Donald Trump

Trump signed an executive order to stop separating families at the border. But what does it actually do?

President Donald J. Trump’s executive order doesn’t solve the crisis at the border. Some families will stay separated for years. Separating children from their parents can result in long-term psychological damage. And the root of the problem, the administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy, is still very much in place, Northeastern experts say.

by Molly Callahan June 21, 2018

Foundation funding helps keep journalism alive—but most money goes to a select few nonprofit media outlets

Funding for the nonprofit news sector is highly concentrated among a few dozen outlets and provided by a handful of huge grants rather than a lot of small ones. Those were among the findings of a group of researchers at Northeastern’s School of Journalism and the Shorenstein Center, who earlier this week released what they believe is the largest ever data analysis of foundation-funded journalism.

by Molly Callahan June 19, 2018

This algorithm can predict who will win a debate. It might also help save democracy.

Northeastern professor Lu Wang believes that the right mix of linguistic analysis, artificial intelligence, and data visualization can produce more meaningful debates. Her ultimate goal is to help social media platforms evolve from echo chambers full of hate speech to places where constructive conversations flourish.

by Allie Nicodemo June 19, 2018

Tired of being manipulated by fake news? This Northeastern researcher is creating the tools we need to fight against it.

Behavioral psychologist Briony Swire-Thompson is on the frontline in the battle against misinformation. Understanding how the brain stores and retrieves information will make efforts to fight propaganda more effective.

by Bill Ibelle June 18, 2018

US-North Korea meeting could lead to historic peace or disaster—‘the devil is in the details’

Monday’s historic meeting between President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was a big gamble for Trump, said political science professor Costas Panagopoulos. “If the deal falls apart and Trump feels betrayed by the North Koreans, he might be more inclined to react in a very hostile and exaggerated way,” he said.

by Molly Callahan June 12, 2018

No, the government hasn’t lost 1,500 children. What’s actually happening might be worse.

The problem is not that federal authorities lost track of nearly 1,500 migrant children, as reported by almost every major news outlet in recent weeks. The problem is that the well-intended outcry over the news obscured the larger issues with immigration policy, say three Northeastern professors who specialize in immigration law.

by Molly Callahan June 5, 2018

Donald Trump says he has the ‘absolute right’ to pardon himself. Would that even be legal?

On Monday, President Donald J. Trump tweeted that he has the “absolute right” to pardon himself in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Trump said he wouldn’t do so, however, because he’s “done nothing wrong.” Northeastern constitutional law professor Martha Davis says that even if a president can pardon himself, it would be difficult for Trump to do so without violating the Constitution.

by Molly Callahan June 4, 2018

So the US has pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. What does that mean to me?

President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the landmark international nuclear deal with Iran, announcing that stringent economic sanctions against Tehran will be reinstated. “How we’re better off in terms of U.S. national security, I’m not entirely clear,” said political science professor and terrorism theorist Max Abrahms.

by Greg St. Martin May 11, 2018

Don’t miss these campus events in March

March is chock-full of can’t-miss campus events, programs, and guest speakers, including “Mythbuster” Grant Imahara, two career fairs, and a conference on fake news.

by Jason Kornwitz March 1, 2018

New study links federal tax policy and US mortality levels

As Congress grapples with tax reform, new research from Northeastern’s Daniel Kim has found that raising U.S. federal income tax rates while redistributing tax revenue to low-income households could substantially reduce the nation’s mortality levels.

by Jason Kornwitz December 1, 2017