Arts and Humanities
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Professor Tristan Nighswander – Professor Ariel Roddy | Mixed Signals: Employment Training Outcomes for Previously Incarcerated Individuals
Research from Professors Tristan Nighswander and Ariel Roddy at Northern Arizona University examines the effects of pre-employment training on employment outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals through the lens of two economic theories. Their findings reveal that while training significantly improves employment outcomes for the general population, it shows no meaningful benefit for those with incarceration histories. Even more surprisingly, high-ability individuals (defined through scores on an aptitude test called the Armed Forces Qualification Test, or the AFQT) with past incarceration may actually experience negative employment effects. This highlights the complex challenges of societal re-entry.
Defending Authentic Leadership: A Response to Critical Claims
A recent paper from Professor William Gardner at Texas Tech University and Professor Kelly Davis McCauley at West Texas A&M University challenges a critique that characterized authentic leadership theory as “wrong” and “perilous.” Their analysis demonstrates how misrepresentations of the theory can undermine valuable leadership approaches, while highlighting the empirical support and practical benefits of leaders striving for authenticity in organizational settings.
Associate Professor Nina Tahmasebi | A new approach for detecting changes in word meaning over time
Words change their meanings over time, but tracking these changes has traditionally required painstaking manual analysis by linguists. In recent years, researchers have been using computational models to automatically detect when semantic change happens, and how much of a change has occurred. Recent research led by Associate Professor Nina Tahmasebi and her colleagues in the Change is Key! program introduces innovative computational methods for detecting qualitative features of semantic change, opening new possibilities for understanding language evolution at scale.
Professor Denise Troutman | Rethinking ‘Sassy’: The Complex Intersections of Race, Gender, and Linguistic Politeness
Research by Professor Denise Troutman at Michigan State University examines how race, gender, and social context shape perceptions of politeness and impoliteness in language, particularly focusing on the term ‘sassy’ when applied to African American women and girls. The research challenges traditional theories of politeness and reveals a need for cultural contextualizations to avert harmful stereotypes.
Professor Carsten Herrmann-Pillath and Professor Guo Man | How death rituals are changing in China’s fastest-growing city
Research from Professor Carsten Herrmann-Pillath at the University of Erfurt and Professor Guo Man at Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen Campus reveals how traditional funeral practices are being transformed in Shenzhen, an area of China which has rapidly developed into a huge metropolis. The research shows how government regulations, economic forces, and cultural traditions interact to create new forms of death rituals that balance modern urban constraints with deep-rooted customs.
Professor Will Greaves | How Donald Trump has changed Canada-US relations
Research by Professor Will Greaves at the University of Victoria examines how the Trump presidency has impacted the long-standing security relationship between Canada and the United States. His analysis reveals concerning shifts in the foundations of bilateral cooperation and trust between these traditionally close allies, with implications for the future of North American security arrangements.
Professor Magnus S. Magnusson | The surprising similarities between the structures of human cells and societies
Research by Professor Magnus S. Magnusson at the University of Iceland demonstrates surprising similarities between the organization of cellular protein networks and of human societies. He reveals how the invention of writing and, very recently, general education, transformed human civilization in ways that mirror ancient biological developments and emphasises how this makes humans unique.
Professor Bernd Schlipphak – Professor Oliver Treib – Dr. Constantin Schäfer | How citizens’ identities shape their support for international organizations
Research by Professors Bernd Schlipphak and Oliver Treib, both of the University of Münster, along with Doctor Constantin Schäfer of ifok GmbH, Germany, reveals how people’s sense of global identity influences their support for international organizations. Their work demonstrates that reforms to international organizations can have opposing effects on different groups of citizens, potentially increasing societal divisions about global cooperation.
Professor Shanshan Yan | Heritage Language Learners Show Unique Advantages in Chinese Language Processing
Learning a new language as an adult is challenging, especially when the new language has features that differ significantly from one’s native tongue. This phenomenon is key to a new study led by Professor Shanshan Yan at Peking University, which examines how language learning is affected when learners encounter features in their second language that are similar to those in their first language.
Nicolas Teyssandier | Unravelling the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic Transition in Europe
The transition from the Middle to Upper Paleolithic in Europe marks a pivotal period in human evolution, with the replacement of Neanderthals by anatomically modern humans. A new study by Nicolas Teyssandier, Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and vice director of the TRACES laboratory at the Toulouse Jean Jaurès University examines the archaeological evidence for this transition and attempts to reconcile it with recent discoveries, shedding new light on this complex period of cultural and biological change.
Professor Richard M. Eaton | Rethinking Cultural Exchange in India in the Persianate Age, 1000-1765
In his book India in the Persianate Age, historian Professor Richard M. Eaton of the University of Arizona challenges long-held assumptions about India’s history from 1000 to ca. 1800 CE. By examining the complex interactions between Persian and Sanskrit cultural spheres, Eaton offers a fresh perspective on this pivotal period, shedding light on the dynamic processes of cultural exchange and integration that shaped the subcontinent.
Assistant Professor Wen Yin (Elaine) Cheng | Bronze Casting Moulds Reveal Late Shang Dynasty Craftsmanship
Bronze vessel casting technology in ancient China’s Shang Dynasty has long been of interest to archaeologists. Assistant Professor Wen Yin (Elaine) Cheng at Wilfrid Laurier University has shed new light on the knowledge and organisation of artisans who made these pieces. By analysing bronze vessel casting moulds, she has uncovered intricate production sequences that offer fresh insights into the social dynamics of this ancient civilization beyond the elite class typically depicted in historical records.
Professor Juliane Reinecke – Professor Jimmy Donaghey | How Deliberate Ambiguity Built One of the World’s Most Successful Worker Safety Initiatives
Research from Professor Juliane Reinecke at the University of Oxford and Professor Jimmy Donaghey at the University of South Australia reveals how strategic ambiguity in international agreements can paradoxically strengthen rather than weaken collective action. Their eight-year study of the Bangladesh Accord for Fire and Building Safety demonstrates how deliberately vague language that initially enables difficult negotiations can evolve into robust, expanding commitments that exceed original expectations.
Dr. Bernhard Reinsberg – Dr. Christoph Valentin Steinert | How Human Rights Laws and Economic Competitiveness Can Co-Exist
Research from Dr. Bernhard Reinsberg at the University of Glasgow and Dr. Christoph Valentin Steinert at the University of Zurich reveals how France’s groundbreaking mandatory due diligence law defied business predictions of economic harm. Through analysis of 11,504 French companies over fifteen years, their study demonstrates that requiring firms to monitor human rights and environmental standards in their supply chains had no significant impact on profitability. Their findings challenge widespread industry claims that such regulations threaten competitiveness and provide crucial evidence for policymakers considering similar legislation worldwide.
Prof. Gerhard Schurz | Solving the Logical Conundrum of Inductive Inferences
In the 18th century, Scottish philosopher David Hume posed a confounding question about the nature of the scientific method. By questioning the logic behind making predictions based on past observations, he exposed a fundamental problem that has vexed logicians to this day. But now, through a new analysis, philosophers Prof. Gerhard Schurz and Dr. Paul Thorn at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf offer a fresh perspective – one that could finally help us escape Hume’s logical trap, through a concept known as regret-based meta-induction.
Dr. Jacqueline Lambiase – Dr. Ashley English – Dr. Julie O’Neil | How Municipal Communication Failures Perpetuate Systemic Racism
Communication research from Texas Christian University reveals how the killing of Atatiana Jefferson in Fort Worth exposed fundamental failures in how cities listen to Black residents. Through in-depth interviews and a national survey, Dr. Ashley English, Dr. Jacqueline Lambiase and Dr. Julie O’Neil demonstrate that meaningful organizational listening requires not just hearing community voices, but implementing changes based on their input. Their findings show that without authentic engagement and accountability, municipal listening processes perpetuate rather than disrupt systemic racism.
Dr. Angel Ford – Dr. Daniel Alemneh | Amplifying Global Voices: The Fight for Fairness in Scholarly Communication
In our increasingly interconnected world, sharing knowledge freely and fairly is crucial for ongoing development and progress. Increasing the overall size of our store of knowledge is important in dealing with the challenges we face in the modern world, but determining who can access and add to that knowledge is a key question. Prestigious academic journals and global conferences aim to help disseminate our most important discoveries and innovations, but researchers do not have equal access to such resources to promote their ideas and consequently not all voices are heard equally. Scholars from low- and middle-income countries continue to face invisible walls that limit their participation in the global exchange of ideas. This systemic imbalance is the focus of a deeply insightful study by Dr. Angel Ford of the University at Albany and Dr. Daniel Alemneh of the University of North Texas, who call for a more just and healthier scholarly communication system.