News from

Social Sciences

Reset All Filters
375 Results
How social networks reshaped society and politics
Jordi Pérez Colomé and Sandra González-Bailón seated at a bookstore with copies of their book.

Jordi Pérez Colomé and Sandra González-Bailón at the Madrid Book Fair.

(Image: Courtesy of Annenberg School for Communication)

How social networks reshaped society and politics

In a new Spanish-language book, Annenberg School for Communication professor Sandra González-Bailón and a veteran El País journalist examine how social platforms amplify voices, distort realities, and redefine our democracies.

2 min. read

Examining the important and changing landscape of children’s media
Bonnie holds Jessie and Bullseye in Toy Story 5.

(Center): Bonnie in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5. (Image: Courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved)

(Image: Courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved)

Examining the important and changing landscape of children’s media

Penn Today talked to Annenberg’s Kim Woolf about communication theories of children’s relationships to media and how the children’s media ecosystem has evolved—topics she covers in the Children and the Media class.

3 min. read

The math of fitting in
Silhouettes of people with dialogue boxes.

Imge: stellalevi via Getty Images

The math of fitting in

In new research, professor of linguistics Charles Yang and colleagues find that a formula originally developed to explain language acquisition in children can also explain how we absorb social norms.

From Omnia

2 min. reads

Taking ethnic studies courses increases academic performance
A high school classroom with kids in class at their desks.

Image: 10’000 Hours via Getty Images

Taking ethnic studies courses increases academic performance

Sade Bonilla, an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education, and colleagues found that high school students in the San Francisco Unified School District experienced academic benefits from participating in an ethnic studies course.

3 min. read

‘Planet Digital’ maps power, culture, and connectivity in global media

‘Planet Digital’ maps power, culture, and connectivity in global media

A new book co-edited by Annenberg School for Communication professor Aswin Punathambekar challenges the myth of a global village, revealing instead how regional histories, infrastructures, economies, and power relations shape the uneven terrains of our digital world.

Dolores Albarracín appointed new director of Annenberg Public Policy Center
Dolores Albarracin.

Dolores Albarracín, a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor with appointments in the Annenberg School for Communication and the School of Arts & Sciences, has been appointed director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

(Image: Courtesy of the Annenberg School for Communication)

Dolores Albarracín appointed new director of Annenberg Public Policy Center

Albarracín is a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor with appointments in the Annenberg School for Communication and the School of Arts & Sciences. She is assuming the role from Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the inaugural director since 1993.

From the Annenberg Public Policy Center

2 min. read

Understanding the World Cup as a media event
Fans in the stadium in Philly during the World Cup.

“My observations show that there has been a surge in collective interest and action in Philadelphia from immigrant and diasporic communities watching the matches,” says Annenberg’s Katerina Girginova.

nocred

Understanding the World Cup as a media event

Annenberg School for Communication’s Katerina Girginova discusses why the World Cup is such a powerful case study in communications.

2 min. read

The Declaration of Independence: Then and now
Copy of the Declaration of Independence on a printing press.

nocred

The Declaration of Independence: Then and now

Penn Today spoke with historian Daniel Richter, philosopher Jennifer Morton, and democratic governance expert Claire Finkelstein about the Declaration’s historical context, political ideas, and evolving legacy.

4 min. read

Exploring revolutions through writing
Students at a table in a class in the Lea Library

nocred

Exploring revolutions through writing

A course taught by Professor of History Roger Chartier and Kislak Center curator John Pollack took students on a journey through revolutions as told through writing, tackling issues of both political and societal change.

3 min. read

How American English has evolved since the country’s founding
An open dictionary with a pair of glasses on an open page.

Image: orava via Getty Images

How American English has evolved since the country’s founding

In honor of the 250th anniversary of America, Penn Today spoke with linguist Gareth Roberts about some of the ways that accents have emerged and word meanings have shifted since colonial times.

3 min. read