Society & Culture Archives

FBI Investigators enter the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y. on Monday, May 16 2022. AP Photo/Robert Bumsted

In light of the mass shooting in Buffalo, is it time to impose new rules on livestreaming?

As more perpetrators are inspired to commit acts of violence by being able to publicize them in real-time, it might be time to impose a new set of rules on the online platforms, says John Wihbey, associate professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern.

by Tanner Stening May 16, 2022

Is breast milk the solution to the baby formula shortage? Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

The baby formula shortage has left families scrambling to feed their children. Northeastern faculty explain why breastfeeding—or buying breast milk—isn't necessarily an easy solution.

by Jessica Taylor Price May 10, 2022

Demonstrator walk to a protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Washington. A draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a Politico report released Monday. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Will overturning Roe v. Wade impact this year’s midterm elections?

As mobilization intensifies after POLITICO released a leaked draft of the Supreme Court’s opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, many are wondering if this expected ruling will upend the 2022 midterm elections. Northeastern political science experts weigh in as voters prepare to cast their votes this election cycle.

by Morgyn Joubert May 6, 2022

Eighty-five percent of Black smokers prefer menthol cigarettes as a result of years of targeted marketing from the tobacco industry. Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

Social justice claim is Big Tobacco's smoke screen in menthol regulation battle

As the FDA prepares to ban menthol cigarettes, some tobacco industry-backed lawmakers warn of criminalization that will target Black Americans. But Northeastern experts say it is an overdue measure that will save lives, and that such social justice claims are just another weapon in Big Tobacco's fight to keep Americans hooked.

by Jessica Taylor Price May 3, 2022

What is the future of Black Twitter under Elon Musk?

The online community has been supporting and driving causes in the U.S.—including the Black Lives Matter movement—for more than a decade. But its future is in doubt now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter, says Meredith Clark, a Northeastern professor who is publishing a book on Black Twitter.

by Ian Thomsen April 29, 2022

A Ukrainian soldier speaks on his smartphone outside a residential building damaged by a missile on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. The Ukrainian president said that at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the end of the first day. Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images

Are you more likely to believe misinformation about Ukraine or COVID-19?

Researchers with the Covid States Project, a collaboration among Northeastern and partner institutions, found that fewer people believed false claims about Ukraine than false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, but where they landed politically made a difference.

by Molly Callahan April 27, 2022

Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Donald Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (L-R) stand on stage for the Republican National Committee Presidential Primary Debate at the University of Houston's Moores School of Music Opera House on February 25, 2016 in Houston, Texas. The candidates are meeting for the last Republican debate before the Super Tuesday primaries on March 1. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

What does the future hold for presidential debates?

The Republican National Committee’s withdrawal from the Commission on Presidential Debates raises the question of what will happen to future forums and whether a GOP candidate will ever face off with another opponent again? A Northeastern political expert weighs in.

by Morgyn Joubert April 26, 2022

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) questions witnesses during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The hearing focused on the 2020 cyberattack that resulted in a series of data breaches within several agencies and departments in the U.S. federal government. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

What does it mean to be ‘mentally unfit’ to hold public office?

The subject of mental fitness is back in the news after the San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that colleagues of Dianne Feinstein, the 88-year-old senator from California, believe her mental acuity is rapidly deteriorating.

by Tanner Stening April 19, 2022

A student walks down the spiral staircase in ISEC. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

Lights! Cameras! Action! IMAX film crew comes to Northeastern

The large-format cameras have been to the top of Mount Everest, the bottom of the ocean, and even outer space. Now, they’re coming to campus as part of a larger project that will run in Boston’s Museum of Science for the next 15 years. Want to be part of the action? The university is seeking students to join the shoot, which begins at 1:30 p.m. on April 19, in ISEC. Free college swag is included.

by Molly Callahan April 18, 2022

Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney speaks to press during a briefing on the government shutdown, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. Photo by Cheriss May/Getty Images

Should news networks hire partisan political pundits?

The beeline from government service to media commentary, while not at all uncommon today, can hurt the legitimacy of news organizations if they make a poor hiring choice, warns Northeastern journalism professor Dan Kennedy.

by Tanner Stening April 5, 2022

Society & Culture