Scholars turn a critical eye to how Jews and Muslims have misread each other
The all-day conference was split thematically, with a morning focus on Muslim perceptions of Jewish civilization, and an afternoon focus on the opposite.
Social Sciences
Researchers employ radical data transparency in 2026 midterm forecasts
The project is unique “because all data, methods, and other procedures are public — something that is not true for any other public forecast we know of,” said co-creator Gary King.
Exploring why different groups of people, zebras, and even ants make nice
Cooperation can make us stronger, building alliances and increasing the availability of resources. A recent symposium hosted by the Human Evolutionary Biology Initiative brought together researchers to examine this principle, sharing studies and findings on intergroup cooperation from a variety of fields.
8 awarded W.E.B. Du Bois Medals in joyful ceremony
Singer Mavis Staples, actress Angela Bassett, and soccer star Didier Drogba were among the honorees presented with W.E.B. Du Bois Medals Thursday at Sanders Theatre. The annual ceremony, hosted by the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research, recognizes outstanding contributions to Black history and culture.
Evidence of board games building bedrock social skills
A recent study from the Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies describes how games aimed at improving social skills, played in preschool settings, boost social-cognitive development for Brazilian children living near or below the poverty line.
Caribbean art takes campus spotlight
“We have never before shown an entire exhibition from the French and Creole-speaking Caribbean,” said Cécile Fromont, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’08, faculty director of the Hutchins Center’s Alain Locke Gallery of African & African American Art.
Alarm over menstrual tracking apps
Menstrual tracking apps have become all the rage, leading the growing field of “femtech” that claims to help women understand — and regulate — their bodies. But these apps may promise more than they deliver — and even be harmful to women.
‘This is really not a time to find your chatbot BFFs’
The advance of artificial intelligence, we are told, is inevitable. Nothing can stop AI chatbots from entering classrooms, nursing homes, workplaces, even bedrooms.
If AI is allowed to drive discourse, can democracy survive?
Say political engagement could be increased in a certain society by the introduction of effective artificial intelligence tools — but those living there would have fewer in-person interactions. Should such tools be adopted?
New faces step to the front of the class
Amid the rhythms of the back-to-campus bustle, new faculty find themselves experiencing the same first-day excitement — and jitters. We dropped in on three, on the first day of their first classes.
Harvard study predicts most suicide attempts a week in advance
Researcher Matthew Nock pioneered the technique of using smartphone technology to survey high-risk adults and adolescents in real time. In a new study, Nock and his team report using the technology to predict 75 percent of suicide attempts in the week before they occurred.