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Human trafficking in the US is a much bigger problem than we think

Just how big of a problem is human trafficking in the United States? It’s hard to say, because state and regional law enforcement records likely reflect less than 10 percent of trafficking victims in the area, according to new research by Amy Farrell, a Northeastern University professor who studies human trafficking. Farrell and her colleagues came across some…
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Published On: August 19, 2019 | Tags: ,,,
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Why does China have Uighur ‘re-education camps’? And are they really shutting down?

For the past two years, more than a million Uighurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in northwestern China, have been living in camps described by the regional government as vocational training centers designed to “carry out anti-extremist ideological education.” The Chinese government maintains that Uighurs enjoy the same rights and freedom of religion as other citizens in Xinjiang,…
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Published On: August 16, 2019 | Tags: ,,,
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The story behind the data on mass murder in the United States

News coverage in the days following the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, relied upon a common source for context: The AP/USATODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killing database. That’s because it’s the most comprehensive, most up-to-date repository of information on U.S. mass killings, says James Alan Fox, who is a criminologist at Northeastern University and one of the nation’s leading researchers on mass murder. It’s research by Fox,…
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Published On: August 15, 2019 | Tags: ,,,,
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A platform for violent hate speech has been implicated in three mass shootings. Should regulators step in?

Twenty minutes before the alleged shooter stormed into a Walmart in El Paso, Texas and killed 22 people, he reportedly posted an anti-immigrant screed onto 8chan, an online message forum that’s been linked to violent extremism. The post marked the third time in six months that a mass shooter has published a violent message on the site before carrying…
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Published On: August 14, 2019 | Tags: ,,,
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A disease you may not have heard of kills 20,000 people every year. It doesn’t have to.

BARINGO COUNTY, Kenya—Ten-year-old Lopeto Losile looked confused. He sat on a wooden bench in the lobby of the Chemolingot Sub-County Hospital, located 165 miles northwest of Nairobi. His lanky frame was draped in a red and black shawl, and his short, brown hair was disheveled. His mother, who sat beside him, kept crossing and uncrossing…
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Published On: August 13, 2019 | Tags: ,,,,
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Where are all the women in international, scientific collaborations?

As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, and as technology makes it easier to talk to each other across continents, the field of science is becoming more and more global. International collaboration among scientists is on therise, according to a report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. But even such broad collaboration is subject to…
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Published On: August 8, 2019 | Tags: ,,,
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Toni Morrison ‘has done for the modern novel what Shakespeare did for theater’

When world-renowned author Toni Morrison visited Northeastern University’s Boston campus in 2013, she told the audience of nearly 1,000 people that the quiet force of goodness—a force often overlooked—was more powerful than violence or hatred. “Evil and violence take the stage—all of it. It needs so much to call our attention,” Morrison said. “But goodness doesn’t need…
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Published On: August 7, 2019 | Tags: ,,,
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In Saudi Arabia, women couldn’t drive cars until last year. This Saudi woman races one.

SNETTERTON, United Kingdom—Reema Juffali is much too modest to admit it, but she’s a role model for young women around the globe. In particular, she’s a trailblazer for those in her native Saudi Arabia, where deeply entrenched patriarchal laws have for centuries gone unchallenged. Juffali in 2018 made history by becoming the country’s first female…
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Why people are less likely to enroll in college when the economy is doing well

Fewer people are going to college, and some believe that’s a good thing. In particular, economists say it’s a sign of a booming economy. When the economy is doing well and jobs are abundant, people are less interested in attending a traditional four-year college. By the same token, when the economy is faltering, college enrollment rates…
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How bad is the housing crisis in Massachusetts?

The country is facing a housing crisis: There’s a growing shortage of affordable units, and renters and homeowners in many places struggle to afford their monthly payments. The Greater Boston area isn’t faring any better. There are not enough homes to go around for everyone; homelessness is on the rise; and modern zoning practices continue to…
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Published On: August 1, 2019 | Tags: ,,,
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