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Generative AI bias poses risk to democratic values, research suggests
Generative AI, a technology that is developing at breakneck speed, may carry hidden risks that could erode public trust and democratic values, according to a study led by the University of East Anglia (UEA).... Read more
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Most Americans oppose detaining sick undocumented immigrants but support post-treatment detention
A major new study has found that most people in the United States are not in favor of detaining sick, undocumented immigrants who reach interior border checkpoints, but do support detention after medical treatment is complete.... Read more
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How political polarization informed Mexico's protests against femicide
Between 2015 and 2024, more than 8,000 women were killed in Mexico because of their gender.... Read more
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Famine as political violence: 'There is food, but no access to food'
When we think of famine, we quickly think of a natural disaster, while there are often political causes as well. A famine like Ukraine's Holodomor (1932–1933) is now recognized by more and more states as genocide. "The current war makes it easier to recognize the complex violence of the Holodomor... Read more
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Powerful legal and financial services enable kleptocracy, research shows
Powerful legal and financial service industries are enabling kleptocracy and corrupt elites to operate with relative impunity, a new study shows.... Read more
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Bipartisan state of the nation report reveals where US is excelling—and falling behind
The State of the Nation Project, a bipartisan collaboration of former appointees and advisors from the past five presidential administrations, released its first comprehensive "State of the Nation" report to shed light on how the United States is doing in key areas—the economy, education, health, the environment, civic engagement, trust... Read more
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New policy briefs offer strategies to tackle prison violence
Prison violence remains a significant yet underreported issue in the U.S. criminal justice system, leading to unsafe conditions for both incarcerated persons and staff. To address this pressing problem, a team of researchers has conducted a study aimed at understanding prison violence to develop strategies for reducing and preventing it... Read more
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5 years after COVID began, outstanding fines mean marginalized Australians are still paying the highest price
January 25 marked five years since the first COVID case was recorded in Australia.... Read more
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Understanding the backlash against corporate DEI—and how to move forward
United States President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order to end federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. In the days since, Trump has even tried to blame a deadly Washington, D.C., plane crash on DEI hiring practices, without citing any evidence. He was swiftly criticized for his statement.... Read more
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Study of 16 years of U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement finds that workers were not hurt by freer trade
In a study amid current and at times heated debates over U.S.-Canada trade policy, researchers have assessed the long-term effects of the 1989 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on the Canadian labor market using data from the mid-1980s to the start of the 2000s. They found that workers were not... Read more
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If we listen to how Gen Z really feel about democracy they might stop telling us they prefer authoritarianism
New research from broadcaster Channel 4 reveals a troubling trend towards support for authoritarianism among young people in the UK. The report "Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust" found that 52% of the 2,000 13–27 year olds surveyed would agree that "the UK would be better with a strong leader... Read more
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How nonprofits abroad can fill gaps when the US government cuts off foreign aid
The U.S. government gives other nations US$68 billion of foreign assistance annually—more than any other country. Over half of this sum is managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development, including funds for programs aimed at fighting hunger and disease outbreaks, providing humanitarian relief in war zones, and supporting other... Read more
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If the government wants science to have an economic impact, it has to put its money where its mouth is
Billed as the most significant change to the science system in 30 years, last week's announcement of major structural changes to scientific research institutions was objectively a big deal.... Read more
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Argentina's president is vowing to repeal 'woke' femicide law. It could have ripple effects across Latin America
In a major setback in the fight against gender-based violence, Argentinian President Javier Milei's government has announced it will repeal the crime of femicide from the penal code.... Read more
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Aspects of marriage counseling may hold the key to depolarizing, unifying the country
Research has shown that polarization undermines democracy by driving citizens to prioritize partisan preferences over democratic principles, encourages democratic gridlock and threatens democratic attitudes and norms, such as tolerance for opposition.... Read more
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Politically connected corporations received more exemptions from US tariffs on Chinese imports, study finds
Research recently published in the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis reveals that politically connected companies were significantly more likely to receive valuable exemptions from the tariffs imposed on U.S. imports from China during the Trump administration.... Read more
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Racial disparities persist in US juvenile drug offense cases
Research on race/ethnicity and juvenile court processing in the United States has found that youth of color often have outcomes that are more disadvantaged than those of their White counterparts, and that community context may condition this relationship.... Read more
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NewsGuard: Study finds no bias against conservative news outlets
A recent study evaluating the NewsGuard database, a leading media reliability rating service, has found no evidence supporting the allegation that NewsGuard is biased against conservative news outlets. Actually, the results suggest it's unlikely that NewsGuard has an inherent bias in how it selects or rates right-leaning sources in the... Read more
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Study maps civic values, media use and affective polarization
People who rely on social media as the main source of news score lower on a measure of civic values than people who rely on newspapers and non-commercial media for news and information, according to a study by researchers at Monash University.... Read more
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The US stock market does better under Democrat presidents than Republicans—here's what the data shows
The US has been experiencing a long "bull" stock market, that is rapid growth in stock prices, although this week tech stocks tumbled over the future prospects for US-built AI.... Read more
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Southport attacks: Why the UK needs a unified approach to all violent attacks on the public
The conviction of Axel Rudakubana for the murder of three young girls in Southport has prompted many questions about how the UK handles violence without a clear ideological motive. This case has also shown up the confusion in this area, and made clear the need for a basic reframing of... Read more
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Study of basic training of new police hires shows resistance to change
For the past 60 years, concerns over U.S. police officers' excessive use of force and race-based targeting of citizens, and deteriorating relations between police and communities of color have spurred calls to change the focus of officers' preservice basic training. Yet research suggests that few of the recommendations proposed have... Read more
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Using machine learning, study develops models to predict high-risk gun dealers
Federally licensed firearm dealers are an important target of regulatory and enforcement efforts aimed at reducing the supply of firearms diverted to the illicit market, but the extent of dealers' involvement in the illegal diversion of firearms is hard to measure.... Read more
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State workhouses for women: Punishment or refuge?
Over 1,000 women ended up in a Dutch state workhouse between 1886 and 1934. This was a place for vagrants, beggars and drunkards: people who were said to be too lazy to work. Who were the women who were sent there? Leiden University Ph.D. candidate Marian Weevers has investigated.... Read more
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Crypto issues and voter outreach pushed political meme coins into relevance in 2024, say researchers
The 2024 elections in the United States were memorable in several respects, not least being the appearance of PolitiFi. It's a new form of meme coin cryptocurrency inspired by internet culture and humor that is explicitly affiliated with a political candidate. Among the biggest were MAGA, supporting the Donald Trump... Read more
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Donors are down, but dollars are up: How US charitable giving is changing
Although the US$557 billion Americans gave to charity in 2023 marked a 2.1% decline in inflation-adjusted terms, U.S. donations have increased significantly over the past two decades. Giving has grown by about 42% since 2003, according to the annual Giving U.S. report—which our team at the Indiana University Lilly Family... Read more
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'Doomsday Clock' moves closer to midnight amid threats of climate change, nuclear war, pandemics, AI
Earth is moving closer to destruction, a science-oriented advocacy group said Tuesday as it advanced its famous "Doomsday Clock" to 89 seconds till midnight, the closest it has ever been.... Read more
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Global study identifies national and gender differences in exclusionary behavior
When given the power to distribute resources, a person's nationality, gender, and ideology can help predict how likely that person is to exclude others to maximize their own profit, according to a study. The results published in PNAS Nexus suggest that the identities and cultural backgrounds of decision-makers affect how... Read more
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How newspaper coverage is being shaped by paywalls
Adopting paywalls subtly shapes newspaper coverage, according to a study. Online journalism is increasingly found behind paywalls, as outlets pivot from funding their operations by selling ads to relying on subscriptions for revenue. This shift has raised questions about how newspapers might adjust their coverage to cater to paid subscribers'... Read more
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Trump pulls out of WHO and Paris—how did international bodies get through deglobalization last time around?
Following Donald Trump's return to the White House, much attention has been given to his plans for tariffs on imported goods, deportations of illegal migrants, and cuts to federal government spending. Fewer column inches have addressed the implications of his presidency for global regulatory bodies.... Read more
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How pigeons, cats, whales and even robotic catfish have acted as spies through the ages
The death of a spy is rarely newsworthy, due to the secrecy surrounding it. But when a white beluga whale suspected of spying for Moscow was found dead in Norwegian waters in September, the animal soon became a minor celebrity.... Read more
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Migration intentions: The interactive roles of affective polarization and dyadic political attitudes
The 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) Movement triggered a dramatic shift in Hong Kong's political landscape. In 2020, the Chinese central government enacted the National Security Law to tighten its control over Hong Kong and reformed the electoral system, imposing stricter candidate qualifications.... Read more
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Detroit's reparations task force has until 2025 to make its report, but going slow with this challenging work may help
The work of crafting reparations at the municipal level is fierce.... Read more
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Europe's microstates: The medieval monarchies that survive in our midst
Continental Europe is home to four microstates with populations of between 30,000 and 80,000 people: Andorra, on the border between France and Spain; Liechtenstein, nestled between Switzerland and Austria; Monaco, which sits on the French Riviera; and San Marino, which is surrounded by northern Italy.... Read more
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Using anti-racist messaging boosts credibility of human rights groups, study shows
How can human rights groups criticize governments' human rights violations without appearing racist or fueling racism toward diaspora groups? Research by a University of Notre Dame human rights expert sheds light on the complex relationship between race and human rights, especially as it plays out between human rights groups and... Read more
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Climate of fear is driving local officials to quit—new study from California finds threats, abuse rampant
Threats and harassment are pushing some politicians out of office, scaring off some would-be candidates and even compelling some elected officials to change their vote.... Read more
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Neutrality has played a pivotal, but under-examined, role in international relations, new research shows
Researchers have developed a new way of understanding international relations by analyzing almost 200 years of alliances, hostilities and neutrality between countries.... Read more
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Inequality weakens local governance and public satisfaction, study finds
Local governments in developing countries are crucial for providing public services that promote human development and address challenges like extreme weather, unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. Yet, they often face difficulties in implementing cost-effective programs that meet citizens' diverse needs, particularly in areas with significant socioeconomic inequalities.... Read more
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Systemic solutions needed to counter spread of science misinformation, says new report
Misinformation about science harms personal decisions, democracy and public policy, says Northeastern University professor David Lazer, who contributed to a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report released Thursday.... Read more
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Examination of political investments reveals democrat involvement spooks corporate raiders
Stock investments by politicians have long drawn public scrutiny. Under a 2012 law, members of the U.S. Congress must disclose transactions over a $1,000 threshold. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were criticized for trading in everything from remote work technologies to telemedicine.... Read more
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Experiments show power-motivated social media users disproportionately spread misinformation
People motivated by power and the desire to influence others are more likely to share fake news posts on social media, according to a new study led by a UCL researcher.... Read more
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Exploring motivations and barriers for climate change activists
Social media posts, online petitions, writing to politicians and donating to environmental groups have been identified as popular starting points for climate activists, according to research from the University of Adelaide.... Read more
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A nation exhausted: The neuroscience of why Americans are tuning out politics
"I am definitely not following the news anymore," one patient told me when I asked about her political news consumption in the weeks before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.... Read more
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YouTube populists are driving South Korea's political instability—a warning for the rest of the world's democracies
In the space of three weeks, South Korea has seen a brief declaration of martial law, its sudden repeal and the impeachment of its president, Yoon Suk Yeol.... Read more
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How one state's repeal of a prison 'pay-to-stay' law could guide national reform
Nearly every state requires incarcerated individuals to pay for room, board and basic services under so-called "pay-to-stay" laws. In 2019, Illinois became one of the first to repeal such a law—a move that prompted Brittany Friedman, assistant professor of sociology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences,... Read more
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Did industrial policy spark huge growth in East Asia? Economists say the numbers tell a more complex story
From 1960 to 1989, South Korea experienced a famous economic boom, with real GDP per capita growing by an annual average of 6.82%. Many observers have attributed this to industrial policy, the practice of giving government support to specific industrial sectors. In this case, industrial policy is often thought to... Read more
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How bad will it get? Political scientists have a pessimism bias, study finds
The past decade has seen historic challenges for U.S. democracy and an intense focus by scholars on events that seem to signal democratic decline. But new research released Dec. 17 finds that a bias toward pessimism among U.S. political scientists often leads to inaccurate predictions about the future threats to... Read more
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UK researchers call for better governance to tackle 'wild west' of esports sponsorships
The rapidly growing field of esports needs a comprehensive and agreed governance framework to tackle "unhealthy" sponsorships to protect both players and fans, researchers have said.... Read more
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Political branding is not connecting with young voters, study finds
A recent study examining how young people interpret political brands through the context of brand image, has found there is little differentiation, identification and connection between young voters and politicians.... Read more
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Is a lack of corporate competition stifling the US economy?
Economist Ali Yurukoglu has some encouraging news for anyone who fears that an overconcentration of corporate power is hurting the U.S. economy, stifling innovation, and harming consumers: Dig deep into the data, and you'll see that competition is, in fact, alive and well.... Read more