World News Archives

A year after the Capitol insurrection, faith in democracy wanes

Looking back, it’s clear that the particular circumstances of the 2020 election created a “perfect storm” that crystallized distrust of the democratic process among people who may already have had misgivings, says David Lazer, university distinguished professor of political science and computer sciences at Northeastern.

by Molly Callahan January 5, 2022

Suggestions for beefing up security around the U.S. Capitol include the hiring of hundreds of officers. But Northeastern security experts warn of the dangers of a police state at the heart of American democracy. Photo By Tom Williams/AP Images

Are red states and blue states on the verge of a civil war?

The one-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol siege underscores the growing red-blue political divide in America. But don’t mistake it for full-blown civil war, which requires a large number of deaths, says Max Abrahms, who teaches national security and counterterrorism at Northeastern.

by Peter Ramjug January 5, 2022

Data privacy is already a challenge–and the metaverse could make it worse

If our privacy is already under siege in the two-dimensional internet, imagine how vulnerable we may be in the 3D metaverse? “Those issues have not been resolved,” warns Brooke Foucault Welles, a Northeastern associate professor of communication studies.

by Ian Thomsen December 22, 2021

U.S. gun sales have been surging, study finds

An estimated 7.5 million U.S. adults became new gun owners over a recent 28-month span, raising a number of risks, according to new research by Matt Miller, a professor of health sciences and epidemiology at Northeastern. “The reality is [gun ownership] makes everyone in the home, on average, much, much less safe,” he says.

by Ian Thomsen December 20, 2021

China's Peng Shuai serves to Japan's Nao Hibino during their first round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 21, 2020. AP Photo/Andy Brownbill

Peng Shuai and the obstacles facing China’s growing #MeToo movement

The growing crackdown on #MeToo in China is yet another example of how progressive forces are clashing with the country’s authoritarian governance, where narratives around social issues are carefully filtered, and state propaganda is rampant, says Hua Dong, senior academic specialist in Chinese and coordinator of the Chinese program at Northeastern.

by Tanner Stening December 17, 2021

Be on the lookout for unexpected shipping notifications, says computer science professor Engin Kirda. Scammers are betting on an increase in holiday shopping to take advantage of people with fake delivery updates. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Here’s how to stay safe while online shopping for the holidays

Around the world, people are expected to spend more than $900 billion in online purchases this holiday season. To make sure none of it ends up in the hands of ne’er-do-wells, Northeastern computer science professor Engin Kirda has one major piece of advice: Don’t click any links.

by Molly Callahan December 16, 2021

Understanding how viruses evolve can help us understand what future variants of the coronavirus we might see—and whether or not we should fear them. Getty Images

Do viruses such as the coronavirus become less deadly?

Understanding how viruses evolve can help us understand what future variants of the coronavirus we might see—and why they might not necessarily be a specter of doom. “What’s the virus trying to do?” says Jared Auclair, associate teaching professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern. “If it kills the host, it dies with the host.”

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki December 13, 2021

The fall of Aung San Suu Kyi is another blow to democracy

International support has been muted for Suu Kyi, the deposed civilian leader of Myanmar who was once hailed as a global leader for human rights. Her implicit support of ethnic cleansing has left “no one holding the flag for democracy around the globe that you can look up to and admire,” says Pablo Calderon-Martinez, an assistant professor in politics and international relations at NCH at Northeastern in London.

by Ian Thomsen December 8, 2021

How the attack on Pearl Harbor was covered by the media

Dan Cohen, Northeastern history professor and dean of libraries, discusses the value of looking at archives about historic events, including primary sources held at Northeastern,…

by Cam Sleeper December 6, 2021

South African students decry omicron travel bans as a ‘knee-jerk reaction’

Itumeleng ‘Tumi’ Mosiah and Gina Izerel are students on the Boston campus who are plowing ahead with plans to visit their native South Africa despite the travel ban against their country. They don’t know if or even when they will be allowed back into the United States, so they’re making contingency plans with their professors.

by Peter Ramjug December 6, 2021

World News