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Mitigating the Harms of “Health & Wellness” Influencers
If you’ve ever used TikTok or Instagram, your feed has probably been dominated by fitness gurus promoting “body sculpting workouts,” self-proclaimed “diet coaches” analyzing other users’ meals, and scores of people live-posting their “weight loss journeys” to millions of followers. Over the past decade, research on social media’s mental health
The Threat of Electronic Consumer Goods to National Cybersecurity
Executive Summary Given rising tensions with China, growing national security concerns, and the potential for domestic job creation, Congress should allocate additional subsidies for domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors. China’s semiconductor chip designs are poised to surpass the U.S.’, presenting cybersecurity risks to domestic military and consumer tech. The
Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability in Indonesia
In international economic development, a prevailing perspective often regards environmental degradation as an inevitable “cost” that must be paid to secure Indonesia’s perceived “benefits” of economic growth. This trade-off principle raises a critical ethical question: must the Indonesian government adhere strictly to a dichotomy where the choice is limited to
The Trump Administration and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
By: Claire Lambert The 2016 United States presidential election was a pivotal moment in American history. This race resulted in the election of Donald Trump, who ran on a platform steeped in racism, homophobia, and sexism, and whose efforts were ultimately characterized by many as a tragedy. This election impacted
Beyond the Bench: The Battle for Medication Abortion Access
By: Alexandra Soos & Ishita Shukla The U.S. is one of only four countries in the last 25 years to roll back abortion rights, having made the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. Alongside Mexico, who decriminalized abortion nationally in late 2023, the U.S. is the only
The Importance of the Social Cost of Carbon for Indonesia
By: Muhamad Rifki Maulana In recent years, discussions about climate change have continued to become dynamic, especially regarding the reduction of carbon emissions. One interesting example is that of the 2024 presidential and vice-presidential debates in Indonesia, where conversations on solutions to air pollution in Jakarta and carbon capture storage
The Patent System is Failing to Promote Pharmaceutical Innovation
By Christina Del Greco The U.S. Patent and Trademark Organization exists to manage intellectual property within the United States, which includes granting patents. While there are multiple types of patents, the most commonly known is the utility patent, or a patent on something that is useful. The requirements for a
Police Qualified Immunity is a Dangerous Loophole
By Yuliya Shyrokonis Despite a global pandemic, protestors across the United States took to the streets last summer to condemn widespread police discrimination and brutality. Data show that police forces killed 1,096 Americans in 2019. Black Americans were three times as likely to be killed by police per capita than
A New Horizon for English Language Education: How the Biden Administration Can Get it Right
By Yezenia Sandoval For English Language Learners (ELLs), the appointment of Miguel Cardona, a former English Language Learner himself, as the Secretary of Education suggests a promising future in strengthening bilingual education programs across the nation. However, these programs face significant challenges; to ensure their success, the new administration should
The “Gay Civil War”: How to Grapple With Public Shaming in a Health Crisis
By Mark Minshen Lee When images of crowded house parties and pool romps at New York’s upscale Fire Island made their way across gay Twitter last July, the condemnation was swift. Amid a deadly pandemic, how could so many people blatantly ignore public health guidelines and put others at risk?
Racial Justice Demands Broad Student Debt Cancellation
By Kyle G. Southern, Ph.D. and Charles H. F. Davis III, Ph.D. Today, more than 44 million Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt—the largest source of debt next to home mortgages nationally. Contrary to President Biden’s recent statements in response to a town hall question about
The Health Equity Case for Reparations
By Amani Echols Over the past year, racial health inequities have been pushed into the national spotlight. Prompted by the Black Lives Matter protests in response to the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and the stark reality that the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities, racism