
Psychiatrist Peter Kramer looks back—and always, around
Sigmund Freud could write about a broad range of subjects, from religion to politics. In this age of specialization, why has that changed? Kramer, a clinical professor emeritus at Brown University, tackles this topic in the Humanities Center Public Lecture Series.

Can Twitter ‘sockpuppets’ actually get you fired?
A Twitter spat ended up causing a science fiction writer to lose his job. Rochester political scientist Bethany Lacina used data science to show how the incident was in part fueled by bots and “sockpuppets.”

Game theorist Scott Tyson puzzles over what makes autocrats successful
A new assistant professor of political science, Tyson has been studying political accountability in nondemocratic environments where government officials are sanctioned by nonelectoral institutions.

Economics department benefits international students by gaining STEM classification
With a STEM-classified degree, economics students who are in the US on F-1 visas are eligible to work three years in the US and gain valuable experience in the workplace.

Horror films offer a psychological thrill ride
Jason Middleton, director of the Film and Media Studies Program and a student of horror films, talks about the paradox of horror—why people seek to be scared as entertainment.

Suicide risk in abused teen girls linked to mother-daughter conflict
Among adolescents who suffered abuse or neglect as children, not all entertain suicidal thoughts. So what can we learn about those who do? A Mt. Hope Family Center study shows a strong correlation between poor mother-daughter relationships and increased suicide risk in teenage girls.

Seward Family Digital Archive project tops $1 million in grant money
The project brings together students in the humanities and computer science and retired volunteers to help transcribe the thousands of Seward family letters written in Victorian-era cursive handwriting.

Former economics professor Paul Romer receives Nobel Prize
The former assistant professor of economics at the University of Rochester is currently a professor at New York University, and was recognized by the Nobel Committee for his work on the economics of technological change.

Fan hate takes aim at Star Wars diversity
In an analysis of thousands of tweets from Star Wars fans, associate professor of political science Bethany Lacina found that offensive language doubled and hate speech jumped by 60 percent when those tweets were directed at actress Kelly Marie Tran or her character Rose Tico, the first nonwhite female lead character in the franchise.

Mt. Hope Family Center receives $8 million grant to establish national center for child maltreatment studies
The new TRANSFORM Center will focus on research, policy, and training aimed at preventing child maltreatment.