French Transportation Strikes, Explained (0:31)

Guest: Charles Hankla, PhD, Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University

This is the first week in more than a month and a half that metros and trains are running normally in Paris. French transportation workers have been on strike since December 5th and are promising to “completely block” transport again on Friday. It’s the longest strike France has seen in decades and a major challenge to President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership. 

 

Will Hiding the Popularity of Instagram Posts Make Us Less Depressed? (18:04)

Guest: Ofir Turel, PhD, Professor of Information Systems, Cal State Fullerton

On Instagram, everyone can see how popular a post is by the number of “likes” it’s received and so far singer Billie Eilish is winning 2020. Her Hawaii vacation pictures from a few weeks ago have already racked up more than 12 million “likes.” But Instagram is experimenting with removing that running tally of “likes” on people’s posts. You’ll know how many people have liked your posts, but you won’t be able to see how many likes other people have scored for their posts. The hope, according to Instagram’s CEO, is to “create a less-pressurized environment” where people can focus on “expressing themselves.” Will it make Instagram less addictive or anxiety-provoking? 

 

Baltimore Museum of Art’s Plan to Get More Art By Women, People of Color on its Walls (34:20)

Guest: Christopher Bedford, Director, Baltimore Museum of Art

Recently on Top of Mind, we heard how art made by white men continues to dominate museum collections in the US, as well as new art acquired by major museums. The Baltimore Museum of Art has taken a dramatic stance toward addressing the gender gap in its collection: All of its acquisitions in 2020 will be from female artists and its exhibitions throughout the year will focus on women, too. 

 

Navigating the Unexpected Journey From Loved One to Caregiver (50:40)

Guest: Donna Thomson, caregiver, activist, author of “The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving” and Zachary White, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication, Queens University of Charlotte.

Some 40-million Americans have been the caregiver for an adult in the last year. Many of them are sandwiched between caring for their own children and an aging parent. And anyone who’s done it–even temporarily–knows how jarring caregiving is, how unprepared most of us feel for the physical and emotional toll of it. Zachary White felt that way when his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and he became her caregiver. Donna Thomson became a lifelong caregiver the day her son–who’s now an adult–was born with cerebral palsy.  Thomson and White have co-authored a new book called, “The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver.”

 

Being Hungry in College is Bad for Student Motivation and Grades. Here’s What Colleges Can Do to Help. (1:29:38)

Guest: Dan Collier, PhD, Researcher, WE Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

Eating ramen noodles on a tight budget is just a part of college life, isn’t it? National surveys find that nearly half of college students have reported some degree of food insecurity –which could mean not knowing where their next meal will come from; or could just mean they can’t afford the nutrients they need. Ramen isn’t exactly packed with vitamins.