USC Dornsife in the News Archive - 2017 December December 22, 2017 The Washington Post quoted Jane Junn, professor of political science and gender studies, about the changing demographics of the Democratic and Republican parties. KCRW-FM interviewed Steven Ross, professor of history, about his recent book, "Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America." December 21, 2017 NPR quoted Arun Hendi of USC Dornsife's Center for Economic and Social Research about the possible trend of declining life expectancy for Americans that may be developing. The New York Times' "California Today" newsletter quoted William Deverell, professor of history, about the racist legacy of California's first governor. NPR quoted Jody Agius Vallejo, associate professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity, about the fluid racial and ethnic identities among Hispanics and Latinos. Vice quoted Heather Berg, lecturer of gender studies, about the historical use of the word "femme." The Huffington Post cited comments by Stanley Rosen, professor of political science, on why Disney's animated film "Coco" appeals to Chinese audiences. The San Jose Mercury News mentioned results from a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll about the upcoming Senate race in California. Springfield Republican noted research by Moh El-Naggar, Robert D. Beyer (‘81) Early Career Chair in Natural Sciences and associate professor of physics, biological sciences, and chemistry, graduate student Yamini Jangir and postdoctoral scholar Annette Rowe about recent microbe discoveries. December 20, 2017 The Washington Post quoted Thomas Ward, associate professor (teaching) of anthropology, about the roots of the MS-13 gang. The Wrap quoted Stanley Rosen, professor of political science, on why Disney's animated film "Coco" appeals to Chinese audiences. The Scientist quoted David McKemy, associate professor of biological sciences, about a study that found hibernating mammals sense cold differently than non-hibernating mammals. December 19, 2017 Forbes cited research by Wendy Wood, Provost Professor of Psychology and Business, on how habits compose 40 percent of an individual's daily activity. Deadline Hollywood noted a short documentary produced by USC Shoah Foundation and The New York Times' Op-Docs is on the Oscar shortlist. December 18, 2017 The Wall Street Journal reviewed a new book by Steven Ross, professor of history, "Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America." The review notes Ross' story highlights efforts by Hollywood studios to surreptitiously fight against the rise of Nazism. "So, yes, Hollywood moguls did not speak out publicly against Nazi Germany, but Mr. Ross’s and Ms. Rosenzweig’s books show that they did take vigorous action against the Nazi threat," the reviewer wrote. December 15, 2017 Indian Express published an op-ed by Simone Schaner of the Center for Economic and Social Research and a colleague on the gender gap in mobile phone usage across India. December 14, 2017 New York Magazine's "The Cut" published a Q&A with Jonas Kaplan of USC Dornsife's Brain and Creativity Institute on why people become defensive when their deeply held views are attacked. "One thing we can say is that, because we know that there’s a culture element to this, that we can influence each other. A change that comes from within our own social group will be more likely to influence us," Kaplan said. USA Today quoted Karen Tongson, associate professor of English, gender studies and American studies and ethnicity, about the societal standards the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" addressed when it was composed. December 13, 2017 The Washington Post quoted Robert Shrum, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, about what the Alabama Senate election may mean for the national Democratic party. Los Angeles Times quoted Mark Whitlock, executive director of the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, on why the Johnson Amendment should be repealed. NPR San Diego affiliate KPBS-FM cited research by Assal Habibi of USC Dornsife's Brain and Creativity Institute and colleagues that found musical training can thicken the brain's auditory cortex and support the growth of white matter, which carries signals through the brain. December 12, 2017 Vox cited comments by Jonas Kaplan of USC Dornsife's Brain and Creativity Institute on why people become defensive when their deeply held views are attacked. The Huffington Post published an article on an exhibition by Enrique Martinez Celaya, USC Provost Professor of Humanities and Arts, at a gallery in Miami. December 11, 2017 The Washington Post published commentary by Benjamin Graham, assistant professor of international relations, and a colleague on the likely downfall of bitcoin. "Our analysis suggests that either bitcoin remains volatile and investors eventually walk away — or bitcoin stabilizes and becomes widely popular, only to die a slow, painful death by a thousand regulatory cuts across a hundred political jurisdictions," they wrote. C-SPAN's "Book TV" interviewed Steven Ross, professor of history, about his book, "Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America." CBC Radio Canada quoted Steven Ross, professor of history, about his expectations for acceptance speeches for entertainment awards. Los Angeles Times mentioned results from a recent USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll about the California gubernatorial race (second story here). The Orange County Register cited comments by Manuel Pastor of USC Dornsife's Program for Environmental and Regional Equity about California's inequality gap. Reader's Digest noted research by Bruce Herring, assistant professor of biological sciences, graduate students Anastasiia Sadybekov and Chen Tian and colleagues on the identification of a genetic "hotspot" for autism-related mutations. The Kansas City Star cited research by Christian Grose, associate professor of political science, and Bonnie Reiss of USC Price School's Schwarzenegger Institute and colleagues on how independent voters will impact future elections. December 8, 2017 BrainPickings featured Clifford Johnson, professor of physics and astronomy, and his new graphic novel, "The Dialogues: Conversations about the Nature of the Universe," which he wrote and illustrated. The book review noted the diversity of the book's characters and calls Johnson's approach a "celebration of the poetics of curiosity, serenading the most elemental core of being human — that is, of being creatures born to wonder about the universe, our place in it, and what it all means." The Canadian Press (Canada) mentioned a partnership between USC Shoah Foundation and the USC Institute for Creative Technologies to record the stories of Holocaust survivors that allow audiences to interact and ask questions of the survivors. December 7, 2017 Long Beach Post quoted Linda Chilton of USC Dornsife's Sea Grant program about the importance of teaching children about sustainable seafood and nutrition. December 6, 2017 The Washington Post published commentary by Pablo Barberá-Aranguena, assistant professor of international relations, and colleagues on how media saturation can impact the functionality of a democracy. The authors focus on the prevalence of hate speech and extreme ideas on social media, and whether regulation would exacerbate the issue. "Democracies must be aware that any attempt to regulate the Internet may veer dangerously close to the censorship they deride in autocracies," they wrote. December 4, 2017 The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on the USC Young Researchers Program, which was started by USC graduate students and is targeted at low-income students. Each summer, 15 local students are paired with Ph.D. candidates to conduct research and attend workshops on applying for college and securing financial aid. "By the end of the summer, they’re able to explain all the science they’ve done really well. That confidence they gain really helps spur them on to get a four-year degree," said Erin McParland, the program's coordinator and a biological sciences graduate student. Pacific Standard featured research by Craig Stanford, professor of biological sciences and anthropology, about the omnivorous diets of chimpanzees. Prior to a few years ago, the majority of researchers believed chimps were vegan. Stanford found "meat eating has much to do with the social and political aspects of the hunt and not simply the consumption of nutrients and calories." His new book, "The New Chimpanzee: A Twenty-First-Century Portrait of Our Closest Kin," highlights clear connections between chimp behavior and human society. KPCC-FM interviewed Ann Owens, assistant professor of sociology and spatial sciences, about the racially isolated schools in Los Angeles County. BBC interviewed Kate Flint, Provost Professor of Art History and English, about her new book, "Flash!: Photography, Writing, & Surprising Illumination." The Orange County Register quoted Manuel Pastor of USC Dornsife's Program for Environmental and Regional Equity about the education, income and opportunity gaps for minorities in California. December 1, 2017 The Guardian (UK) quoted William Deverell, professor of history, on how Meghan Markle will represent California values on the world stage when she joins the British royal family. Los Angeles Times cited results from the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll on the upcoming gubernatorial race in California. November November 30, 2017 KCRW-FM interviewed Steven