COVID-19 forced radical change on the world, but isn’t that just what we need to combat climate change? The simple concepts of how we use land and how we eat may very well determine the future of our species—and our planet. Three Weatherhead Center scholars guide us through the complex environmental and political systems that constrain efforts for systemic change, and discuss what needs to be done today.
Annette Idler sees conflict as a dynamic and shifting phenomenon. From her extensive field work, she has given local officials and civilians tools to prepare for violence before it arrives in their villages.
There has never been a more critical time to pull nations together. The next president must decide what kinds of partnerships the US will form with foreign leaders in an increasingly polarized world.
When assessing a developing country’s need for aid, an important metric often gets overlooked: the ability of a state to collect statistics on its population, says Visiting Scholar Michael Harsch.
Whether or not you’ve been exposed to the virus, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts everyone’s sense of well-being. Three scholars in the field of global mental health look at the various ways loss, fear, anxiety—and on top of it, a massive global recession—weigh on the mental well-being of different groups. And they anticipate a surge in demand for mental health services as a result of the pandemic.
Japan’s experience with the pandemic shows that harsh restrictions are not necessarily the answer to containing the virus. Historian and faculty member Andrew Gordon sheds light on the political and cultural factors that allow for the country’s unique response.
The pandemic has shaken the island territory of Guam, creating insecurity not seen since World War II. Graduate Student Affiliate Kristin Oberiano explains how the US’s imperial relationship with Guam has made its citizens uniquely vulnerable to infection and food shortages during this crisis.
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