Color | Jotup

Military academies can still consider race in admissions, but the rest of the nation's colleges and universities cannot, court rules

Retrieved on:

Friday, June 30, 2023

In a 6-3 ruling on Thursday, June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of race in college admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, outlawing the use of race in college admissions in general. The Conversation reached out to three legal scholars to explain what the decision means for students, colleges and universities, and ultimately the nation’s future.Kimberly Robinson, Professor of Law at the University of VirginiaThe research, however, shows that the ban could potentially harm many college students and ultimately the United States.

Key Points:

In a 6-3 ruling on Thursday, June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of race in college admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, outlawing the use of race in college admissions in general. The Conversation reached out to three legal scholars to explain what the decision means for students, colleges and universities, and ultimately the nation’s future.

Kimberly Robinson, Professor of Law at the University of Virginia

The research, however, shows that the ban could potentially harm many college students and ultimately the United States.
Robust research shows how students who engage with students from different racial backgrounds experience educational benefits, such as cognitive growth and development and creating new ideas.
The nation’s elite colleges, such as Harvard and the University of North Carolina, educate a disproportionately high share of America’s leaders.
For instance, students who attend them are statistically more likely to graduate and be admitted to professional and graduate programs.

Kristine Bowman, Professor of Law and Education Policy, Michigan State University

This reversal was not unexpected, but it will have profound implications for building and maintaining diverse and inclusive colleges and universities, particularly among selective institutions.
In the 10 states that have had affirmative action bans in admissions, diversity in selective institutions has declined.
Research hasn’t shown that these efforts will result in as much diversity at selective colleges as race-conscious college admissions.
These efforts, however, now stand as a critical way forward to keep America’s elite colleges and universities diverse.

Vinay Harpalani, Associate Professor of Law, University of New Mexico

When articulating the U.S. government’s position, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar raised the point that the military may have compelling interests beyond those that universities have.
Specifically, the U.S. government argued that a racially diverse military officer corps was necessary for national security.
This was not the first time that the military influenced the court’s view of race-conscious admissions.
Twenty years ago, national security interests played a significant role in the majority opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger.
The military is not the only place where the court has noted that security interests can justify use of race.

Harrison Ford is back as an 80-year-old Indiana Jones – and a 40-something Indy. The highs (and lows) of returning to iconic roles

Retrieved on:

Friday, June 30, 2023

Saddle up, don the fedora and crack that whip: Harrison Ford is back as the intrepid archaeologist in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

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Saddle up, don the fedora and crack that whip: Harrison Ford is back as the intrepid archaeologist in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
The film premiered at Cannes, where Ford was awarded an Honorary Palme d’Or in recognition of his life’s work.

Role returns

And still, I’m intrigued to see what Michael Mann could do with his long-rumoured sequel to Heat, his definitive 1995 crime film.
Read more:
Heat 2, the book sequel to Michael Mann's film, is 'fundamentally bizarre' – but superb

Undoing time

Actors used to just play characters of their own age when reprising earlier roles.
Here, it is as if we are getting two Fords for the price of one: the “younger”, fitter Indy and the older, more world-weary version.
Some viewers complain that the whole process is distracting and that the hyper-real visual look of de-aged scenes resembles a video game.
Given its reduced cost, speed and reduced human input, AI-driven innovation might have industry-changing ramifications.

The star of Ford

Harrison Ford remains a bona fide “movie star” in an industry profoundly buffeted by COVID, the rise of streaming platforms, the demise of the monoculture, and the changing nature of who constitutes a star.
In the midst of all this industry uncertainty, it seems there is no longer a statute of limitations on actors returning to much-loved characters.

What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

The words nationalism and patriotism are sometimes used as synonyms, such as when Trump and his supporters describe his America First agenda.

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The words nationalism and patriotism are sometimes used as synonyms, such as when Trump and his supporters describe his America First agenda.
But many political scientists, including me, don’t typically see those two terms as equivalent – or even compatible.
There is a difference, and it’s important, not just to scholars but to regular citizens as well.

Devotion to a people

A nation is a group of people who share a history, culture, language, religion or some combination thereof.
A country, which is sometimes called a state in political science terminology, is an area of land that has its own government.
A nation-state is a homogeneous political entity mostly comprising a single nation.
Some of those groups are formally recognized by the federal government, such as the Navajo Nation and the Cherokee Nation.
Scholars understand nationalism as exclusive, boosting one identity group over – and at times in direct opposition to – others.

Devotion to a place

In contrast to nationalism’s loyalty for or devotion to one’s nation, patriotism is, per the same dictionary, “love for or devotion to one’s country.” It comes from the word patriot, which itself can be traced back to the Greek word patrios, which means “of one’s father.” In other words, patriotism has historically meant a love for and devotion to one’s fatherland, or country of origin.
Patriotism encompasses devotion to the country as a whole – including all the people who live within it.
Nationalism refers to devotion to only one group of people over all others.

Nationalism vs. patriotism

Adolf Hitler’s rise in Germany was accomplished by perverting patriotism and embracing nationalism.
After World War II, President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan, which would provide postwar aid to Europe.
Rather, he viewed the “principal concern of the people of the United States” to be “the creation of conditions of enduring peace throughout the world.” For him, patriotically putting the interests of his country first meant fighting against nationalism.

Asian folktales offer moral lessons that help reduce racial prejudice in children

Retrieved on:

Monday, June 26, 2023

As the story goes, both are constantly bombarded by their fears despite their efforts to avoid them.

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As the story goes, both are constantly bombarded by their fears despite their efforts to avoid them.
The moral of the tale is revealing and contains a powerful anti-racism message: What you hate becomes your fate.
As an educational linguist and a psychologist who specialize in children’s literacy development, we know that reading such folktales about people from different ethnic groups reduces prejudice in young children.
By age 4, children learn stereotypes against certain groups of people, and by age 7, children of color internalize stereotypes.

A significant step in combating anti-Asian hate

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II demonstrate the long history of abuse that continues today.
According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, hate crimes against Asians in the U.S. increased by 339% during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2018, we held a workshop to introduce this book to 25 Lowell public school elementary school teachers.

Moral lessons

Many Asian countries, such as Korea and Vietnam, use folktales as part of an ethics education that is part of their core curricula.
First, folktales often contain explicit moral lessons on honesty, wisdom, good deeds and perseverance.
The story ends with community members explaining the moral lesson: If you are a good person, you will have good outcomes.
Minjeong Kim has received funding from Creative Economy Grant of University of Massachusetts to conduct research cited in this article.

A year after Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, Black women still struggle for access to reproductive health care

Retrieved on:

Friday, June 23, 2023

Also true has been the impact of those bans and restrictions on the reproductive health disparities between Black and white women.

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Also true has been the impact of those bans and restrictions on the reproductive health disparities between Black and white women.
Black women comprise a disproportionate percentage – 39% – of abortion patients in the United States, and many live in communities with limited access to health services, including family planning clinics and pharmacies.
They also disproportionately experience higher rates of other reproductive health conditions, such as infant mortality and pregnancy-related complications and deaths.
The lack of clinics means that Black women often delay or forgo necessary health care services.

Restricted abortion access

A small number of states, such as California, New York and Washington, have passed laws or constitutional amendments that guarantee or strengthen abortion access.
An additional 10 states have further restricted abortion access without banning abortion outright.
Two states with the largest populations in total numbers of African Americans – Texas and Florida – have abortion bans.

Reproductive health disparities beyond abortion

The recent tragic death of U.S. Olympic champion Tori Bowie during childbirth is a stark reminder of the reproductive health disparities that continue to plague the Black community.
Pregnant Black women are often refused hospital admission for delivery if they lack health insurance.
In various studies, Black women have reported that they have been treated disrespectfully by medical personnel dismissive of their fears and concerns about their reproductive health.
Black women report that they must be particularly assertive with health care providers to ensure that their reproductive needs are addressed.

Where do we go from here?

According to the Pew Research Center, 57% of Americans disapprove the reversal of Roe, and 62% say that abortion should be legal.
In the meantime, abortion access remains only one part of Black women’s reproductive health challenges.

One year after the fall of Roe v. Wade, abortion care has become a patchwork of confusing state laws that deepen existing inequalities

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

While there is no law in the U.S. that regulates what a man can do with his body, the reproductive health of women is now more regulated than it has been in 50 years.

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While there is no law in the U.S. that regulates what a man can do with his body, the reproductive health of women is now more regulated than it has been in 50 years.
And the scope of reproductive health care that women can receive is highly dependent on where they live.
I am a nurse practitioner who studies women’s reproductive health across the lifespan.
These findings indicate that women are at risk of pregnancy at a historic time when women’s reproductive rights in the U.S. are restricted and not guaranteed.

Current state of abortion in the US

This has led to a patchwork of laws that span the entire range from complete bans and tight restrictions to full state protection for abortion.
In the past year, women’s rights organizations and women’s health advocates have brought numerous legal challenges to restrictive abortion laws.
These cases have halted the implementation of some of the strictest abortion regulations until additional court rulings are finalized.

Downstream effects for health care professionals

Abortion training is considered essential health care and a core competency for physicians in obstetrics and gynecology, or OB-GYN, residency programs.
As a result, physicians are choosing to leave states with the most restrictive abortion laws, and clinics are closing, which is contributing to the current shortage of health care providers.

Inequalities in health care access

Lack of access to abortion limits education and wage earning and contributes to poverty.
States with the most restrictive abortion laws also have limited access to pregnancy care and supportive programs for pregnant and parenting women.
What’s more, states with the most abortion restrictions have some of the worst pregnancy and maternal health outcomes for women, especially women of color.
Maternal morbidity is the term used to describe short- or long-term health problems that result from pregnancy.
Conversely, research has shown that there are few if any significant negative mental health outcomes among women who have abortions.

Unsafe abortions

Restricting legal abortion increases the risk that women will seek out pregnancy termination from unskilled people in unsafe settings.
In Texas, physicians are reporting an increase in sepsis, or an overwhelming response to infection, from incomplete abortions.
Septic abortion wards – or designated areas of hospitals where women were treated for sepsis as a result of illegal abortions – were common.

Women affected by violence

In the U.S., more than 25% of women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
My research shows that women affected by violence have a higher risk of pregnancy and that college women are at increased risk of nonconsensual and forced sexual encounters.
Even if women qualify for an abortion as a result of sexual violence, those who have not filed a formal police report lack “proof” that their pregnancy resulted from assault.

When homes flood, who retreats and to where? We mapped thousands of buyouts and found the average move is only 7 miles, and race plays a role

Retrieved on:

Thursday, June 15, 2023

He sold his flooded home, purchased his grandmother’s former house on New Orleans’ west bank, which hadn’t flooded, and moved in.

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He sold his flooded home, purchased his grandmother’s former house on New Orleans’ west bank, which hadn’t flooded, and moved in.
It felt good to be back within its familiar walls, but his mind was on the future.
“My other house wasn’t supposed to flood, and now insurance costs are going through the roof; it’s bad,” he told us.
“I wanted to keep my grandma’s place in the family, but I don’t know how much longer I can stay.

Tracking where people go in managed retreat

That FEMA program is the largest managed retreat, or buyout, program in the country, by far.
To date, officials have implemented the program in more than 500 cities and towns in every state but Hawaii.
After tracking down where homeowners moved, we attached flood risk scores to their origin and destination addresses.

Most homeowners who retreat stay close

Regardless of location, we found that most retreating homeowners do not move far.
Nationwide, the median driving distance between people’s old and new homes in our database is just 7.4 miles (11.9 kilometers).
When illuminated, they reveal that most retreating homeowners are not moving long distances to safer towns, states and regions; they are churning in and between nearby neighborhoods.
Nationwide, 70% of participants lowered their flood risk score through retreat, while only 8% increased it.

Race plays a role

It is the racial composition of their immediate neighborhood.
We found that retreating homeowners in majority-white neighborhoods are willing to endure 30% higher flood risk before selling to the government and relocating than homeowners in majority-Black neighborhoods.
One is the heightened social status of predominantly white neighborhoods, which can encourage significant public and private investment after major disasters.

Lessons for future buyout programs

Like Kirt Talamo, their minds will be on what happens next in a world where past housing decisions seem to be increasingly unsustainable.
James R. Elliott has received funding for this line of research from the National Science Foundation.

The US has a child labor problem – recalling an embarrassing past that Americans may think they've left behind

Retrieved on:

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Traveling the country with his camera, Hine captured the often oppressive working conditions of thousands of children – some as young as 3 years old.

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Traveling the country with his camera, Hine captured the often oppressive working conditions of thousands of children – some as young as 3 years old.
The patina of these black-and-white photographs suggests a bygone era – an embarrassing past that many Americans might imagine they’ve left behind.

‘An investigator with a camera’

Hine believed that the future of the U.S. rested in its identity as an immigrant nation – a position that contrasted with escalating xenophobic fears.
Based on this work, the National Child Labor Committee, which advocated for child labor laws, hired Hine to document the living and working conditions of American children.
By the late 19th century, several states had passed laws limiting the age of child laborers and establishing maximum working hours.
To gain entry into factories and other facilities, Hine sometimes disguised himself as a Bible, postcard or insurance salesman.

Legislation follows

The camera serves as an eyewitness to a societal ill, a problem that needs a solution.
Although the Supreme Court later ruled it and a subsequent Child Labor Tax Law of 1919 unconstitutional, momentum for enshrining protections for child workers had been created.
In 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which established restrictions and protections on employing children.

The ethics of picturing child labor

A recent surge of unaccompanied minors, primarily from Central America, has brought new attention to America’s old problem of child labor and has threatened the very laws Hine and the National Child Labor Committee worked to enact.
While the content of Hine’s photographs remains pertinent to today’s child labor crisis, a key distinction between the subject of Hine’s photographs and working children today is race.
Contemporary reports of child labor violations offer few images to accompany their texts, graphs and statistics.
Photographs of child labor in foreign countries are far more common than those made in the U.S., which leaves the impression that child labor is someone else’s problem, not ours.

'From Magic Mushrooms to Big Pharma' – a college course explores nature's medicine cabinet and different ways of healing

Retrieved on:

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Title of course:

Key Points:

Title of course:
“From Magic Mushrooms to Big Pharma”
What prompted the idea for the course?
The course looks at how different peoples and cultures use nature-based medicines to heal themselves.
Some of us rely on Western medicine, others pray, yet others turn to Indigenous or traditional ways of healing that are rooted in nature.
Over the course of the semester, students begin to recognize that there is no one right way of healing.

How hip-hop learned to call out homophobia – or at least apologize for it

Retrieved on:

Monday, June 5, 2023

Addressing claims of homophobia, the rapper wrote on Instagram: “I didn’t write the line about gay people.

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Addressing claims of homophobia, the rapper wrote on Instagram: “I didn’t write the line about gay people.
… I got love for all people.” He continued: “To me [by] ‘queer’ I don’t mean someone who’s gay.
As rap music approaches its 50th anniversary in August, I believe it is increasingly embracing challenges to – and debates about – homophobia.

The history of homophobia in rap music

Indeed, throughout the 1980s and 1990s, high-profile rap groups such as N.W.A and artists like DMX similarly used pejorative language against members of the gay and lesbian community.
Perhaps the most famous rapper using homophobic lyrics is Eminem.
Throughout this controversy, there was only a muted response from the rap community itself.
Indeed, researchers who studied the link between rap music and resistance among young men of color to coming out found that it influenced some gay men’s decision to conduct any same-sex practices on the “down low” to avoid revealing their sexuality.

The start of change in rap community

For example, in 2005 Kanye West apologized for his past homophobia and even urged fellow artists to cease using lyrics that degrade the LGBTQ+ community.
These individual actions did not end anti-gay expression in rap, but it does, I believe, show progress among those in the hip-hop community.
However, many present-day male rappers wear tight-fitting clothes – a fashion choice once considered “gay” and therefore demeaned in the rap world.
Moreover, such outfits are created by gay fashion designers, a point that Offset acknowledged while defending himself against claims of homophobia.

Out of the closet and onto the mics

Even more telling, I believe, is the growing number of mainstream LGBTQ+ rappers.
Over the past decade, there has been a rise in the number of successful gay and lesbian emcees.
Albeit the music of openly gay Lil Nas X is more pop than rap, it has sold over 1 million copies.
Even 50 Cent, no stranger to homophobic lyrics, praised her on Instagram: “Young M.A the hottest s*** out right now.

Still room for growth in rap music

But it does show that hip-hop has evolved to a point at which self-reflection and conversations are taking place on past and present instances of homophobia.
That’s not to say that anti-gay beliefs don’t persist in the music of some.
And at least for now, rap artists are called on it – increasingly by members of their own community.