Arts and Humanities
Explore Arts and Humanities
Axel Marx | The successes of voluntary sustainability standards and the challenges they face
Voluntary Sustainability Standards have emerged as influential tools to promote sustainable practices in global value chains and are becoming increasingly relevant in the context of new legislation by the European Union and other governments for the promotion of sustainable development. A comprehensive review led by Axel Marx at KU Leuven examines the evolution, impacts, and challenges of these standards, offering insights into their role in global governance and sustainable development.
Professor Anne Poelina | The Key to Solving Climate Change May Lay in Indigenous Wisdom
In the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Indigenous First Australians are partnering with researchers and together they are pioneering a revolutionary approach to environmental planning and management, called ‘Caring for the River Country’. By blending ancient wisdom, Indigenous First Law and science with Western science, they’re reimagining our relationship with nature and offering a blueprint for global climate action. Professor Anne Poelina at the University of Notre Dame Australia argues that the key to our planet’s future may lie in Indigenous knowledge and wisdom, and ways of conceiving of our natural environment as kin.
Professor Elliot Berry | Why Food Security is Crucial to the Development of Human Societies
Darwin identified fire and language as the key elements of human progress. Professor Elliot Berry, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, argues that nutrition and food security are equally vital for cultural evolution. He is a Specialty Chief Editor of Frontiers in Nutrition – Nutrition and Sustainable Diets, and an Editor of the three volume Encyclopaedia of Food Security and Sustainability. Berry explains that food security supports the development of sociotypes, which describe how individuals interact within society, and emphasizes their importance, especially amid global crises, for sustainable development and public health. He advocates that we recognize food security as a fundamental human right and incorporate sociotype concepts in medicine and public health.
Professor Elena Baracani | How President von der Leyen Shaped the EU’s Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union faced a crisis that demanded a swift and unified response. A new study by Professor Elena Baracani from the University of Bologna examines how Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, used her leadership role to shape the EU’s reaction during the crucial first 10 weeks of the conflict.
Dr Hana Jee | Unlocking the Secret Code of Writing Systems
Ever wondered why letters look the way they do? Dr Hana Jee at York St John University in the UK investigates intriguing connections between how languages sound and how they are written. Using a number of methodologies, she has conducted innovative research to quantify these relationships. Her work began with Korean Hangul, a writing system intentionally designed to be highly logical and systematic. Dr Jee has since expanded her research to include diverse scripts like Arabic, English, Hebrew and many others. Her findings suggest unexpected patterns across writing systems, opening several fascinating future research avenues.
Marine Bardou | Quiet Early Bird or Loud Late Riser? Understanding the European Parliament’s Involvement in International Agreements
The European Parliament has the ability to play a key role in shaping the European Union’s international agreements. But how exactly does it get involved in these complex negotiations? Researcher Marine Bardou from the University of Louvain has conducted a comprehensive study to answer this question, revealing surprising patterns in the Parliament’s activities.
Dr Laura Perucchetti | How Researchers at the British Museum Detected and Tested Greek Coin Forgeries
Laura Perucchetti and colleagues at the British Museum have uncovered a group of skilfully crafted counterfeit ancient coins that may be one of the earliest examples of forgers using scientific analysis to dupe collectors. By examining the composition of the coins and comparing them with genuine artefacts, experts believe the forgers deliberately used ancient metal to avoid detection. The findings highlight the long history of a cat and mouse game between forgers and analysts, and the need for vigilance in verifying the authenticity of even the most convincing pieces.
Dr Jerome Premmereur | What Spinoza Can Help us Understand About Extreme Radicalism
In a novel exploration of human radicalism, defined by governments as violent attacks, Dr Jerome Premmereur, a cardiologist and a clinical research expert based in the United States, draws on the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza to propose innovative solutions to the pressing societal issue of terrorism. His new book, “A Biological, Psychological and Philosophical Approach to Human Nature and Radicalism”, examines radicalism through the lens of human biology and Spinoza’s concepts, offering a comprehensive approach to understanding and mitigating extremism. Premmereur argues that radicalism is an inherent part of human nature, but can be addressed through a holistic strategy encompassing education, politics, balanced laws, healthcare, and economic stability. By revisiting ancient Greek democracy and applying Spinoza’s ideas to modern challenges, Premmereur presents an optimistic vision, although challenging in practice, to reduce extremism and create a better world.
Professor Penelope Corfield | Key Changes in Daily Greetings in 18th Century Britain
In 18th century Britain, the old tradition of deep bowing and curtseying as a form of greeting slowly evolved into a brief touch of the cap or head (for men), or quick bob of the body (for women). Simultaneously, a new form of urban greeting was emerging: the handshake. How and why did the handshake gain such popularity, becoming our most standard greeting today? This phenomenon is explored in a new essay published in the journal Urban History and authored by Professor Penelope Corfield of London University.
Dr Ceccherini-Nelli | What Makes Great Orators’ Speeches Effective and Persuasive?
Since ancient Greek civilization, we have sought to identify what makes some people more effective and persuasive orators than others. Studies have suggested that this might be related to rhythmic patterns in certain speech, but evidence is limited. Dr. Ceccherini-Nelli of the University of Alberta conducted a study with his colleagues to explore this. They looked at the patterns present in political speeches and conducted experiments to determine their effects.
Professor Pei Wang | Defining AI to Ensure Effective Research and Policymaking
Artificial intelligence – or AI – is receiving increasing attention for its rapid development and potential to change society. Researchers are working hard to develop its capabilities, while regulators are racing to ensure it is managed and governed properly. But what do we mean by AI, and how can we define such a complex term? In a recent paper, Professor Pei Wang at Temple University argues that the lack of an agreed definition makes it difficult for policymakers to assess what AI will be capable of in the near future, or even which kinds of AI are desirable. To combat this, he discusses what makes a robust definition, and suggests his own.
Professor Ann Nevile | What Evidence Do Policymakers Need to Make Robust Decisions?
Policy decisions are influenced by many factors, from the ideology of the policymaker and their advisors to political expediency. Most would also agree that key political decisions should be evidence-based. However, this is easier said than done. Understanding what evidence policymakers need, and how they should evaluate this, is key for more robust decision-making.
Tanja Oschatz | Factors that Sustain the Gendered Pleasure Gap: Gendered Media Representations of Sexual Pleasure and Women’s Performance of Sexual Emotional Labor
Despite decades of awareness about gender equality, a persistent pleasure gap remains between women and men in sexual encounters, with women experiencing significantly fewer orgasms and less sexual pleasure. It is important to note that this gender difference exists primarily in contexts where women have sex with men, while women who have sex with women tend to experience more orgasms and sexual pleasure. Since the gendered pleasure gap cannot be explained by biological factors, researchers continue investigating hidden sociocultural forces that perpetuate this inequality. Two complementary studies from Tanja Oschatz at Johannes Gutenberg University and her colleagues reveal previously overlooked contributors to this gap: women’s performance of sexual emotional labor in intimate relationships and biased media representations of sexual pleasure.
Dr. Osei Appiah | How Political Identity Trumps Racial Identity in Cross-Race Conversations About Sensitive Topics
Research from communication scholars at The Ohio State University reveals fascinating new insights about the dynamics of conversations about race-related issues in the USA. Two complementary studies show that White participants expected more negative outcomes and were more likely to avoid conversations with fellow White people from different political parties than with Black people from different parties. The findings challenge assumptions about racial identity and suggest that partisan divisions have become more influential than racial divisions in shaping willingness to engage in difficult conversations.
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.