Connecting Smith to Criminal justice Reform: Smith College Student’s Involvement in Criminal Justice Reform in MA

The aim of this initiative is to actively involve Smith College students and the Jandon Center in comprehensive and varied efforts to reform the criminal justice system in Massachusetts. My goal is to develop a deep understanding of the complex challenges within the system, especially focusing on addressing systemic injustices, advocating for humane treatment of those incarcerated, and creating paths for rehabilitation and societal reintegration. By building partnerships, fostering meaningful discussions, and encouraging tangible actions, this initiative aims to empower Smith College students to drive positive changes in criminal justice, both locally and across the state. Through direct involvement in existing programs, educational activities, research projects, and collaborative advocacy efforts, Smith students can contribute to creating a fairer, more equitable, and compassionate criminal justice system in Massachusetts

The Influence of Habitual Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Objective and Subjective Hot Flashes at Midlife

The years surrounding the transition to menopause are marked by multiple challenges to health. Hot flashes are a commonly reported symptom of women at this time and their frequency has been associated with disease risk. Regular physical activity and reduced sedentary time are recommended for health and wellbeing. However, the effect of physical activity and sedentary behavior on hot flashes remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate relationships between physical activity, sedentary time and hot flashes during both waking and sleeping periods using concurrent objective and subjective measures of hot flashes in midlife women. METHODS: Women aged 45-55 (n=196) provided self-reported data on physical activity and underwent 24-hours of hot flash monitoring using sternal skin conductance. Participants used event marking and logs to indicate when hot flashes were perceived. Wake and sleep periods were defined by actigraphy. Mean ambient temperature and humidity were recorded during the study period. Generalized linear regression modeling was used to evaluate the effect of physical activity types and sedentary time on hot flash outcomes. Isotemporal substitution modeling was used to study the effect of replacing sedentary time with activity variables on hot flash frequency. RESULTS: Modeled results indicated that increasing sitting by one hour was associated with a 7% increase in the rate of objectively measured but not subjectively reported hot flashes during sleep. Replacing one hour of sitting with one hour of vigorous activity was associated with a 100% increase in subjectively reported but not objectively measured waking hot flashes. There was little evidence for an effect of temperature or humidity on any hot flash outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide support for relations between sedentary time, physical activity and hot flashes and highlight the importance of using objective and subjective assessments to better understand the 24-hour hot flash experience

Enter Stage Left: Immigration and the American Arts

To what extent have immigrants contributed to the growth of the United States arts sector? In this paper, we explore the impact of immigration during the Age of Mass Migration on the development of the arts in the U.S. over the past century. In the short run, our results suggest that immigration helped produce greater numbers of native artists. Over a century later, the bene- fits to the arts persist. Counties with greater historical immigration house more arts businesses and nonprofit organizations that generate more revenue, employ a larger proportion of the community, and earn more federal arts grants. When considering potential mechanisms, our analysis suggests that greater interaction between the aggregate immigrant population and natives led to increased exposure to new arts experiences and ideas, creating arts markets that persisted in the long run. This channel is further supported by positive links between the presence of immigrants from certain countries of origin and the growth of art forms popular in those countries, and evidence of long-run benefits to the arts that cannot be attributed to higher income in a causal mediation analysis. Altogether, our results highlight the important role that immigrants played in the development of the arts in America

Authoritarian Learning

Authoritarian learning plays an increasingly important role in global processes of autocratization and democratic backsliding yet remains understudied and undertheorized. This chapter reviews conditions that elevate the role of authoritarian learning in the international system. It assesses the state of research with a focus on definitional debates concerning what authoritarian learning is and is not. In contrast to more restrictive definitions, the chapter presents an expansive definition of authoritarian learning as a process in which autocratic actors assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of ideas, rules, norms, and practices based on their observed utility. It argues that such processes are evident in both authoritarian and democratic regimes, and operate at the domestic, regional, and international levels. Turning to research horizons in the study of authoritarian learning, it advocates for comparative work that will shed light on specific mechanisms and causal pathways of authoritarian learning

Parenting and Generativity: Literature, Psychology, and Death of a Salesman

Book Abstract: This volume brings together experts in generativity and related fields to provide a compelling overview of contemporary research and theory on this topic. Generativity refers to a concern for - or acting towards - the benefit of future generations as a legacy of the self; it has implications for outcomes at the individual, relational and social, and broader societal levels. Understanding the role and expressions of generativity at various stages of our lives is important to our sense of well-being and purpose, and it impacts our parenting, caregiving, and social relationships, as well as having implications for our activities and experiences in the workforce, and in voluntary activities in our communities and the wider society. The chapters in this volume explore the meaning and impact of generativity across development and across life contexts and roles. They address generativity within a particular area or life domain, or period of the lifespan, and outline key methods and findings, as well as theoretical issues and applied implications. The volume represents the first comprehensive exploration of generativity from early to late adulthood; it offers a broad international perspective and will inform research into generativity across multiple cultures. Source: Publisherhttps://scholarworks.smith.edu/psy_books/1004/thumbnail.jp

Episode 12: First Engineering Class DC0304

This episode features four alums from the Class of 2004: Caitlyn Butler, Sarah Culver Davis, Nikki Radford, and Meghan Sheehy. They graduated in the first class of engineering students at Smith and they are about to celebrate their 20th Reunion

Dies Legibiles IV

Thank you for reading the fourth volume of Dies Legibiles! This year, the journal’s reach continued to grow; we received more than double the number of submissions than we did during the 2022–2023 academic year, including submissions from more than fifteen colleges and universities. In a time when public support and funding for the humanities is falling, it has been an incredible experience to see such strong enthusiasm for the field of Medieval Studies