Humanities & Society

Hailed by some as the “end of race as we know it” and the beginning of a “post-racial” America, the 2008 election of Barack Obama sparked a measurable bump in feelings of political empowerment among black Americans. But those sentiments have faded considerably over the last year or so, according to a new analysis of political survey data, with the sharpest declines in perceived political power coming among blacks who identify themselves as conservatives or “born again” Christians.​

Two debates, three weeks. There’s not a whole of time or opportunity for the presidential candidates to reach undecided voters, adding weight to tomorrow’s debate. And as we’ve seen in the last two debates, it’s not so much what is being said as it is how the message is being delivered. That’s why President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney have a crucial meeting tomorrow night and experts at Washington University in St. Louis are ready to comment.

​On Thursday, October 18, New York Times Magazine chief political correspondent Matt Bai will deliver a talk on “ESPN-ing Politics: The Politics of Political Journalism.” The student organization Controversy ‘n Coffee is hosting the talk which begins at 7 p.m. in Simon Hall’s May Auditorium on the Washington University Danforth Campus.​

On Tuesday, Oct. 9, the inaugural Cabot Corporation – Xinsheng Zhang Lecture was held in Steinberg Auditorium. The Cabot Corporation-Xinsheng Zhang Lectureship Series was created in 2011 and offers the university community opportunities to learn about issues of global leadership, particularly in China.

On Wednesday, Oct. 17, Meriwether will be at WUSTL for a screening of American Meat and panel discussion featuring diverse opinions on the subject. The 82-minute film, introduced by Meriwether, will begin at 6 p.m. in Simon Hall May Auditorium; the panel will follow and conclude at 8:30 p.m.​​

Some Halloween news tips refuse to die, rising from the newsroom morgue each October with a stubborn resolve to once again help trick-or-treaters stay safe on Halloween night. Here’s three timely safety tips that remain very much undead.

Gail Hillebrand, JD, of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will visit the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis on Thursday, Oct. 25, as part of the Center for Social Development’s Financial Capability Lecture series. Hillebrand’s talk, “Financial Capability Across the Life Course: The Role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,” will focus on the financial issues of older adults. This lecture is in collaboration with the Freidman Center for Aging. It is free and open to the public.

The most vulnerable and marginalized groups in this country stand to lose the most in this campaign, says Jason Q. Purnell, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, and all the rhetoric directed at the middle class fails to take into account the very real struggles of the poor and the working class in this country. It’s one of the issues that is being overlooked as the presidential campaign heads into the home stretch with the election just four weeks away. “I do believe this election is a stark choice between a vision in which government has a constructive role to play in enhancing people’s life choices and one in which individuals are largely on their own,” he says.

The Sustainable Cities Conference, including a Land Lab Competition aimed at catalyzing innovative ideas for sustainability projects on St. Louis’ vacant lots, will be held Nov. 1-3. The aim of the conference will be to explore innovative ideas and strategies that advance a sustainable urban future. Featuring thought leaders from across the country, the gathering will address many areas that contribute to urban sustainability — including buildings, urban design, landscape, food and energy.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are inviting the world to take part in an online experiment that will allow participants to see how their individual scores on a face-name memory test compare with those of other test takers.