Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 9h

According to a recent survey, a majority of Americans view higher education as important to the nation and oppose federal funding cuts. #NUCSSH Prof. of Political Science @davidlazer.bsky.social marks this as “good news,” though the respondents held concerns over campus climate and liberal bias.

Americans united on protecting science research in higher ed, worry about liberal bias and antisemitism, national survey reveals

The Higher Education Public Opinion survey is the latest effort to examine attitudes and behaviors in the United States.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 1d

Professor @davidlazer.bsky.social conducted a study on the spread of conspiracy theories after the 2024 attempted assasination on President Trump. In a story for @nuglobalnews.bsky.social, Prof. Lazer says the study reveals mistrust in institutions on both sides of the political spectrum.

More people believe in conspiracy theories than you might think, new research reveals

The results of a survey after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump show how conspiracy theories spread and lead to believers.

news.northeastern.edu

1 1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 5d

#NUCSSH Econ Professor Robert Triest explains why gold is reaching record investment prices. “Gold is a classic safe-haven asset,” he says, adding that economic uncertainty can lead to the gold run-up. With shifting tariff rates, gold–which isn’t tied to currency–is more attractive to buyers.

Gold hits new heights. An expert explains what is pushing up the price

The price of gold has risen about 50% this year and Goldman Sachs raised its December 2026 price forecast for gold per ounce.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 6d

Trump’s administration is bypassing the notice-and-comment process, used for creating and repealing regulations. #NUCSSH Professor of Law and Public Policy Sharmila Murthy says they’re trying to “fundamentally reshape what notice-and-comment rulemaking is,” undercutting democratic accountability.

Trump Agencies Lean Into Shortcuts for Public Comment Process

Efforts to streamline rulemaking seem more haphazard than a widely adopted, systematic plan. But they still break with recognized best practices and sometimes appear to violate federal law, scholars s...

news.bloomberglaw.com

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 8d

The #SupremeCourt began a new term on Monday, and @nusl.bsky.social & @nu-policyschool.bsky.social Profs. Daniel Urman & @weparmet.bsky.social are highlighting cases the court will deliberate in this term, including decisions on Trump’s tariffs, trans athletes, and Louisiana’s congressional map.

Supreme Court’s 2025-26 term begins today. Here are five big cases to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

The Supreme Court began a new term Monday — one poised to shape the direction of U.S. policy and presidential power, legal experts say.

news.northeastern.edu

1 1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 9d

@cjbossoboston.bsky.social asks if #MAHA values can be realized with conservatives looking to avoid spending money on government programs, citing diminished U.S.D.A. programs and setback to school lunches under Trump and RFK Jr.

What Happens to School Lunches in the MAHA Era?

R.F.K., Jr., promised healthier food for kids, but the Trump Administration is cutting programs that achieve this goal.

www.newyorker.com

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 9d

Adolescents who change schools between eighth and ninth grade are more likely to drink alcohol, according to new research from #NUCSSH Prof. of Sociology, Criminology and Criminal Justice Cassie McMillan. According to Prof. McMillan, the data reflects the cultural norms for different substances.

The move from middle to high school can impact teens' drinking habits, research shows

Northeastern researchers studied how switching schools between middle and high school impacted teens’ substance use.

news.northeastern.edu

1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 14d

Suspects in mass shootings in MI and NC are both war veterans. @nusccj.bsky.social Prof. James Fox notes that 23% of all mass shootings are committed by individuals with military experience, and that these incidents display the “often misunderstood” link between military service and violence.

Mass shootings in Michigan, North Carolina paint complicated portrait of military veterans, experts say

The two incidents aren’t necessarily emblematic of a trend among military veterans, says James Alan Fox, a criminologist.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 15d

Can Trump fire federal employees in the case of a government shutdown? @nu-policyschool.bsky.social prof. Christopher Bosso weighs in. “In other government shutdowns due to budgetary face-offs… non-essential federal employees are furloughed but not fired,” he says.

Can Trump legally fire federal employees if the government shuts down this week?

As the threat of a government shutdown looms, so also does the prospect of “mass firings” at the federal level.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 19d

Philosophy Prof. @ricksva.bsky.social says “audience members are convinced of the authenticity of people when they open up online.” Will the parasocial nature of social media help Ned Fulmer of #TryGuy fame, as he reenters the limelight with a new podcast after his 2022 cheating scandal?

An affair ended Ned Fulmer’s career. Can a podcast bring it back?

Former YouTube star Ned Fulmer is back after a career-ending scandal in 2022. Is his new podcast enough to stage a return to the spotlight?

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 21d

Recent TikToks have spread claims of mass child abductions throughout VA due to a supposed serial killer. These videos, based on conspiracy theories, have been debunked by local authorities. #NUCSSH Criminology Prof. James Alan Fox adds that “people are drawn in by the thrill of amateur sleuthing.”

Viral TikToks of Virginia kidnappings, serial killer spark panic

Police have debunked the claims, but the rumors have run rampant, even capturing Chris Brown's attention.

www.axios.com

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 23d

In the wake of ChatGPT related suicides, Open #AI plans on rolling out parental controls. AI expert and Philosophy & Religion faculty Cansu Canca argues that these changes shift the responsibility to the user, failing to address the root causes of these issues. news.northeastern.edu/2025/09/17/c...

ChatGPT is getting parental controls after a teen died by suicide. This is why experts say they aren't enough

After a teen died by suicide, ChatGPT is introducing parental controls. Northeastern AI experts say it avoids the underlying issue.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 26d

A new poll says nearly 6 in 10 Americans would blame Trump or the GOP for a government shutdown. #NUCSSH political science expert @professorcostas.bsky.social‬ isn’t surprised. "Whatever actions the government takes or fails to take are going to be attributed to the majority party,” he says.

Republicans get warning about government shutdown in new poll

A new poll shed light on whether voters would blame Democrats or Republicans for a government shutdown.

www.newsweek.com

1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 28d

#NUCSSH Economics Prof. Jill Dupree led a group of students on a #DialogueOfCivilizations in Rwanda to study economic development and conflict resolution. The group collaborated with the government in the capital and in smaller rural villages, working towards resource sustainability.

From the capital of Kigali to remote villages, Northeastern students help steer Rwanda's future

Northeastern students spent a month in Rwanda meeting with people across the country and sharing what they learned with government officials.

news.northeastern.edu

2

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · 29d

Mayor Michelle Wu swept the competition by 49 points in the first round of Boston’s mayoral election. “A challenger has to somehow find an opening,” says @nu-policyschool.bsky.social Professor Dan O’Brien, noting Josh Kraft’s failures in pivotal areas of South Boston and Dorchester.

Wu won all but a handful of Boston precincts in Tuesday’s prelim. - The Boston Globe

Michelle Wu won 264 of the city’s 275 precincts, while nonprofit leader Josh Kraft took nine precincts.

www.bostonglobe.com

1 1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Sep 11

Trump “dug his own grave with the Epstein scandal,” according to ‪@professorcostas.bsky.social.The @newsweek.com article goes on to point out the attempted cover-ups and mixed signals from the President, which is likely to affect midterm elections and GOP dominance in the legislature.

Donald Trump's Epstein problem keeps coming back

This week, the Epstein case resurfaced yet again when the White House was forced to deny an alleged birthday note from Trump to the disgraced financier.

www.newsweek.com

1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Sep 10

Trump is highlighting crime in cities like Baltimore, D.C., and Chicago as a model for federal intervention, but #NUCSSH Prof Eric Piza says “we just don’t have up-to-date data,” and crime rates can be affected by factors like economic conditions and population density. Read ‪@wcvb5.bsky.social‬

President Trump spotlights crime in US cities: Here's what the data shows

The FBI publishes some of the most complete statistics, but no database can perfectly capture the nation’s crime.

www.wcvb.com

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Sep 8

Jonathan Clements, a writer for the Wall Street Journal, will have his legacy honored. The City of Boston and Northeastern’s Summer Youth Employment Program, led by #NUCSSH Prof ‪@sassermodestino.bsky.social‬, are working with Clements to offer grants for individuals from low-income homes.

Northeastern’s summer jobs program implements longtime WSJ columnist’s legacy

Friends of Wall Street Journal columnist Jonathan Clements raise money to help some participants in the Summer Youth Employment Program.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Sep 5

Due to climate disasters, companies that ensure residential buildings are now investing in risk mapping, which #NUCSSH Prof ‪@danielaldrich.bsky.social‬ says is a sign of the times. “There’s real money in this data, and these companies know it,” Prof Aldrich says. ‪@grist.org‬

Your home has a 1 in 4 chance of being at severe risk from extreme weather

What this means for your insurance policy.

grist.org

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Sep 4

#NUCSSH Prof. Nicole Aljoe covers the life of Mary Prince, an enslaved woman in the Caribbean, in a new book. Prince’s life story was published in 1831, propelling the abolitionist movement. Prof. Aljoe focuses the narrative wholly on Prince, updating and documenting her struggle for freedom.

Mary Prince's legacy gets the spotlight in new book with help from this Northeastern professor

“The Cambridge Companion to Mary Prince” provides an overview of why Prince’s landmark slave narrative deserves to be part of the canon.

news.northeastern.edu

1

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Sep 2

Over 1,400 people have died after the earthquake hit Afghanistan on Sunday. The country struggles to receive international aid, as the Trump administration has cut nearly all programs in Afghanistan. #NUCSSH prof ‪@danielaldrich.bsky.social‬ comments on the “gaps remaining unfilled” by the U.S.

Taliban call for international aid as Afghan earthquake toll tops 1,400

Officials and aid groups said the death toll is expected to rise, amid mounting concerns that recent Western aid cuts could hamper the disaster response.

www.washingtonpost.com

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Aug 29

Trump claimed that D.C. faces “a murder a week.” Experts, like #NUCSSH Professor James Alan Fox, point to a 16-day stretch without homicides. Professor Fox also notes that trends can’t be established over a year, and murder statistics are volatile. Read more at ‪@politifact.bsky.social‬

Why Trump’s DC ‘murder a week’ stat is misleading

President Trump said Washington, D.C., has had 11 days with no homicides and “we always have a murder a week” in the city. That ignores a two-week stretch without homicides earlier this year.

www.politifact.com

2

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Aug 27

Universities around the world offer courses themed around #TaylorSwift. #NUCSSH Professor Catherine Fairfield offers an online course blending English literature with gender studies, focused on the musician’s impact, drawing over 500 students. Read more from Economic Times.

Taylor Swift beyond the stage: How universities from Harvard to Stanford teach the ‘Swiftie’ lesson - The Economic Times

Taylor Swift's influence extends to university classrooms. Courses explore her music and career. Harvard and other universities are using her work to teach various subjects. These include literature, ...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Aug 26

Political Science Professors William Miles and Martha Johnson collaborated on a study in Senegal which found that women’s movements uphold Senegalese democracy, despite the country being surrounded by political unrest and violence. Read more from ‪@nuglobalnews.bsky.social‬

Exploring the role of women in supporting democracy: preliminary insights from Senegal, West Africa

William Miles and Martha Johnson set out on a research trip to Senegal to better understand the role of women in upholding democracy.

news.northeastern.edu

College of Social Sciences and Humanities @nucssh.bsky.social · Aug 21

Ukrainian president Zelensky met with Trump and Putin on Monday for potential peace talks. Political Science Prof. Mai’a Cross noted that NATO membership & control over contested lands are integral to the Ukrainian cause, making the end of the war unlikely without these conditions.

Zelensky's red line for Putin peace talks

Analysts weighed in on what concessions Zelensky may consider making to end the war and what's likely to be off the table.

www.newsweek.com