross symbol with people standing both on top of and below the symbol against a background featuring the coronavirus germ floating nearby.

Exacerbating the health care divide

With rates of diagnoses and death disproportionately affecting racial minorities and low-income workers, experts from the School of Arts & Sciences address how COVID-19 has further exposed already dire health outcome inequalities.

From Omnia ・

Cartoon of a human person in a suit with a television for a head with waves implying wavelengths in the background.

Rahul Mukherjee’s life in the screen

In two classes, the Dick Wolf Associate Professor of Television and New Media Studies looks at the big picture of our digital life.

From Omnia ・



In the News


NBC News

As law enforcement braces for more violence, state Capitols come into focus

Anne Berg of the School of Arts & Sciences said images of violence at the U.S. Capitol may result in fewer rallies and public events organized by extremists. However, she said, “I'm personally less worried about the next two weeks than I am about the next several years.”

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Seattle Times

How much will homelessness rise? Grim study shows possible ‘impact of doing nothing,’ researchers say

Dennis Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice commented on a study that found that homelessness in the U.S. could increase dramatically if a recession follows the pandemic. “This report certainly is a warning alarm for the potential impact of doing nothing,” he said.

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CBS Philadelphia

‘No white guilt’ signs causing big uproar in Montgomery County community

Anne Berg of the School of Arts & Sciences weighed in on “No white guilt” signs spotted in Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County. The phrase may be a response to the Black Lives Matter movement. “It is time they step aside and recognize that this movement isn’t about white men. It’s not about white women either. It’s about the advancement of Black lives,” she said.

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Philadelphia’s COVID rental assistance program to roll out differently in 2021

Research by Vincent Reina of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design found that most Philadelphia-based applicants for pandemic-related rent relief were struggling to pay rent even before March 2020. “These are households that clearly showed distress before,” he said.

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The New York Times

The talk radio network that airs Dan Bongino and Mark Levin warned staff to stop ‘dog-whistle talk’

Brian Rosenwald of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about Cumulus Media, a talk radio company that has instructed employees not to spread misinformation about the presidential election. “Cumulus has a big, broad set of interests—they have advertisers, sports contracts, nonconservative podcasts, dealings with the F.C.C. over station licensing,” Rosenwald said. “They understand that if you get involved in something that risks instigating violence, there’s a serious danger to the bottom line.”

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