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Articles 1 - 26 of 26
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Can In Vitro Meat Help To Fix What Cattle Ranching Has Broken?, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Can In Vitro Meat Help To Fix What Cattle Ranching Has Broken?, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
It is now clear that growing edible and delicious meat outside of an animal is not merely the stuff of science fiction. In vitro meat, aka cell-cultured meat, aka green meat, aka clean meat, has arrived. Regardless of how we want to brand it, our meat future could be slaughter-free if consumers express their support for it with their pocketbooks. There are many arguments that support this shift. Concerns about animal welfare are right out in front — our current system of industrial animal agriculture is terribly cruel and inhumane. There are also very compelling arguments related to environmental degradation …
Elephants Are People Too., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Elephants Are People Too., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
37 years ago, the daughter of a Pakistani dictator was gifted a 1-year-old Asian Elephant calf named Kaavan. Kaavan ended up in Marghazar Zoo, a run-down facility in Islamabad. He had one elephant companion; a female named Saheli. When Saheli died in 2012, Kavaan spent days in his enclosure with her dead body before she was finally removed. Elephants are known to experience grief in response to the death of their companions. Since then, Kaavan has spent all of his time apart from other elephants, earning him the nickname “the loneliest elephant.” He has spent much of his existence in …
Revisiting The Trail Of Tears: Tribal Control And Environmental Justice., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Revisiting The Trail Of Tears: Tribal Control And Environmental Justice., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
In early October 2020, the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt. The letter granted Stitt environmental regulatory control over all of the tribal lands in the state. Among other things, this gives Stitt the power to determine whether hazardous waste can be dumped on tribal lands, the ability to make decisions regarding whether and where fracking can take place, and the ability to determine if and where large-scale industrial animal agriculture, with all its attendant pollution, can operate in tribal jurisdictions.
Underwater Heritage? Raising Titanic’S Marconi Telegraph Device., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Underwater Heritage? Raising Titanic’S Marconi Telegraph Device., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
In the early morning hours of April 15th, 1912, the RMS Titanic, the “unsinkable” ship hit an iceberg and sunk. 1,500 passengers and crewmembers died. After the accident but before the ship sank, Jack Phillips, the chief telegraphist aboard, sent a series of distress calls on the vessel’s state-of-the art Marconi telegraph device. By these means, the Titanic was able to make contact with the Cunard liner Carpathia. Carpathia was able to save 700 of Titanic’s passengers, bringing them safely to a port in New York four days later. Many of these lives, if not all of them, would have …
Reintroducing The Gray Wolf., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Reintroducing The Gray Wolf., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
Earlier this month, the citizens of Colorado passed Proposition 114, a measure that reintroduces gray wolves into the local ecosystem. The measure involves a plan to reintegrate the wolves by the end of 2023. It passed with 50.4% of votes in support and 49.6% in opposition; it was quite controversial. Some citizens of Colorado view the proposal as a way to honor the promises we made when we passed the Endangered Species Act. Others are concerned about the potential threats posed by reintroducing a predator into the community.
The Continued Sage Of Education During Covid-19., Rachel Robinson-Greene
The Continued Sage Of Education During Covid-19., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
In early August, Davis County School District, just north of Salt Lake City, Utah, announced its intention to open K-12 schools face-to-face. All of the students who did not opt for an online alternative would be present. There would be no mandatory social distancing because the schools simply aren’t large enough to allow for it. Masks would be encouraged but not required. There was significant pushback to this decision. Shortly thereafter the district announced a new hybrid model. On this model, students are divided into two groups. Each group attends school two days a week on alternating days. Fridays are …
Law And Order, Human Nature, And Substantive Justice., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Law And Order, Human Nature, And Substantive Justice., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
For many, the end of this week marks the passage of a six-month period of American history characterized by throbbing dystopian existential dread. The pandemic has been the score to a dark production that, when the spotlight was hot, turned out to be a series of character studies that no one asked for nor were particularly interested in watching. With hundreds of thousands dead and millions more left with lives permanently affected by the virus, the richest among us have become much richer not just during the pandemic, but because of it, and many who were thriving at the start …
Essential Work, Education, And Human Values, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Essential Work, Education, And Human Values, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
On August 21st, the White House released guidance that designated teachers as “essential workers.” One of the things that this means is that teachers can return to work even if they know they’ve been exposed to the virus, provided that they remain asymptomatic. This is not the first time that the Trump administration has declared certain workers or, more accurately, certain work to be essential. Early in the pandemic, as the country experienced decline in the availability of meat, President Trump issued an executive order proclaiming that slaughterhouses were essential businesses. The result was that they did not have to …
Reflections Of A Teacher During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Reflections Of A Teacher During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
If each month of our collective coronavirus experience were given a theme, the appropriate theme for August might be education, and all of the benefits and challenges that come along with trying to facilitate learning in both children and adults during the pandemic. We all take on many roles, and if you’re like me, you’ve found that certain roles have been amplified and underscored, they’ve become not just descriptive but definitional. In pandemic conditions, one or two roles stand out as necessary rather than contingent features of our personal identities. In my own case, my role as teacher and mentor …
Under Discussion: Free Speech, Cancel Culture, And Compassion, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Under Discussion: Free Speech, Cancel Culture, And Compassion, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
In July, 2020, Harper’s Magazine published a letter signed by 153 prominent authors and thinkers. Signatories included figures such as Noam Chomsky, Gloria Steinem, and J.K. Rowling. Their main contention was that an “illiberal left” has emerged in recent political discourse — a left that allows no room for divergent points of view and that deals with “wrongdoers” swiftly and mercilessly.
The Moral Challenges Of Opening Up Schools During The Pandemic, Rachel Robinson-Greene
The Moral Challenges Of Opening Up Schools During The Pandemic, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
As we inch ever closer to August, the question of if and how schools will open in the fall is increasingly pressing on everyone’s minds. Many decisions related to COVID-19 are presented as morally controversial when they really shouldn’t be. The issue of opening the schools, on the other hand, is complex. No matter what decision is made, some individuals and groups will experience significant hardship.
Covid-19 And Systemic Racism, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Covid-19 And Systemic Racism, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
As more information about COVID-19 and its effects comes to light, it is clear that the impacts of the disease are not the same everywhere or for everyone. Some communities are hit harder than others. In many cases, COVID-19 hot spots highlight systemic problems that existed before “coronavirus” was a household word. The public action that a society takes when things get rough reflects its values, in this case, its judgments about who and what is really important. Unsurprisingly, the circumstances of marginalized groups are not sufficiently taken into account in the construction of social programs and systems. When these …
The Moral Pitfalls Of Color-Coded Coronavirus Warning Systems, Rachel Robinson-Greene
The Moral Pitfalls Of Color-Coded Coronavirus Warning Systems, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
As states around the country ease lockdown restrictions, some are putting into place systems advising people about threat levels. In some states, these are color-coded systems that strongly resemble the Homeland Security Advisory system, put into place by George W. Bush to inform people about the risk of threats from terrorism after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Reviewing Family Communication Scholarship: Toward A Framework For Conceptualizing A Communicative Perspective On Family Identity, Kaitlin E. Phillips, Jordan Soliz
Reviewing Family Communication Scholarship: Toward A Framework For Conceptualizing A Communicative Perspective On Family Identity, Kaitlin E. Phillips, Jordan Soliz
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
In this manuscript we review multiple approaches to family communication research, and provide directions for future research as they relate to family culture. Specifically, we review family communication research that is either explicitly or implicitly tied to family culture. Given the importance of families and understanding the first social group that individuals often belong to, it is necessary to synthesize programs of research related to family culture. Thus, in order to further the progression of family research we provide an overview of where current research on family communication converges, present additional factors for family scholars to include in their work, …
The Quandary Of Contact Tracing Tech, Rachel Robinson-Greene
The Quandary Of Contact Tracing Tech, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
All over the country, states are re-opening their economies. This is happening in defiance of recommendations from experts in infectious disease, which suggest that states only re-open after they have seen a fourteen-day decline in cases, have capacities to contact trace, have sufficient personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and have sufficient testing capabilities to identify hotspots and deal with problems when they arise.
Stories Of Vulnerability:Coivd-19 In Slaughterhouses, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Stories Of Vulnerability:Coivd-19 In Slaughterhouses, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
Cases of famous people who have contracted COVID-19 have made headlines. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tested positive and later recovered. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson wound up in intensive care. Many professional athletes have contracted the disease. More often than not, however, when we zoom in on coronavirus hotspots, we find that stories about vulnerability come into focus. Many of these stories go unheard unless they cause hardship or inconvenience for groups with more power.
Time For A Paradigm Shift: Covid-19 And Human Consumption, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Time For A Paradigm Shift: Covid-19 And Human Consumption, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
There is much that we still don’t know about COVID-19. To attain a more adequate understanding of the virus, we need to know where it originated and how it passes from one being to another. To control the outbreak and to reduce the likelihood that this will happen with great frequency in the future, it’s important that it’s not only scientists and medical professionals who have this knowledge. The general public needs to understand how human action contributes to tragedies of this magnitude. After all, this pandemic is just one plot line in a much longer and more complicated story …
Solitary Confinement And Covid-19, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Solitary Confinement And Covid-19, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
On March 28th, 2020, Patrick Jones became the first person incarcerated in federal prison to die of coronavirus. At the time of his death, Jones had served 12 years of his 27-year sentence for a non-violent drug charge. He was working hard on appeals, hoping to get out early to live a different kind of life with his children. The spread of coronavirus in prison made that dream an impossibility. Since Jones’s death, four other inmates died of COVID-19 at the institution in Louisiana at which he was being held.
Moral Luck, Universalization, And Covid-19, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Moral Luck, Universalization, And Covid-19, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
All over the country, people are making headlines for violating shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. Motivations for this behavior are diverse; some fail to recognize the gravity of the situation, some acknowledge that COVID-19 is bad, but doubt that it is a threat to them personally, others, despite a lack of expertise in infectious disease, trust their gut instincts more than they trust the opinions of experts. Some people who defiantly resist orders insist that they are doing so to protect their constitutional rights. People are hosting parties, attending church services, and engaging in life-as-usual activity. Those who have been sheltering …
Re-Thinking Mass Incarceration: Covid-19 In Jails And Prisons, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Re-Thinking Mass Incarceration: Covid-19 In Jails And Prisons, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
More people per capita are incarcerated in the United States than in any other country in the world—698 out of every 100,000 people are currently incarcerated. Many jails and prisons in the United States are overcrowded. This means that the number of people they have detained exceeds their safe carrying capacity both in terms of space and resources. As the COVID-19 threat intensifies, people across the planet are being strongly encouraged, and in some cases ordered, to stay at home and to practice social distancing. This advice is impossible to follow in a jail or a prison, especially one that …
The Case Of Gabriel Fernandez: Social Work And Public Responsibility, Rachel Robinson-Greene
The Case Of Gabriel Fernandez: Social Work And Public Responsibility, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
Recently, Netflix released a documentary series called The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, which has become one of the most watched series on the platform. The documentary explores the death of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who was, over the course of a number of months, tortured and beaten to death by his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauru Aguirre. Gabriel died in 2013.
Ethical Messages At The Academy Awards, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Ethical Messages At The Academy Awards, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
During the Academy Awards this year, many artists, as they often do, took the opportunity to advocate for various social, ethical, and political positions. Perhaps the most noteworthy instance occurred during Joaquin Pheonix’s acceptance speech for best actor for his performance in the movie Joker. At its heart, Joker is a movie about marginalized and underserved groups. It uses an only nominally comic book vehicle to drive a narrative about poverty, mental illness, and political and social responsibility. It is not surprising, then, that Pheonix, a famous lifelong vegan, took a brief moment to talk about a marginalized group that …
The Good Place And The Good Life, Rachel Robinson-Greene
The Good Place And The Good Life, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
Students all across the country have recently found new motivation to be interested in philosophy—NBC’s The Good Place, which aired its final episode on January 30, 2020. The series explicitly engages with philosophy through the storyline of one of the central characters—Chidi Adagonye—who was, in life, a philosophy professor. In the afterlife, Chidi teaches ethics to a group of wayward souls who, as the show progresses, become the best of friends. Chidi provides a useful narrative vehicle for direct discussion of philosophy. Even in the absence of Chidi’s philosophical explanations, the show is inherently philosophical. It demonstrates that, rather than …
University Divestment From Fossil Fuels, Rachel Robinson-Greene
University Divestment From Fossil Fuels, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
This month, tenured McGill University Philosophy professor Gregory Mikkelson resigned from his position. Mikkelson explained that he could no longer work for an institution that professes a commitment to a reduction to its carbon footprint, all the while continuing to invest in fossil fuels. Mikkelson argued further that the university board’s continued refusal to divest from fossil fuels is in opposition to the democratic mandate in favor of divestment that has developed across the campus.
Can Spiritual Needs Be Met By Robots?, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Can Spiritual Needs Be Met By Robots?, Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
Visitors to the 400-year old Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto, Japan can now listen to a sermon from an unusual priest—Mindar—a robot designed to resemble Kannon, the Buddhist deity of mercy. In a country in which religious affiliation is on the decline, the hope is that this million-dollar robot will do some work toward reinvigorating the faith.
Resurrecting James Dean: The Ethics Of Cgi Casting., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Resurrecting James Dean: The Ethics Of Cgi Casting., Rachel Robinson-Greene
Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications
James Dean, iconic star of Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant died in a tragic car accident in 1955 at the age of 24. Nevertheless, Dean fans may soon see him in a new role—as a supporting character in the upcoming Vietnam-era film Finding Jack.