Our Experts in the News: May 2023

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  1. Leaders discuss what’s at stake in debt limit resolution

    The church doesn’t have “an official magisterial position on something as specific as the debt ceiling,” said Joseph Kaboski, professor of economics at the University of Notre Dame and president of the Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization (CREDO). 

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  2. Can forgetting your child in the car happen to just about anyone? – study

    “When you talk about the forgotten baby scenarios, people often make assumptions about who forgets their babies, who the caregivers are,” co-author Nathan Rose said. “And there’s no evidence to support the idea that men are more likely to commit this kind of error than women, or vice versa.” 

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  3. Under surveillance, government pressure, China needs prayers, observers say

    Since he took office 10 years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping has worked to centralize power around himself, said Karrie J. Koesel, associate professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Xi has worked for "greater control over civil society," which includes religion, Koesel told OSV News.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  4. Does God exist? Only half of Americans say a definite yes

    But the rise in nonreligious Americans is too steep to be fully explained “in terms of generational replacement; that is, religious old people dying and secular young people taking their place,” said David Campbell, the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame. Campbell and other scholars suspect many Americans are simply becoming more open about rejecting religion, an admission once clouded in stigma.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  5. Experts weigh AI concerns amid regulation discussions

    “We definitely need regulation, we needed it yesterday, if not five years ago, because this is all getting away from us too quickly, and the real problem here is that there’s nobody in governments, who’s really tasked with understanding the powerful ability to use AI as a weapon,” said Dr. Lisa Schirch, Professor of the Practice at the Keough School of Global Affairs. Fellow Notre Dame Professor Dr. John Behrens also has concerns – especially when it comes to people using this technology inappropriately. "Now, it’s something that anybody can just download, or get access to, and start using, and that’s really going to cause some problems and that’s an area for concern for sure, and it might be an area for regulation,” said Dr. John Behrens, Notre Dame Director of College Technology Initiatives.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  6. Survey reveals majority of Americans 'seldom' or 'never' attend religious services

    "One of the meta trends in the American religious landscape over the last 20 — even 30 — years has been the precipitous decline in religious affiliation and a decline in other indications of religiosity," said David Campbell, the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. 

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  7. Market Adjustment and Foreign Policy Failure

    Notre Dame associate professor Eugene Gholz discusses U.S. strategy, the low costs of neutrality in war, global oil markets and why the U.S. does too much militarily in the Middle East. He also advises a “defensive defense” strategy in East Asia, the ineffectiveness and overuse of economic sanctions, and decoupling from China.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  8. ‘I got a check the other day for $8’: TV and film writers share why they’re on strike

    Hollywood is a Wild West of work contracts. “It’s basically a freelance industry,” says Christine Becker, professor at the University of Notre Dame’s department of film, television and theatre. “You go from job to job,” and each contract can look different from writer to writer depending on their experience, for instance.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  9. Groundbreaking ceremony held for Foundry Field in South Bend

    “Man, it feels great,” said Clinton Carlson, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame. “The best part about it is seeing the community come out. The Boys & Girls Club were here yesterday. They got to sign posters that the kids made of these men that played on the Foundry Giants. We had Riley High School here yesterday helping paint all the murals and everything. And then to have family members — the Poindexters were here. A family that didn’t know their grandpa played baseball and he’s a key member of our community. He contributed by his labor at Studebaker and as a longtime sheriff’s deputy for our community.”

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  10. Trump is accused in court of rape. Will it matter in 2024?

    “At this point, the American people have a pretty good sense of Donald Trump’s character, so it is unlikely that the Carroll trial will change many voters’ minds,” said Christina Wolbrecht, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame who studies politics and gender.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  11. Tucker Carlson Reveals He Was 'Excited' by Obama's Presidency

    Robert Schmuhl, a professor emeritus in American studies and journalism at the University of Notre Dame, told Newsweek that for "Tucker Carlson to talk about race as he did in his recent speech just pours gasoline on a fire he started."

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  12. Writers’ strike set to hit TV, movies hard: What you need to know

    “The extent to which everything is moving over to streaming and with cord cutting, this is not just for the life of the next three years of this next contract, but almost generations-worth of labor in Hollywood is going to be affected by what happens with this deal,” said Christine Becker, an associate professor in University of Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television and Theatre.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  13. Kids Need to Know Their Math Facts. What Schools Can Do to Help

    Whether students are building their fact fluency with flashcards, worksheets, dice games, or other common tools, there’s a tendency to try to do too much at once, cautions Nicole McNeil, a professor of psychology and the director of lab on cognition, learning, and development at the University of Notre Dame.

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.

  14. The conservative campaign to rewrite child labor laws

    “The reason these rather unpopular policies succeed is because they come in under the radar screen,” said David Campbell, professor of American democracy at the University of Notre Dame. 

    Originally published at news.nd.edu.