Time to revive the ‘good’ corporation

Edition: US - Today's top story: Corporate America needs to get back to thinking about more than just profits [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 17 February 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note BlackRock, the world’s biggest money manager, recently made headlines when it urged companies that wanted its billions to make the world a better place. That may strike some as a quaint notion from a bygone era, well before the age of “profit maximization.” But to Marina v. N. Whitman, the idea is hardly old-fashioned. The University of Michigan business professor explains why companies in the ‘50s and ‘60s could “afford” to be good corporate citizens by investing in their workers and communities. Today’s record profits [mean they should do so again](, she argues. The Trump administration wants to replace some of the grocery subsidies low-income Americans get through SNAP – the modern version of food stamps – with packages of pasta, peanut butter and other nonperishable foods. As political scientist Matthew Gritter explains, if these “[harvest boxes](” ever materialize, it would be the first time that the federal government has tried anything like it since the Reagan-era bid to give away processed cheese. Yesterday’s indictments of 13 Russian nationals may have you wondering [if this has happened before](, [how bots could have influenced the 2016 campaign]( – and if it is [a good idea to crack down]( on social media platforms. Our scholars tell you what you need to know. Bryan Keogh Economics + Business Editor Top stories Larry Fink, right, shared a stage with several of the CEOs he urged to spend more time doing good. Stuart Ramson/AP Images for The Women's Forum of New York [Corporate America needs to get back to thinking about more than just profits]( Marina v. N. Whitman, University of Michigan Companies are flush with cash and profits and soon will have even more once the tax cut takes effect. So they can afford to be good again. The first food stamps program, created amid the Great Depression, lasted four years. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum [From FDR's food stamps to Trump's harvest boxes: The history of helping the poor get enough to eat]( Matt Gritter, Angelo State University SNAP and its precursors have weathered plenty of efforts to shrink the safety net. Its decades of bipartisan support make it likely to survive this one. Russia investigation - [Government regulation of social media would be a cure far worse than the disease]( Paul Levinson, Fordham University Thirteen Russians were charged Friday with using social media to interfere with the 2016 election. A media expert explains why this should not lead to government regulation of social media. - [How Twitter bots affected the US presidential campaign]( Emilio Ferrara, University of Southern California In addition to the meddling alleged in the new Mueller indictments, about one in every five election-related tweets was generated by software, not humans. - [Russian interventions in other people's elections: A brief history]( Eric Lohr, American University Americans are shocked Russia meddled in our election. But there are centuries of precedent – and, at times, it’s been the US meddling. Florida shooting [The American public has power over the gun business – why doesn't it use it?]( Brian DeLay, University of California, Berkeley Advocates of gun control may despair in the wake of mass shootings like the one in Parkland, Florida, but the history of government support for the gun industry shows Americans have more sway than they think. [10 ways schools, parents and communities can prevent school shootings now]( Elizabeth Englander, Bridgewater State University While politicians argue endlessly over gun control, here are 10 practical ways the rest of us can work to prevent school shootings. [It's time to end the debate about video games and violence]( Christopher J. Ferguson, Stetson University For years, there have been questions about research showing connections between playing violent video games and aggressive behavior. [Here's how witnessing violence harms children’s mental health]( Daniel J. Flannery, Case Western Reserve University When children learn about news like the deadly school shooting in Florida, a logical question for them to ask is: Will the same thing happen to me? Ethics + Religion [Why do Christians wear ashes on Ash Wednesday?]( Michael Laver, Rochester Institute of Technology Churches started to use ashes early as the ninth century as a symbol of repentance. In 1091, Pope Urban II ritualized their use to mark the beginning of Lent. Today, churches provide 'ashes to go.' [Mark Twain's adventures in love: How a rough-edged aspiring author courted a beautiful heiress]( Richard Gunderman, Indiana University It was aboard a steamship that Mark Twain first laid eyes on a photograph of Olivia Langdon, known as Livy. It was love at first sight. In their marriage of 34 years, they remained deeply devoted. Politics + Society [Trump may owe his 2016 victory to 'fake news,' new study suggests]( Richard Gunther, The Ohio State University; Erik C. Nisbet, The Ohio State University; Paul Beck, The Ohio State University Yes, votes are cast based on many factors. But a new survey and analysis suggests that belief in fake news could have been decisive during the 2016 election. [New 'Holocaust law' highlights crisis in Polish identity]( Geneviève Zubrzycki, University of Michigan Seventy years after the end of World War II, a battle is taking place over Polish collective memory. [Venezuelan refugees inflame Brazil's already simmering migrant crisis]( Robert Muggah, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) Since 2000, 8.8 million Brazilians have been displaced by disaster, development and crime, new data shows. Now Venezuelan migrants are pouring into the country. Still, Brazil has no real refugee plan. [It's getting harder to prosecute politicians for corruption]( Peter J. Henning, Wayne State University A legal scholar looks at the new and narrowed definition of bribery by the US Supreme Court. In the future, will politicians doing favors for donors and friends ever be prosecuted for corruption? Health + Medicine [What the flu does to your body, and why it makes you feel so awful]( Laura Haynes, University of Connecticut Anyone who's had the flu can attest that it makes them feel horrible. But why? What is going on inside the body that brings such pain and malaise? An immunologist explains. [Consensual sex is key to happiness and good health, science says]( Shervin Assari, University of Michigan Love may make the world go round, but sex keeps it going. There's been a lot of discussion in recent months about the horrors of bad sex. But it's important to remember that good sex is good for us. Science + Technology [Outfitting the world's best athletes for the Winter Olympics]( Susan L. Sokolowski, University of Oregon No longer in fanciful coats or button-down shirts with neckties, Olympians compete in uniforms specially designed and engineered for maximum performance. [Making skis strong enough for Olympians to race on]( Marc Zupan, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Highly engineered composite materials let skis ride smoothly, carve neatly and turn quickly – for top athletes and regular consumers alike. [Prehistoric wine discovered in inaccessible caves forces a rethink of ancient Sicilian culture]( Davide Tanasi, University of South Florida Growing grapes and making wine come with a lot of implications about a culture's capabilities. Apparently, Sicily of 6,000 years ago was more sophisticated than archaeologists had given it credit for. [The hidden superpower of 'Black Panther': Scientist role models]( Clifford Johnson, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Seeing black lead characters who are accomplished scientists could be just the thing to help inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps. Arts + Culture [What the 5Pointz ruling means for street artists]( Leila Amineddoleh, Fordham University A judge in New York City just awarded graffiti artists US$6.7 million after a developer whitewashed their murals. On the surface, it seems like a huge victory for street artists. But could it backfire? [Writing's power to deceive]( Andrew Elfenbein, University of Minnesota Reading something that sows doubt about a widely agreed-upon fact – even the election of George Washington as president – can have a profound effect. Environment + Energy [How to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry across North America]( Kate Konschnik, Duke University; Sarah Marie Jordaan, Johns Hopkins University Natural gas is widely viewed as a clean fuel, but methane, its main component, is a powerful greenhouse gas. Two experts propose a plan for detecting and cutting methane leaks across North America. [Black lung disease on the rise: 5 questions answered]( Anna Allen, West Virginia University; Carl Werntz, West Virginia University A recent study found the largest cluster of advanced black lung disease ever recorded among coal miners in central Appalachia. Two doctors who treat black lung patients explain how miners contract it. [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111