In the News
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September 16, 2021
Most Americans don’t know a Muslim or admit to not knowing anything about Muslims, and this “invisibility” is what gives Islamophobia its power, says Sally Howell, associate professor of history and director of the Center for Arab American Studies at the UM-Dearborn: “It’s important that we understand that because we need to know that Muslims are not outsiders, they’re not strangers.”
ABC News -
September 16, 2021
Marijuana use is up but drinking is down among college-age adults, say John Schulenberg, professor of psychology and research professor at the Institute for Social Research, and colleagues: “We clearly see that young people use alcohol as something to be taken at parties and gatherings. With the pandemic, those weren’t happening, so the alcohol intake and binge drinking dropped.”
The Washington Post -
September 16, 2021
Lauren Gerlach, assistant professor of psychiatry, and colleagues found that four in five Americans ages 50 to 80 say their mental health is as good as, or better than, 20 years ago. “(The) resilience and wisdom that comes with aging, of having gone through tough times in the past and being able to get through it … I think can help put people in a better position in the face of stressors,” she said.
The Christian Science Monitor -
September 15, 2021
“It is historic. There are broad powers that the president has, but has never used. The feds have always been very careful, if they do get involved, to be invited by the governors,” said Howard Markel, professor and director of the Center for the History of Medicine, commenting on the federal vaccine mandates, imposed without state support.
The New York Times -
September 15, 2021
“NASCAR hasn’t had very much success with the African American community at large because of NASCAR’s association with the Confederate flag,” said Ketra Armstrong, professor of sport management and director of the Center for Race and Ethnicity in Sport. “If you’re a Black consumer, it’s hard to enjoy the sports or the leisure or the activity when you’re surrounded by this ambiance or this effervescence that’s racially discriminating.”
ABC News -
September 15, 2021
“The reality is there are a number of businesses that are wanting the government to step in. This gives them the cover to do what they want to do anyway,” said Charles Shipan, professor of political science, on President Biden’s new coronavirus vaccine and testing mandate for businesses with at least 100 employees.
The Washington Post -
September 14, 2021
John Chamberlin, professor emeritus of political science and public policy, says it’s reasonable for Michigan’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission — which is being sued for possibly missing deadlines — to take more time to draw congressional and statewide legislative maps: “It would have been a sort of Herculean task to do all the work that they have to do when they didn’t get the data until just recently.”
Michigan Radio -
September 14, 2021
Kelly Wright, doctoral candidate in linguistics, says it’s fairly common to suddenly forget words, a phenomenon exacerbated by the pandemic: “Anomia, which is a difficulty retrieving known words, can happen as a symptom of exhaustion, certain illnesses or depression — all which inhibit the regular patterned firing of neurons in the language centers of the brain.”
Bustle -
September 14, 2021
“We now have definitive evidence that food hardship is responsive to government aid. The effect is crystal clear,” said H. Luke Shaefer, professor of public policy and social work and director of Poverty Solutions, whose research found that the 2021 stimulus checks brought immediate reductions in food insecurity.
The New York Times -
September 13, 2021
“When you use third-person pronouns and your name to refer to yourself, you zoom out and get some distance from the current situation. Your perspective shifts from being overwhelmed to seeing the problem as a challenge, from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can,’” said Ethan Kross, professor of psychology, and management and organizations, and faculty associate at the Institute for Social Research.
The Washington Post
