Molly Callahan - News @ Northeastern

Here’s the secret to unlocking our compassion in the face of mass suffering

The amount of suffering in the world today, from natural disasters, violent political uprisings, or mass migration, is broadcast all day, every day online and on TV. People tend to feel overwhelmed in the face of such mass suffering, but David DeSteno, a psychology professor at Northeastern, found that people who believe they can help are resistant to such paralysis.

by Molly Callahan August 22, 2019

Stock photo of the The New York Times Magazine on Aug. 20, 2019. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

What we can learn from the backlash to the The New York Times history of slavery in the United States

“There has been a sustained campaign to erase the experience of enslaved people and the consequences and legacy of slavery in America,” says Margaret Burnham, director of Northeastern’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project. “But this is American history, and you have to face it to fix it.”

by Molly Callahan August 21, 2019

State and regional law enforcement records likely reflect less than 10 percent of trafficking victims in the area, according to new research by Amy Farrell, a Northeastern University professor who studies human trafficking. Photo by iStock

Human trafficking in the US is a much bigger problem than we think

New research by Amy Farrell, a Northeastern University professor who studies human trafficking, shows that obstacles at nearly every level of the reporting process have likely resulted in crime statistics that are much lower than reality.

by Molly Callahan August 16, 2019

The story behind the data on mass murder in the United States

News coverage after two recent mass shootings relied upon a common source for context: The AP/USATODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killing database. That’s because it’s the most comprehensive, most up-to-date repository of information on U.S. mass killings.

by Molly Callahan August 13, 2019

Will ‘red flag’ gun laws prevent mass shootings?

The “red flag” gun laws supported by President Donald Trump and, increasingly, members of Congress, are a step toward reducing gun violence and gun deaths, but they’re only part of the solution, says Matthew Miller, a Northeastern professor who studies firearm-related violence.

by Molly Callahan August 12, 2019

Toni Morrison’s groundbreaking novels about black history and identity helped to advance issues of civil rights and racial justice. The author was the keynote speaker at an event at Northeastern University in 2013, and afterward, she met with families who’d lost a relative to racial violence. Photo by Mary Knox Merrill/Northeastern University

Toni Morrison’s influence extends beyond literature

Morrison, whose groundbreaking novels about black history and identity opened the door for scores of authors who followed, also helped to advance issues of civil rights and racial justice.

by Molly Callahan August 9, 2019

How gender bias excludes women from international scientific collaboration

International collaboration among scientists is on the rise, but even such broad collaboration is subject to gender biases, says Kathrin Zippel, who is a professor of sociology at Northeastern University.

by Molly Callahan August 7, 2019

Toni Morrison ‘has done for the modern novel what Shakespeare did for theater’

When world-renowned author Toni Morrison visited Northeastern University’s Boston campus in 2013, she told the audience that the quiet force of goodness—a force often overlooked—was more powerful than violence or hatred. The Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist died on Monday, Aug. 5, leaving behind whole generations that were inspired by her work—a legacy of goodness.

by Molly Callahan August 6, 2019

Northeastern University launches national program to boost the number of women majoring in computing

Northeastern is launching the Center for Inclusive Computing with the goal of increasing the representation of women in technology. The Center will collaborate with universities across the United States that have large undergraduate computing programs to bolster their efforts to increase the student population of women and underrepresented minorities.

by Molly Callahan July 31, 2019

Here’s why the second round of Democratic debates will be ‘an elimination round’

“The way the polling and fundraising stands now, there’s only a handful of people who will make that September cut,” says Alan Schroeder, an emeritus professor of journalism at Northeastern University who studied presidential debates. “For the candidates polling at 1 percent and below, this is their last chance to have a breakthrough.”

by Molly Callahan July 29, 2019

Posts by Molly Callahan