Social and Behavioural
Explore Social and Behavioural
Professor Kenneth Scheve – Professor David Stasavage | Why US Tax Policy Hasn’t Responded to Rising Inequality
Whether policymaking can develop solutions for the inevitable problems that capitalism creates has long been a concern of political economists. One of these issues is rising inequality across the USA and other countries. Inequality is a significant risk for political stability, so it is vital to understand how democratic societies respond to it. Progressive taxation policies, which tax the rich at higher rates, can help to equalize incomes and wealth. Despite this, over the last four decades while inequality has increased, successive US governments have introduced falling tax rates for top earners. Why is this?
Professor Louise Steel | Viewing Egyptian Influences in Late Bronze Age Cyprus Through a Postcolonial Lens
The role of Egyptian or Egyptian-inspired artefacts found in the East Mediterranean has long been considered by archaeologists. Some have highlighted how these objects may have conferred elite authority on their owners. More recently, analysis has been grounded in postcolonial thought, which emphasises the agency of the native population involved in the exchange of artefacts. In a recent paper, Professor Louise Steel explores the Egyptian influence in the Late Bronze Age town of Enkomi in Cyprus.
Empowering Families with FRAIT: A Transformative Public Health Tool
Family resilience is the ability of a family to respond positively to an adverse situation, and emerge from the situation feeling strengthened, more resourceful and more confident than its prior state. The family is seen as a unit, and resilience refers to the family itself rather than the individual members. Families can be confronted with a multitude of challenges at any time. Those with newborn babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to stress. In the face of economic hardship, health crises, and other unforeseen adversities, it is remarkable to see families harnessing their resilience.
Professor Jorge Dominguez | Solving the Mystery of Vanishing Undocumented Mexican Migrants
Hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants have been apprehended every year in recent years while trying to enter the US from Central American countries, including Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Mysteriously, however, the percentage of apprehended migrants from Mexico has dropped substantially. In 2004, US border patrol apprehended 1.1 million Mexicans, accounting for 9 out of 10 undocumented migrants that year. This number dropped to a low of 265 thousand in 2017 and then rose, to between 700 and 800 thousand in the early 2020s. So, what caused the number of undocumented Mexican migrants to plummet over time? Professor Jorge Dominguez recently set out to solve this mystery.
Investigating the Darker Side of AI and Its Impact on Human Relationships
Scientists are developing increasingly sophisticated systems designed to replicate human interaction, ranging from chatbots to robots that offer companionship to humans. While AI systems are useful, they also have a darker side that we do not fully grasp yet. Anne Zimmerman, Joel Janhonen, and Emily Beer recently explored the ethical implications of developing machines with increasingly human-like characteristics and deploying them in human-AI relationships.
Dr. Jill Ordynans | How Collaborative Critical Reflection Amongst Teachers is a Powerful Tool for Creating Change
The pandemic was a stressful time for both students and teachers, leading to a worldwide call for improving how education is conceptualized and carried out in schools. As a result, there is a need for more supportive and effective teacher development approaches, as the voice of teachers is vital in deciding how to move forward. In a recent study, Dr. Jill Ordynans of Touro University and colleagues investigated how critical reflection can be incorporated in collaborative teaching communities. These communities have been offered as a humanizing way to support teachers in improving education.
Dr Richard Gunton | A Pluralistic Evaluation Framework that Responds to the Complex Challenges We Face
Societies across the world are facing complex sustainability challenges. We are changing the climate, over-consuming resources, and failing to appreciate the connections between water, energy, and food systems. However, well-meaning policy responses can often produce unintended consequences and controversy, because important factors are overlooked. Many existing evaluation methods focus on accountability and whether a policy has achieved stated objectives. This does not address whether the outcomes have delivered real benefits in the eyes of all stakeholders. There is an urgent need for a more inclusive tool to shape and evaluate policies.
Professor Deborah Bleviss | Why a Long-admired Brazilian Public Transport System is More Relevant Than Ever
The Brazilian city of Curitiba became famous in the 1980s for its environmental strategies and public transportation system, introduced by three-time mayor, Jaime Lerner. Many leaders from around the world travelled to Curitiba to observe and try to copy what the city had accomplished. In recent years, however, with the political scandals, economic malaise and social problems that have dogged Brazil, some now question whether Curitiba remains a relevant model. In a recent paper, Professor Deborah Bleviss explains why the city’s experiences remain relevant today.
Professor Anup Basu | Exploring Gender Inequality in Aging Couples’ Financial Management
Among couples, gender inequality in financial decision-making remains prevalent, with men traditionally having more control over household finances. This issue is further complicated as couples age. Old age is associated with cognitive difficulties, resulting in a reduced capacity to make financial decisions. Professor Anup Basu at Queensland University of Technology studies the intersection of age, financial decision-making and gender. In a recent study, Professor Basu and colleagues examined how older married individuals delegate financial decision-making tasks to their spouses.
Dr. Matthew Sherrer | The Infinite Game: Changing an Adversarial Mindset in Anesthesia and Beyond
Anesthesia in the US is commonly delivered by physician anesthesiologists who medically direct certified registered nurse anesthetists in a collaborative care team model. However, in over 20 states, there is no requirement for nurse anesthetists to be medically directed, allowing them to work independently. This has resulted in a bitter turf war over the rights and responsibilities of physicians and advanced practice nurses, leading to a toxic working environment. This mindset can be compared with a ‘finite game’, where there are clear winners and losers. Unfortunately, the patient is the ultimate loser.
Dr. Ze (Mia) Zhu | The Promise of Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions in Organizational Settings
The emotional state and job performance of an employee can greatly fluctuate over minutes, hours and days. Towards supporting employee wellbeing and maximizing productivity, Dr. Ze (Mia) Zhu at the University of Nebraska Omaha and her colleagues at George Mason University recently explored the potential of Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions – or JITAIs. JITAIs encourage positive change in organizations, by intervening at the right moment and in the right context.
Dr Claudia Manzi – Dr Eleonora Crapolicchio | How Companies Can Retain Young Workers
Younger workers will have a far higher number of jobs throughout their careers, compared to previous generations. Accordingly, they display lower organisational commitment than the baby boomer generation. It is thus more important than ever for companies to understand how to attract and retain talent. The person-organisation fit theory is often used to assess the relationship between an organisation and its employees. It measures the compatibility between workers and organizations in terms of needs, values, interests, and behaviour, taking into consideration the company’s culture, mission, and strategy.
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