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Illinoisans to explore their African roots at free event
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois residents of African descent are invited to learn more about their heritage by engaging with the Illinois Family Roots Pilot Program. This community-based project uses DNA testing and genealogical research to help residents discover and reconnect with their African heritage. The IFRPP is one component of The African Kinship Reunion. The […]
Many displaced girls in Uganda trapped in cycles of sexual, physical violence
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Nearly 36% of forcibly displaced adolescent girls and young women living in urban informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda, reported that their first sexual experience was nonconsensual — which, for many, marked the beginning of a cycle of sexual and physical violence perpetrated by their intimate partners or other people, a recent study […]
Social identification with a team boosts fans’ social well-being
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Sport fans all know that rosy feeling of happiness when we hang out with others who support our favorite team. A new study conducted with sport consumers in the U.S. and the United Kingdom suggests that organizations that want to enhance their supporters’ health and well-being can achieve that by bolstering their […]
Digital divides harmed the nonprofit sector during the COVID-19 pandemic
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Many humanitarian organizations in the U.S. experienced multiple digital divides that disrupted routine operations and compromised their services to vulnerable refugee populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges not only elevated refugees’ health risks, they also jeopardized the nonprofit sector’s organizational resilience, researchers say in a new study. Communication professor Minkyung Kim […]
Study: Generative AI could be transformative in mental health care
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New work by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scholar harnesses the power of generative artificial intelligence, using it in tandem with measurement-based care and access-to-care models in a simulated case study, creating a novel framework that promotes personalized mental health treatment, addresses common access barriers and improves outcomes for diverse individuals. Social […]
Is unintentional bias changeable?
Psychology professor Benedek Kurdi proposes a fresh approach to confronting implicit, or unintentional, bias in diverse organizations. He speaks about the problems associated with efforts to “train” the bias out of people and offers practical guidelines for those hoping to establish a more inclusive, welcoming atmosphere in their organizations.
Misinformation/disinformation leads to US couples’ divorces, breakups
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Political misinformation or disinformation was the key reason for some U.S. couples’ recent divorces or romantic breakups, a new study found. Emily Van Duyn, a professor of communication at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, conducted in-depth interviews with 28 people who had recently ended a relationship with a partner whose political ideology did […]
Study explores messages that cultivate voter support for green space projects
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Celebrity endorsements are most persuasive with voters who are less engaged with environmental issues, while temporal messages explaining the tax implications of proposed referenda are more impactful with voters who believe conservation projects are important but are also concerned about how the tax increase will affect them, say the authors of a […]
New book casts anthropologist’s eye on European Court of Human Rights
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new book by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert examines the world’s premier human rights court as rule of law comes under threat. The book “Justice in the Balance: Democracy, Rule of Law, and the European Court of Human Rights” considers not just why the rule of law and human rights […]
Few military spouses use formal support services during, after deployment
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Cycles of deployment and reintegration can be stressful, disruptive times for military spouses and their families. Although the Department of Defense and its military communities offer a number of formal resources to help military spouses cope during these challenging periods, very few of those who participated in a recent study said they […]
Study: Some Chicago clubs use racist tactics to discourage Black patrons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Some urban nightclubs in Chicago may charge Black patrons more for drinks compared with white patrons or use other tactics to discourage their patronage, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Illinois sociology department head and professor Reuben A. Buford May investigated possible discriminatory practices in […]
Mandatory media literacy education in Illinois schools impaired by digital divides
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —Teachers and high school students live in vastly different media worlds, and that’s one of several digital divides that undermine the efficacy of state-mandated media literacy instruction in Illinois high schools, a recent study suggests. The researchers — doctoral fellow Sakshi Bhalla and Michelle Nelson, professor and head of advertising, both of the […]