+ AI worries prompt video game performers to strike US Edition - Today's top story: 5 growing threats to academic freedom [View in browser]( US Edition | 29 July 2024 [The Conversation]
[The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Gunshot detection tech falls short for many cities](
- [Women bear brunt of cognitive workload in households](
- [Buddha preached impermanence, an idea enshrined in many buildings]( Lead story Of all the observations Iâve heard about the purpose of arguments, one of the most memorable came from an imam who served students at the university I attended. âArguments are for education,â the imam said during one of the many discussions we had back when I was an undergrad in the 1990s. His point was to not get lost in the emotional aspect of an argument, or overly concerned with trying to âwin,â but rather to consider both âsidesâ to gain more insight into the particular issue or problem at hand. I thought about the imamâs take when I edited an article by Isaac Kamola, a political science professor who studies higher education and lists five [distinct ways academic freedom has been under attack]( at colleges and universities in the United States as of late. One of those is through laws and educational gag orders that seek to curtail what college professors can teach and say about the role of race and gender in society. âThese bills misrepresent what discussions about race and gender identity actually look like in the college classroom,â Kamola writes. Based on that and four other ways policymakers and others have sought to restrict what college professors can teach, it seems there are some whoâd rather win an argument not by putting forth the best case, but instead by trying to squelch what the other side has to say. [ [Understand whatâs going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.]( ] Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor
New research shows college professors are facing more political pressure to stifle what they want to say. skynesher/E+ via Getty Images
[5 growing threats to academic freedom]( Isaac Kamola, Trinity College From educational gag orders to the decline of tenure-track positions, academic freedom in the United States has been worsening in recent years. Arts + Culture -
[Video game performers are becoming Hollywood stars in their own right â and are on strike to be paid and protected accordingly]( James Dawes, Macalester College Some of the most essential but least protected workers in a $200 billion industry want to ensure that AI wonât do away with their jobs. -
[What is love? A philosopher explains itâs not a choice or a feeling â itâs a practice]( Edith Gwendolyn Nally, University of Missouri-Kansas City What makes a relationship last when feelings fade or circumstances change? Can you force yourself to love someone you hate or donât care about? -
[Paris Olympics: Canadaâs soccer drone scandal highlights the need for ethics education]( Lianne Foti, University of Guelph; Kathleen Rodenburg, University of Guelph This incident potentially impacts the nationâs international reputation and trust in Canadian athletes and raises questions about Canadaâs commitment to ethical standards in sports. Science + Technology -
[Moms think more about household chores â and this cognitive burden hurts their mental health]( Darby Saxbe, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Lizzie Aviv, University of Southern California Moms execute more household tasks. But theyâre also family executives, doing more of the thinking ahead and assigning that are part of all those chores â bad news for their mental health. Politics + Society -
[Xi signals no deviation from course â nor in the driver â despite economic bumps in the road]( Anthony Saich, Harvard Kennedy School The all-important third plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was heavy on intensions, but light on detail. -
[Many cities are using gunshot detection technology - research shows why it's controversial]( Eric L. Piza, Northeastern University Our research found that while ShotSpotter may have benefits for improved detection and response, it offers little benefit for enforcement and clearance and did not reduce gunshot victimization. Ethics + Religion -
[Buddhaâs lessons on impermanence are carved into monuments and buildings â this course explores why]( Mitch Hendrickson, University of Illinois Chicago In asking how Buddhism gained such a vast material presence, the course helps students understand how a religion manages to survive over time. Trending on site -
[JD Vanceâs selection as Trumpâs running mate marks the end of Republican conservatism]( -
[Retaining flavor while removing caffeine â a chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffee]( -
[Real equity in math education is about more than good grades and test scores]( Today's graphic ð [The number of first-year bull sharks caught per net per hour during surveys in Mobile Bay and other Alabama estuaries has varied year to year, but the overall trend has been upward.]( From the story, [Baby bull sharks are thriving in Texas and Alabama bays as the Gulf of Mexico warms]( -
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