Big Tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft have deeply embedded themselves into every aspect of our lives – our healthcare, education, and even politics. As these tech giants consistently stay one step ahead of regulation, the question arises: who holds these powerful players to account? Alexandra Schwinges examined the role of news media in this regard and concludes that in today’s digital age, journalism must renew its watchdog role. Schwinges will defend her PhD thesis on Friday 9 May at the University of Amsterdam.

Primal world beliefs (“primals”) capture understanding of general characteristics of the world, such as whether the world is “Good,” “Safe,” and “Enticing.” In a new study, researchers analyzed responses from children, mothers, fathers and then later, young adults in Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States to learn about their world beliefs. 

In a new study, researchers analyzed responses from children, mothers, fathers and then later, young adults in Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States to learn about their world beliefs. 

This research was featured in a new Child Development article with authors from Duke University (United States), the University of Miami (United States), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (United States), UNICEF (United States), the Institute for Fiscal Studies (United Kingdom), University of Macau (China), the University of Pennsylvania (United States), University of Massachusetts Amherst (United States), Università di Roma “La Sapienza” (Italy), University West (Sweden), Chiang Mai University (Thailand), Maseno University (Kenya), Temple University (United States),  King Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia), Universidad de San Buenaventura (Colombia), and Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines). 

The study was led by Dr. Jennifer Lansford, SRCD’s incoming President and Research Professor in the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy and Director of the Center for Child and Family Policy. This is the first longitudinal and multi-country study of primal world beliefs advancing understanding of how beliefs about the world are related to experiences in childhood and adolescence. The findings showed that parental warmth during childhood and adolescence led to “Good,” “Safe,” and “Enticing” world beliefs.

Political and social crisis in Lebanon has forced parents to seek unregulated “shadow” education for their children, a new study shows.