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With Israel’s construction moratorium on Jewish settlements in the West Bank due to end this weekend, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are seeking a way to keep the peace talks going. But according to University of Notre Dame political scientist Michael Desch, these negotiations were over almost before they began.

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Ever meet a kindergartener who seemed naturally compassionate and cared about others’ feelings? Who was cooperative and didn’t demand his own way? Chances are, his parents held, carried, and cuddled him a lot; he most likely was breastfed; he probably routinely slept with his parents; and he likely was encouraged to play outdoors with other children, according to new research findings Notre Dame Psychology Professor Darcia F. Narvaez.

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The official poverty report the U.S. Census Bureau releases this week is expected to show that the number of Americans defined as poor in 2009 increased by 2 to 3 percentage points—the largest year-to-year increase of the past 50 years. But those figures don't tell the whole story, says University of Notre Dame economist James Sullivan.

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In recognition of the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic speech on the separation of church and state, the University of Notre Dame will present “Remind Me: Why Did Anyone Care if JFK was a Catholic?” on Sept. 10 (Friday) from 4 to 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the Hesburgh Center for International Studies. The presentation is free and open to the public.

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Notre Dame Assistant Psychology Professor Joshua Diehl is working to improve communication skills in children with autism, a diagnosis that impacts one out of every 100 children born in this country. “The signature characteristic for all children with autism is difficulty communicating,” Diehl says. “Many of the children desire to be social, but comprehension is a barrier for them. They don’t always understand social conventions or norms.”

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Research from University of Notre Dame Assistant Psychology Professor Jessica Payne shows that too little sleep causes more than crankiness and tantrums in children: it also results in the inability to process new ideas and be creative. “If children are deprived of adequate sleep, their brains are not as able to make the kinds of connections necessary for learning new ideas,” says Payne, whose research focuses on sleep, memory, and creativity.

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New research from the University of Notre Dame casts doubt on a long-held belief in economics that business uncertainty leads to quick drops in economic activity. Published recently by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a study by Notre Dame economist Eric Sims and colleagues from the University of Michigan and the University of Munich found no evidence that increases in uncertainty cause a wait-and-see effect, or slowing of economic activity.

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