8.21
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Protecting historic places at various life stages
Protecting historic places at various life stages
A new Master of Science in Design with a concentration in Historic Preservation degree program kicked off at the Weitzman School in the fall of 2018. Now, members of the inaugural class are working on a capstone project on the George Nakashima House.
Adolph Reed is retiring. But he’s still got more to say
Adolph Reed is retiring. But he’s still got more to say
After more than 40 years as a political science professor, incisive commentator, and mentor to countless students, Reed is ending his teaching career. Now, he can turn his full attention to writing, and the 2020 campaign.
The Summer Reading List: Book recommendations from Penn faculty and staff
The Summer Reading List: Book recommendations from Penn faculty and staff
The Summer Reading List: Book recommendations from Penn faculty and staff
Names prompt distinct brain activity in preschoolers
Names prompt distinct brain activity in preschoolers
A study from Penn and CHOP found that when preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder hear their name, their neural patterns match those of their typically developing peers. The finding held regardless of whether the child’s mom or a stranger called the name.
‘Ladysitting’
‘Ladysitting’
A new memoir by Lorene Cary, “Ladysitting: My Year with Nana at the End of Her Century,” describes the year she spent caring for her grandmother in her home.
Japan’s modern monarchy: How it works
Japan’s modern monarchy: How it works
Professor of Japanese history Frederick Dickinson explains the significance of the Japanese monarchy as a new emperor takes the throne—and President Trump becomes the first world leader to meet him.
Will stalemate lead to resolution in Venezuela?
Will stalemate lead to resolution in Venezuela?
In a Q&A, political science professor Dorothy Kronick says negotiation is an uphill battle but may be the only way to settle the dispute over who will lead the troubled country.
‘What can be done today?’
‘What can be done today?’
Senior Aminata Sy founded a program for Philly kids and will soon head to Congress to begin her Rangel Graduate Fellowship.
Senior pictures
Senior pictures
Graduating senior and photographer Isabel Zapata captured 57 of her classmates in places of significance to create Torch Magazine. The publication features their reflections as well as her portraits.
Photo finish
Photo finish
Graduating senior Wilson Fisher will use a Fulbright Award to study photographers and other artists in Ukraine.
In the News
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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Philadelphia Inquirer
Each night, Philly jails release scores of inmates without returning their IDs, cash or phones
Ruth Shefner of the School of Social Policy & Practice commented on the release of incarcerated people without regard to the time of day and its effect on the people being released.
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