By Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
Pope Francis appointed a significant number of cardinals from the Global South. Among the 135 cardinals currently eligible to vote in the papal conclave, 82 are non-European.
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By Pamela McElwee, Professor of Human Ecology, Rutgers University
Harmful dioxins in Agent Orange, used to strip forests of their leaves, still linger in soil. Restoration work has been slow, and upheaval at USAID may slow it more.
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By Fabio Gygi, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, SOAS, University of London
Posters in Tokyo’s enormous Shinjuku railway station are normally used for advertising commodities like cosmetics and food, as well as new films. But occasionally you may happen across a poster with a birthday message and a picture of a young man, often from a boy band and typically with impeccable looks.
These posters are created by specialised advertising companies and are paid for by adoring fans. They are part of a phenomenon called oshikatsu, a term coined in recent years that is made from the Japanese words for “push” and “activity”.
Oshikatsu refers…
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By Richard Hargy, Visiting Research Fellow in International Studies, Queen's University Belfast
The Democratic response to the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term has been sluggish. It has made many Congressional Democrats, and party members, anxious about what the party can do to push back against the president’s fast-moving agenda.
“None of this feels like you’re fighting for us … The words are great, but I’m really not seeing any action,” said…
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By Gethin Rees, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Newcastle University
People in police custody are often denied essential medication or face dangerous delays in care. New research shows current systems are failing—and what must change.
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By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Ex-Labor strategist turned pollster Kos Samaras says both major parties have been slow in adapting to this year’s huge pre-poll voter turnout.
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By Koffi Améssou Adaba, Enseignant et chercheur en sociologie politique, Université de Lomé
A recent Afrobarometer study has shown declining trust in public institutions over the past decade among African citizens. Study findings call into question the credibility and legitimacy of state institutions like the presidency, parliament and security forces, including the police. The study also shows that many Africans still believe in traditional and religious figures, raising concerns about the effectiveness of governments. It also highlights…
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By Ayobami Precious Adekola, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of South Africa
Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi, Professor, University of South Africa
In South Africa, the age of consent for sex is 16 years old. Engaging in sexual activity with someone under the age of 16 is considered statutory rape, even if the minor consents as defined under the law that applies to adults.
In December 2021, South Africa’s Department of Basic Education introduced a policy…
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By Morten Bøås, Research Professor, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
Viljar Haavik, Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
Mali’s interim president, Colonel d’Armée Assimi Goïta, who came to power in a coup on 18 August 2020, enjoys remarkably strong public support. Survey data from pan-African research network Afrobarometer and the Mali-Métre survey, run by Germany’s Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung since 2012, indicate high levels of satisfaction with junta rule. In the 2024
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By Jeremy Howick, Professor and Director of the Stoneygate Centre for Excellence in Empathic Healthcare, University of Leicester
Patients’ lives are being put at risk by poor communication from healthcare professionals in hospitals worldwide, according to new research my colleagues and I conducted.
Our analysis included 46 studies, published between 2013 and 2024, involving over 67,000 patients across Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. And the findings are alarming. We discovered that poor communication was the sole cause of patient-safety incidents in over one in ten cases and contributed to causing incidents…
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