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Sugar addiction is on the rise. Globally, sugar intake has quadrupled over the last 60 years, and it now makes up around 8% of all our calories.

This sounds like sugar’s keeping us fed, but added sugars are actually empty calories – they are bereft of any nutrients like vitamins or fibres. The result is massive health costs, with sugars linked to obesity around the world. Some estimates suggest that half the global population could be obese by 2035.

A limited 20% reduction in sugar is estimated to save US$10.3 billion (£8.1 billion) of health costs in the US alone. Yet, sugar’s impacts go far beyond just health and money.

There are also many environmental problems from growing the sugar, like habitat and biodiversity loss and water pollution from fertilisers and mills. But overall, sugar hasn’t received a lot of attention from the scientific community despite being the largest cultivated crop by mass on the planet.

In a recent article, we evaluated sugar’s environmental impacts and explored avenues for reducing sugar in the diet to recommended levels either through reducing production or using the saved sugar in environmentally beneficial ways.

By phasing out sugar, we could spare land that could be rewilded and stock up on carbon. This is especially important in biodiverse tropical regions where sugar production is concentrated such as Brazil and India. But a different, more politically palatable option might be redirecting sugar away from diets to other environmentally-beneficial uses such as bioplastics or biofuels.

Sugar consumption is rising and that’s an environmental issue as well as a public health concern.
hxdbzxy/Shutterstock

Our study shows that the biggest opportunity is using sugar to feed microbes that make protein. Using saved sugar for this microbial protein could produce enough plant-based, protein-rich food products to regularly feed 521 million people. And if this replaced animal protein it could also have huge emission and water benefits.

We estimate that if this protein replaced chicken, it could reduce emissions by almost 250 million tonnes, and we’d see even bigger savings for replacing beef (for reference, the UK’s national fossil fuel emissions are around 300 million tonnes). Given sugar has a far lower climate impact than meat, this makes a lot of sense.

Another alternative is to use the redirected sugar to produce bioplastics, which would replace around 20% of the total market for polyethelyne, one of the most common forms of plastic and used to produce anything from packaging to pipes. Or to produce biofuels, producing around 198 million barrels of ethanol for transportation.

Brazil already produces around 85% of the world’s ethanol and they produce it from sugar, but instead of having to grow more sugar for ethanol we could redirect the sugar from diets instead. This estimation is based on a world where we reduce dietary sugar to the maximum in dietary recommendations (5% of daily calories). The benefits would be even larger if we reduced sugar consumption even further.

Supply chain challenges

This sounds like a big win-win: cut sugar to reduce obesity and help the environment. But these changes present a huge challenge in a sugar supply chain spanning more than 100 countries and the millions of people that depend on sugar’s income.

National policies like sugar taxes are vital, but having international coordination is also important in such a sprawling supply chain. Sustainable agriculture is being discussed at the UN’s climate summit, Cop29, in Azerbaijan this week. Sustainable sugar production should factor into these global talks given the many environmental problems and opportunities from changing the way we grow and consume sugar.

We also suggest that groups of countries could come together in sugar transition partnerships between producers and consumers that encourage a diversion of sugar away from peoples’ diets to more beneficial uses. This could be coordinated by the World Health Organization which has called for a reduction in sugar consumption. Some of the money to fund these efforts could even come from part of the health savings in national budgets.

We can’t hope to transition the way we produce and eat sugar overnight. But by exploring other uses of sugar, we can highlight what environmental benefits we are missing out on and help policymakers map a resource-efficient path forward to the industry while improving public health.

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Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock recently warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is facilitating crime on an “industrial scale” using deepfakes, voice simulation and phony documents.

Police around the world are also turning to AI tools such as facial recognition, automated licence plate readers, gunshot detection systems, social media analysis and even police robots. AI use by lawyers is similarly “skyrocketing” as judges adopt new guidelines for using AI.

While AI promises to transform criminal justice by increasing operational efficiency and improving public safety, it also comes with risks related to privacy, accountability, fairness and human rights.

Concerns about AI bias and discrimination are well documented. Without safeguards, AI risks undermining the very principles of truth, fairness, and accountability that our justice system depends on.

In a recent report from the University of British Columbia’s School of Law, Artificial Intelligence & Criminal Justice: A Primer, we highlighted the myriad ways AI is already impacting people in the criminal justice system. Here are a few examples that reveal the significance of this evolving phenomenon.

The promises and perils of police using AI

In 2020, an investigation by The New York Times exposed the sweeping reach of Clearview AI, an American company that had built a facial recognition database using more than three billion images scraped from the internet, including social media, without users’ consent.

Policing agencies worldwide that used the program, including several in Canada, faced public backlash. Regulators in multiple countries found the company had violated privacy laws. It was asked to cease operations in Canada.

Clearview AI continues to operate, citing success stories of helping to exonerate a wrongfully convicted person by identifying a witness at a crime scene; identifying someone who exploited a child, which led to their rescue; and even detecting potential Russian soldiers seeking to infiltrate Ukrainian checkpoints.

A notice by the Metropolitan Police in London, England on police facial recognition activities in May 2023.
(Shutterstock)

There are longstanding and persistent concerns, however, that facial recognition is prone to false positives and other errors, particularly when it comes to identifying Black and other racialized people, exacerbating systemic racism, bias and discrimination.

Some law enforcement agencies in Canada that were caught up in the Clearview AI controversy have since responded with new measures, such as the Toronto Police Service’s policies on AI use and the RCMP’s transparency program.

Others, however, like the Vancouver Police Department, promised to develop policies but haven’t, while at the same time seeking access to city traffic camera footage.

The regulation of police uses of AI is a pressing concern if we are to safely navigate the promise and perils of AI use.

Deepfake evidence in court

Another area where AI is presenting challenges in the criminal justice system is deepfake evidence, including AI-generated documents, audio, photos, and videos.

The phenomenon has already led to cases where one party alleges that the other party’s evidence is a deepfake, casting doubt on it, even if it’s legitimate. This has been dubbed the “liar’s dividend.”

A high-profile example of allegations involving deepfake evidence arose in the case of Joshua Doolin, who faced charges related to the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol for which he was ultimately convicted. Doolin’s attorney contended that prosecutors should be required to authenticate video evidence sourced from YouTube, raising concerns about the potential use of deepfakes.

Jurors could be especially prone to doubts about potential deepfakes given high-profile deepfake incidents involving celebrities or their own use of AI technologies.

Judges are also sounding the alarm about the challenges of detecting increasingly sophisticated deepfake evidence admitted in court. There are concerns that a wrongful conviction or acquittal could result.

I’ve personally heard from a number of legal practitioners, including judges and lawyers, that they are struggling to address this issue. It is a frequent subject at legal seminars and judicial training events. Until we have a clear statement from appellate courts on the matter, legal uncertainty will remain.

Risk assessment algorithms

Imagine an AI algorithm that you couldn’t understand deemed you a flight risk or at high risk to re-offend, and that information was used by a judge or parole board to deny your release from custody. This dystopian reality isn’t a fiction but a reality in many parts of the world.

Automated algorithmic decision-making is already being used in various countries for decisions on access to government benefits and housing, assessing domestic violence risk, making immigration determinations and a host of criminal justice applications from bail decisions to sentencing to prison classification to parole outcomes.

People impacted by these algorithms typically fail to gain access to their underlying proprietary software. Even if they could, they are often “black boxes” that are impossible to penetrate.

Even worse, research into some algorithms has found serious concerns about racial bias. A key reason for this problem is that AI models are trained on data from societies that are already embedded with systemic racism. “Garbage in, garbage out” is a commonly used adage to explain this.

Research into some algorithms has found serious concerns about [racial bias.
(Shutterstock)

Fostering innovation while safeguarding justice

The need for legal and ethical AI in high-risk situations pertaining to criminal justice is paramount. There is undoubtedly a need for new laws, regulations and policies specifically designed to address these challenges.

The European Union’s AI Act bans AI for uses such as untargeted scraping images off the internet or CCTV, real-time remote biometric identification in public (with limited exceptions), and assessing recidivism risk based solely on profiling or personality traits.

Canada’s laws have not kept pace, and those that have been proposed have challenges. At the federal level, Bill C-27 (which includes an Artificial Intelligence and Data Act) has been stuck in committee for over a year, and it is unlikely to be adopted by this Parliament.

Ontario’s proposed AI legislation, Bill 194, would exempt police from its application and fails to include provisions on ensuring respect for human rights.

Canada should vigorously enforce existing laws and policies that already apply to AI use by public authorities. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes numerous fundamental freedoms, legal rights and equality protections that bear directly on these issues. Likewise, privacy legislation, human rights legislation, consumer protection legislation and tort law all set important standards for AI use.

The potential impact of AI on people in the criminal justice system is immense. Without thoughtful and rigorous oversight, it risks undermining public confidence in the justice system and perpetuating existing problems with real human consequences.

Fortunately, Canada has not yet gone as far down the road of widespread AI adoption in criminal justice as other countries. We still have time to get ahead of it. Policymakers, courts and civil society must act swiftly to ensure that AI serves justice rather than undermines it. Läs mer…

Where would you like to be when you die? Seven out of eight people in Canada would choose to pass away at home where they and their loved ones would be more comfortable.

And yet 56 per cent of people in Canada actually die in hospitals.

If dying at home could be made more feasible and well resourced, both the dying and the living would benefit.

First and foremost, it would be more peaceful and consistent with what we value. A community-based palliative approach keeps our values, goals and dignity at the core of care.

Secondly, whether you’re in an early, middle or late stage of life, staying in hospital is extremely expensive. A single bed in a Canadian hospital costs about $1 million a year to operate, so we have to use each one judiciously.

Finally, we could help reduce health care’s massive environmental impact. If health care were a country, it would be the fifth-largest producer of carbon emissions in the world, responsible for 4.4 per cent of the global total.

The high cost of hospitals

Health care is responsible for 4.4 per cent of the global carbon emissions.
(Sergeant, Ly, Kandasamy, Anand, de Souza), CC BY

An article my colleagues and I wrote for The Lancet points out that providing end-of-life care in a community setting, such as home care, uses much less greenhouse gas. Hospitals draw disproportionate amounts of energy for ventilation, heating and equipment, and they use more disposable supplies.

One patient’s day of hospital care generates an estimated 30 kilograms of greenhouse gas, compared to eight kilograms for long-term care and just two kilograms for home care.

Almost all of us need to spend some time in a hospital at some point in life, whether it’s when we’re born, giving birth or being treated for an injury or illness. By far, though, the greatest amount of time most of us spend in hospital is in the last year of our lives, whether that time comes in our 40s or our 90s.

The medicalization of death

Providing end-of-life care in a community setting, such as home care, uses much less green house gas than hospital care.
(Shutterstock)

A typical person’s use of the medical system rises very gradually with age, but in the final few months, it increases rapidly as we turn to the hospital system and the resources that come with it.

This reflects what some refer to as the “medicalization of death.” A palliative medicine physician in the United Kingdom, Dr. Libby Sallnow, has summarized this succinctly:

“How people die has changed dramatically over the past 60 years, from a family event with occasional medical support, to a medical event with limited family support.”

Certainly, those who need complex pain management or other special care should receive it in the setting that best suits their needs, which is often a hospital.
But of all the people in a typical Canadian hospital — and we are not alone in this situation — about one in six are not even benefiting from being there.

In my own practice, which includes working in a complex care facility in Hamilton, Ont., there are typically many patients who have been medically approved for an alternative level of care, or ALC, meaning they could return home or be placed in a long-term care facility.

And yet, even though most patients would rather spend their final days at home, we have difficulty sending them there, because there aren’t enough community care resources to care for them at home.

Care at home

Important components of home care include: an integrated team, proactive care, management of physical symptoms and caring and compassionate providers.
(Shutterstock)

We need dedicated home-care teams that can provide care in line with patient wishes. Important components of home care include: an integrated team, proactive care, management of physical symptoms and caring and compassionate providers.

Primary-care teams can act as informal managers of home care through facilitating the medical, social and comfort components of care. All of this would still add up to far less than the financial and environmental cost of hospitalization.

At a time when we’re pressured to cut costs and reduce harm to the environment, and when we know dying patients would rather be at home, why can’t we help?

Places like Germany make it easier by paying family caregivers to look after patients at home, reducing the financial barrier that keeps many people in hospital.

The experts in gerontology and epidemiology who direct the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging advocate for planning communities with home-based and neighbourhood-based care in mind, making care both more humane and efficient.

A family medicine colleague, Dr. Henry Siu, is investigating ways to reduce the number of long-term care patients who are mistakenly transferred to hospital because of misunderstandings related to consent.

These and other ideas are available if we want to take advantage of them.

Meanwhile, though, we keep building or expanding hospitals, following the same puzzling and counter-productive logic that causes us to widen roads and highways instead of finding better ways to get around.

This month, I will be representing McMaster University Planetary Health in the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan. Within the sustainable health sector at COP, the end of life is a topic that is rarely discussed, but it needs to be. Läs mer…

The mood of Americans has been a hot topic in the news lately, especially following the recent United States presidential election. Enter the term “vibecession,” which describes the disconnect between people’s personal financial situations and the broader economy.

This disconnect, however, isn’t limited to the U.S. In fact, it may be even more pronounced in Canada. While my research has found that Americans’ outlook has shifted dramatically in recent years, it pales in comparison to the pessimism felt by Canadians.

As a sociologist who studies what people think and feel about getting ahead in life, I’ve been tracking perceptions of the quality of work and economic life in Canada and the U.S.

Read more:
New research debunks the ’unhappy worker’ narrative, but finds most still believe it

Since 2019, I’ve partnered with two research firms — Angus Reid Global and YouGov — to lead a series of nationally representative surveys of roughly 42,000 Canadian and American workers. I’ve repeatedly asked about their personal experiences with work and money, as well as their views about how other Americans and Canadians are faring on these same measures.

A striking pattern has emerged from my most recent surveys: there is a significant gap between individuals’ personal assessments and their beliefs about the financial well-being of others.

Financial struggles

In my 2024 surveys, Canadians and Americans reported similar financial struggles when asked: “How often in the past year did you not have enough money to buy food, clothes, or other things your household needed?”

About 70 per cent of Canadian and 62 per cent of American works said they “rarely” or “never” had insufficient money for household necessities. But almost no one believes that most others share the same experience. In both countries, 43 per cent of respondents believe that most people frequently can’t afford basic necessities.

How often respondents did not have enough money to buy food, clothes, or other household needs in the past year.
(Scott Schieman)

I also asked respondents: “How do your finances usually work out at the end of the month? Would you say you don’t have enough to make ends meet, barely have enough to get by, have just enough to make ends meet, have a little money left over, or have a lot of money left over?”

Responses were categorized into four groups:

Struggling: Having not enough to make ends meet or barely enough to get by
Just getting by: Having just enough to make ends meet
Slightly getting ahead: Having a little money left over
Comfortable: Having a lot of money left over

Once again, Canadians and Americans report similar personal financial well-being: 27 per cent in both countries said they are personally struggling, while half said they are slightly getting ahead or comfortable.

However, perceptions of others’ experiences diverged sharply between the two countries. While 43 per cent of Americans thought most others were struggling, a striking 65 per cent of Canadians thought the same about their peers.

Perceptions of financial well-being of Canadians compared to Americans.
(Scott Schieman)

All about the cost of living

Why might Canadians have such a distorted view of others’ financial well-being? A major factor is the cost of living, which continues to weigh heavily on many households.

While inflation has eased in recent months, this positive development has done little to shift Canadians’ pessimistic views about the economy.

This gloomy perspective is not new for Canadians. In 2020, 62 per cent believed the cost of living had worsened recently, compared to 46 per cent of American workers who felt the same.

Fast forward to October 2024, and the numbers paint an even darker picture: 84 per cent of Canadians said the cost of living has worsened, with 51 per cent believing it has become much worse. When factoring in those who were already sour about the cost of living and now characterized it as having “stayed the same,” it’s clear how deeply rooted this pessimism is.

By comparison, Americans remain less pessimistic. In October 2024, 65 per cent of Americans said it had worsened in comparison to 2020, with 35 per cent believing it got much worse.

How respondents’ experiences of the cost of living have changed in recent years.
(Scott Schieman)

Political consequences

My broader research seeks to understand how distorted perceptions about money shape the ways people think and talk about getting ahead in life, especially through their attitudes about work.

In this current moment, however, there’s an understandable focus on how such pessimism shapes political consequences — a topic relevant on both sides of the border. Both U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau know well the political weight of these “bad vibes.”

Every election cycle, the old political adage “it’s the economy, stupid” seems to crop up again in relevancy. Perhaps a more apt version right now might be: “It’s people’s perceptions, stupid.” Public sentiment about financial well-being can weigh as heavily on political fortunes as the hard numbers themselves. Läs mer…

A literary subgenre that emerged in the 2010s and gained widespread popularity in the 2020s, dark romance falls under the umbrella of unhealthy love stories. These novels often depict relationships that challenge moral and legal boundaries, raising questions about their growing appeal. What does the success of these provocative stories, frequently marked by violence and complex power dynamics, reveal about contemporary society?

Fueled by social media platforms such as TikTok – particularly under the hashtag #BookTok – the meteoric rise of dark romance underscores a shift in how narratives about love and desire are consumed. The genre’s ability to provoke intense emotional responses has captivated a predominantly young, female, and highly engaged audience. While controversial, these novels allow readers to explore forbidden or complex emotions within a controlled, fictional environment. How can society better understand this phenomenon, and more importantly, guide young readers toward critical engagement without dismissing their preferences?

A genre on the rise

The success of Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James in the early 2010s helped establish new romance as a dominant force in publishing, paving the way for subgenres like dark romance. Series such as 365 Days by Blanka Lipińska and Captive by Sarah Rivens have garnered millions of readers, cementing dark romance as a popular niche.

By 2023, romance accounted for 7% of the French book market, with dark romance representing a significant portion. Once relegated to the fringes, the genre is now widely available in bookstores, libraries, and even boasts its own event – the Festival New Romance in Lyon.

Central to dark romance’s success is the role of online literary communities. Platforms such as TikTok amplify these novels’ visibility through thousands of videos featuring recommendations, excerpts, and emotional analyses. Enthusiastic readers become influencers, driving interest and propelling titles to success – sometimes even before official publication. Viral sensations like Captive owe much of their popularity to this digital word-of-mouth model.

The allure of emotional intensity

Dark romance explores the murky areas of love and desire, often characterised by fraught power dynamics and implicit or explicit violence between protagonists. Yet, these stories typically have a positive, albeit complicated, conclusion.

Protagonists in these novels are often young women in submissive roles paired with dominant male characters. Despite frequent criticism for their portrayal of toxic relationships, these narratives resonate with readers by offering an emotional intensity unmatched by other romance subgenres.

For many, the appeal lies in the safe exploration of extreme emotions within a fictional framework. Similar to the thrill of horror movies, readers can experience fear, tension, or desire, knowing they remain in control of the story. This emotional catharsis may reflect broader societal unease, particularly among young people navigating conversations around gender equality, consent, and power dynamics in the post-#MeToo era.

Recognising excess without normalizing it

Contrary to fears that dark romance promotes violence or unhealthy relationships, many readers engage critically with these narratives. A 2024 study of high school students revealed that young readers often interpret such content through a lens of awareness, acknowledging the troubling dynamics while recognising their fictional nature. “It’s good to show readers the violence of these acts so they can understand how absurd it is,” one student told Arnaud Genon, a professor at INSPÉ in Strasbourg. This sentiment underscores the idea that reading these novels can foster a critical awareness of harmful behaviours rather than normalising them.

Far from being a mere incitement to violence, dark romance can serve as a tool for introspection and emotional processing – though its impact varies significantly based on the reader’s maturity and age. Concerns often arise regarding very young readers, particularly girls who may lack the emotional tools to process such content effectively. This underscores the importance of providing guidance and fostering environments where young people can discuss these narratives openly, whether with trusted individuals or within critical reading communities. Such approaches mitigate risks of superficial interpretations or unchecked immersion, especially on platforms like Wattpad, a collaborative storytelling site where moderation can be minimal.

Dark romance often serves as a form of catharsis, allowing readers to engage with powerful and conflicting emotions in a controlled and safe environment. The genre enables readers to navigate themes of control, freedom, and submission – concepts many young women grapple with amid societal pressures. Within these fictional realms, readers remain in control of the narrative, creating a boundary that separates fantasy from reality.

This exploration is particularly relevant in a society where young women are often subjected to paradoxical expectations. Dark romance provides a space to examine these tensions without real-world repercussions, making emotional engagement the cornerstone of the reader’s experience.

One of the reasons dark romance maintains its popularity is its ability to offer a sense of reassurance amid the complexities of real-world relationships. The recurring theme of the heroine “healing” her abuser or gaining control over the relationship provides a redemptive arc that appeals to readers seeking resolution. While the initial depictions of violence may be troubling, the eventual mastery and closure provide a controlled space for readers to explore challenging emotions without endorsing such behaviours in real life.

In many households, the introduction to dark romance comes from familial connections, such as mothers or older sisters sharing their own discoveries. These shared experiences often lead to discussions, fostering critical thinking and reflection on the content. In more open-minded environments, such exchanges transform reading into a communal and analytical activity, steering readers away from simplistic or potentially harmful interpretations.

Toward a more nuanced approach

Rather than condemning dark romance, society should focus on guiding its readership. Demonising the genre risks alienating young readers, while fostering open dialogue encourages critical reflection.

Teenagers often engage with these stories as a form of experimentation, rather than a desire to emulate the characters or relationships depicted. Social media reactions like “Oh, Ash is so handsome; I’d love a guy like that” are frequently playful provocations rather than genuine aspirations.

As Hervé Glevarec, a CNRS sociologist specialising in contemporary cultural practices, observes: “Cultural tastes cannot be understood independently of the context in which they are expressed; they are shaped by social situations and networks of sociability.” Dark romance, in this light, becomes an emotional playground where readers can safely explore desires, frustrations, and fantasies while remaining grounded in the understanding that these stories are fictional.

The challenge lies in ensuring young readers encounter dark romance within frameworks that encourage thoughtful engagement. When supported by open discussions and critical analysis, this provocative genre can serve as a space for readers to confront complex emotions on their terms – and ultimately dominate the narrative. Läs mer…

Have you ever gazed out at the sea and felt the world become smaller? Perhaps you have swum in its waters and felt that time stood still, that the noise and chatter of the world faded away to a distant whisper, or you have marvelled as the sun slid gently beneath its horizon.

In these moments, we often feel a sense of admiration or amazement, a feeling of smallness in the face of something so immense that it leaves us speechless. Maybe this is because we are ourselves 70 % water, or because the sheer scale of the sea puts us in perspective, reminding us of our connection to something much larger. This range of feelings – referred to as “awe” – has been extensively researched by psychologists.

Being near natural bodies of water, especially the sea, has proven health benefits. This effect has been dubbed “blue health”.

Scientists have offered a number of explanations for these benefits. Being near water often means we do more physical activity, while natural surroundings also have a restorative effect on our mental wellbeing and social lives, meaning they also have mental health benefits. Furthermore, blue spaces can improve overall environmental quality, which brings indirect health benefits.

The origin of life itself

Life on Earth began in the oceans. In addition to being a vital source of nutrients and resources, the sea is therefore our biological point of origin.

Our sweat and tears share the sea’s salty composition, and there is a surprising similarity between how elements of the sea and our bodies work. Applied to natural surroundings more generally, this link even has a name: biophilia.

The biophilia hypothesis is one of the three main theories that explain humans’ attraction to the sea. The other two are the theory of psychophysiological stress recovery, and attention restoration theory. These ideas are not mutually exclusive, and all three contribute to the sense of wellbeing that the sea gives us.

Be it walking on the sand, in a boat on its surface, diving beneath the waves, or just observing or meditating on it, the sea allows us to set our mental struggles to one side and to feel free. It can help us to find what psychologists call “restoration”, and this sense of wellbeing is something we often struggle to find on our own.

Blue health can be a powerful tool in reducing stress and improving our moods. Our connection to nature helps us to put our own worries in perspective – it restores our attention by warding off the preoccupations that dominate our attention in our daily lives.

Sea, sport and disability

Many people with disabilities or injuries that prevent them from walking or moving easily on land can bathe in the sea. It can offer them a moment to close their eyes, breathe, and perhaps even feel a sense of bodily freedom or autonomy.

For this reason, water sports (especially in the sea) can play a huge role in promoting psychological wellbeing for disabled people. Boats, equipment and activities can be adapted to include everyone, no matter their abilities.

From specialised sailboats and diving therapy to yoga and meditation on stand up paddle boards, there are many activities that can help people to connect with the sea and feel its benefits.

Not only do they bring physical and emotional wellbeing, these activities also allow a person, regardless of their limitations, to experience the freedom and connection that the sea can offer. The sea belongs to everyone, and we all deserve to feel its immense, transformative power. Läs mer…

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye unexpectedly called a snap legislative election which was held on 17 November. Faye was sworn in as president in April after a tumultuous period, triggered when former president Macky Sall postponed a scheduled presidential election. Mass protests followed, exposing the fragility of Senegal’s democratic institutions. Sall eventually reversed his stance and elections followed. With the snap legislative election concluded, political scientist Amaka Emordi takes the temperature in the country.

How important are these elections? Is democracy secure in Senegal?

The recent electoral transition in Senegal and the legislative election reflect the critical importance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law. Sall’s decision to forgo an unconstitutional third term bid in July 2023, followed by the election of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, exemplified the resilience of Senegal’s democracy.

This transition, characterised by high voter participation and peaceful elections, illustrated the nation’s commitment to constitutional governance.

Ahead of the 17 November legislative election, Faye promised it would be free, democratic and transparent. Although final results are yet to be announced, the ruling party, Pastef, appears poised to win a majority of the legislative seats.

Senegal’s main opposition leaders, including former president Sall, conceded defeat and congratulated Faye and the ruling party. The legislative election signposts the citizens’ resolve to institutionalise democratic institutions and principles in Senegal.

The country’s leaders chose the route of “change through the ballot”. They recognised that elections offer citizens a peaceful, legal way to influence their leadership and government.

This was of great importance for a country that experienced widespread protests and violence after the president’s initial decision to postpone the election indefinitely.

Senegal’s election reinforced the strength of its democratic institutions.

Civil unrest had occurred largely due to legal issues involving opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. His supporters — primarily disillusioned young people facing economic hardship — staged protests.

The government faced pressure to uphold democratic principles.

The election of Faye marked a peaceful shift of power, demonstrating the effectiveness of democratic processes in achieving political transitions.

With a high voter turnout of 61.3%, the presidential election election emphasised Senegal’s commitment to constitutional democracy.

Events in Senegal contrast with other African nations like Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon that are grappling with democratic instability.

What are the biggest threats to democracy in Senegal?

The challenges facing Senegal’s institutions include weak governance, corruption and state capture.

Senegal fares better on corruption indices than its west African peers. Yet clientelism, nepotism and administrative corruption were evident during the administrations of Abdoulaye Wade and Sall.

These weaknesses hinder public service delivery, undermine term limits and contribute to political and economic instability.

The resulting problems include democratic tensions and shortsighted decision-making.

Faye has committed to breaking with past practices and governing with transparency.

Across Africa, the desire for democratic progress has resonated with many nations, including Cape Verde, South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda and Liberia.

The importance of elections is supported by international organisations like the African Union, through initiatives like the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance.

But, in many countries, corruption, election manipulation and entrenched power structures all undermine democratic intentions. Challenges to democracy in Africa include:

frail and weak democratic institutions
pervasive corruption
state capture
undermined term limits
issues of political culture – shared beliefs, feelings and values held by a population regarding its country’s political system
economic instability
structural problems to do with weak civil society, a weak economy, a lack of credible opposition and recurring military intervention, among other issues.

Senegal has maintained stability through regular elections, peaceful transitions of power, and a strong constitutional framework.

This stability has helped Senegal avoid military coups and significant political unrest. Its democracy is built on social consensus, respecting communal and religious diversity.

What will ensure Senegal’s democracy remains resilient?

The state must avoid pitfalls like ignoring ignore term limits, restricting citizens’ political participation and making unconstitutional reforms.

Respecting democratic principles is essential for maintaining trust in government institutions and preserving the country’s democratic integrity.

These global best practices will consolidate constitutional democracy in Senegal.

Inclusive governance and participation: This means that a variety of stakeholders must actively participate in decision-making procedures.
Rule of law and judicial independence: Strong legal foundations, protecting judicial appointments from political influence, and improving legal education and training for judges and other legal professionals are examples of best practices. An example in this regard is Botswana.
Electoral integrity and accountability: Consolidating democracy requires free and fair elections. Ghana’s electoral system is a good example because it has a history of peaceful handovers of power and independent electoral commissions.
Combating corruption: Corruption weakens institutions and erodes public trust. It poses a serious threat to constitutional democracy.
Media freedom and access to information: Free and unbiased media are important to keep governments in check and encourage discussions among the public.
Education and civic engagement: Education is important for democracy because it helps people understand their rights and duties as citizens. Ghana has been doing a good job of teaching people about politics and civic duties in schools and communities. Countries like Chad, where people aren’t well-educated or involved in civic activities, struggle more with democracy.

What lessons can Senegal offer?

The election of opposition candidate Faye, as well as the recently concluded snap legislative polls, marked a peaceful transition of power. It showed how democratic processes can bring about meaningful political change.

Faye’s victory was all the more remarkable because of a strong voter turnout of 61.3%.

In my view this showed the deep engagement of Senegalese citizens in the democratic process, and the integrity of the electoral process. This is despite the challenges posed by prior civil unrest involving Ousmane Sonko. Läs mer…

Since Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump has moved quickly to name his picks for key cabinet posts such as attorney general and the secretaries of defense, health and human services, and state.

Reaction to these nominees ranges from excitement to shock, but one thing is clear: Trump seeks a cabinet filled with staunch allies, even if those allies have little experience in government.

The Constitution requires the Senate to confirm each of these nominations.

History shows that, even when the Senate majority and the president are from the same party, the nomination process does not always go according to presidential plan.

The spoils system

When contemplating appointments, the Framers of the Constitution largely focused on the potential for abuse of government power. During the debates over ratification, some raised concerns that the president’s ability to appoint people to executive positions could lead to a dictatorship supported by officials who owed their allegiance to the president.

To address that concern, the Framers designed the appointments clause of the Constitution to require all officers of the United States appointed by the president to be subject to the “advice and consent” of the Senate. The Supreme Court has interpreted this clause to require Senate confirmation of any appointee exercising significant executive authority.

Roger Taney was the first cabinet nominee to be rejected by the Senate. President Andrew Jackson then named him to the Supreme Court.
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The first cabinet official was confirmed in 1789 when the Senate unanimously approved President George Washington’s nomination of Alexander Hamilton to be treasury secretary. Shortly thereafter, the Senate confirmed Washington’s picks for attorney general and the secretaries of war and state.

Before making these nominations, Washington consulted senators to gain their approval.

The tradition of informal consultation with Congress during the nomination process continued for some time but led to controversy as presidents and senators met behind closed doors to trade favors and use appointments for political gain.

This “spoils system” rewarded political loyalists and punished enemies. As New York Sen. William L. Marcy famously declared after Andrew Jackson’s 1828 election, “to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.”

Battles over confirmation

But soon the tide turned against Jackson. The Senate became increasingly uncomfortable with political patronage when Jackson used his constitutional authority to make appointments during a Senate recess to avoid confrontations with Congress over the Second Bank of the United States. Specifically, Jackson appointed Roger Taney, who was outspoken against the bank and vowed to work to destroy it, as treasury secretary in 1833. When the recess appointment ended in 1834 and Taney was up for reappointment, the Senate rejected the nomination, making Taney the first cabinet nominee not to be confirmed.

Jackson then nominated, and the Senate ultimately confirmed, Taney to the Supreme Court. Taney went on to write the majority opinion in the 1857 ruling in Dred Scott v. Sanford, which held that enslaved people were property who had no constitutional rights.

Battles over cabinet nominations have only increased since then.

One notable confirmation battle occurred over President Dwight Eisenhower’s nomination of Lewis Strauss to be commerce secretary. As depicted in the blockbuster movie “Oppenheimer,” Senate Commerce Committee hearings over the nomination lasted two months and included allegations of government-wide political corruption, antisemitism and questions over the role of science in government. Ultimately, the Senate refused to confirm Strauss.

The last rejection of a president’s nomination was in 1989 when President George H.W. Bush nominated John Tower as secretary of defense. Allegations involving Tower’s alcohol abuse, sex life and financial conflicts of interest led to an FBI investigation that ended without any formal charges. But the inquiry also led to five weeks’ worth of Senate confirmation hearings followed by a 53-47 vote to reject Tower’s nomination.

Getting through the process

Today, rather than face such public scrutiny, presidents are much more likely to withdraw nominations that provoke conflict.

Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Trump all withdrew nominations of cabinet officials when it became clear that the nominations would likely fail.

These withdrawals have been the result of a nomination and confirmation process designed to unearth national security, financial and political concerns over nominees.

After the president identifies the person he would like to serve in a particular position, that person typically goes through a formal investigation by the FBI and the Office of Government Ethics.

The FBI’s investigation usually goes back at least 15 years, depending on the position and extent to which the person will deal with classified information. The findings go directly to the president, but the Senate may request a report summarizing the FBI’s investigation.

Traditionally, these checks are used to vet nominees’ eligibility for a security clearance. However, Trump ignored FBI security concerns about certain nominees in his first administration, and his current transition team is, in some cases, bypassing FBI background checks in favor of vetting by private companies.

A nominee’s financial affairs are reviewed by the Office of Government Ethics, an independent agency designed to prevent and resolve conflicts of interest in government. This process is so complex and time-consuming that most nominees retain lawyers and accountants to help them navigate the process.

During the investigation, nominees may have to sell assets or rearrange their finances to comply with federal laws that govern financial conflicts of interest. At the conclusion of its review of and negotiations with the nominee, the Office of Government Ethics provides the Senate with a report detailing its investigation, negotiations and findings.

However, a year into his first term, at least three of Trump’s cabinet officials refused to fully disclose their assets to the Office of Government Ethics, and one investigative story revealed that more than half of his cabinet allegedly engaged in “questionable or unethical conduct” while in office.

The FBI has historically conducted background investigations of presidential nominees.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Once a president officially sends a nomination to the Senate, it goes to the committee that has primary oversight jurisdiction over the department the person would lead. While each committee has its own standards and procedures for processing these nominations, the vetting process is the same.

Committees require the nominee to provide information about their background, as well as some sort of financial statement. Committees then use this information to launch their own investigations. During this process, most cabinet nominees will meet with committee staff and privately with individual senators.

Some committees are renowned for their thoroughness. The Senate Judiciary Committee has staff devoted exclusively to investigation of nominees, and the Senate Finance Committee is known for tracking down inconsistencies in decades’ worth of tax records.

Most cabinet nominees will also face a public hearing where senators will ask about their qualifications, question the nominees’ plans for the agency and highlight any concerns raised by constituents or the media.

What is a recess appointment?

During the constitutional debates in 1787, some were concerned that the need for Senate confirmation would require the Senate to be perpetually in session in order to receive appointments. Given the time and resources required for senators in the 18th century to work in their home states and also conduct business as a group, regular meetings were not feasible.

So the Framers placed a clause in the Constitution that allows presidents to appoint officials when the Senate is in recess. That appointment expires at the end of the Senate’s next session.

Presidents have historically exploited this constitutional loophole. They have used this “recess appointments” power for political gain and to temporarily install people in office who would not otherwise be confirmed by the Senate. However, there is some evidence that the uncertainty and partisan conflict that result from such appointments leads to administration problems.

The Supreme Court reviewed this practice in 2014, when Obama appointed three members of the National Labor Relations Board without Senate confirmation.

The court held the president lacked the power to make such appointments and that a Senate recess has to be at least 10 days long before a president can bypass confirmation. As a result, the Senate now holds pro forma sessions where no business is conducted but the chamber is technically open to prevent a recess appointment.

President-elect Trump has called on the Senate to stop this practice and allow him to make recess appointments. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not ruled that out, stating that “all options are on the table, including recess appointments.” Läs mer…

It’s never easy to create a successful business, but it’s a lot harder if you’re Black.

Research shows that Black startup founders face significant, racially specific hurdles, including limited access to entrepreneurship training programs and challenges accessing predominantly white networking and mentorship opportunities.

It’s harder for Black founders to raise money, too. Recent TechCrunch data shows Black business founders received less than half of 1% of total startup capital in 2023. And, to date in 2024, there’s only continued stagnation.

Tope Awotona, founder of Calendly, a free online appointment-scheduling platform, experienced this struggle.

“Everyone said no,” he told NPR in 2020. “Meanwhile, I watched other people who fit a different profile get money thrown at them. Those VCs were ignorant and short-sighted … the only thing I could attribute it to was that I was Black.”

Yet there are high-profile Black entrepreneurship success stories. They include Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, Daymond John, an investor on the reality TV series Shark Tank, and the thousands of Black startup founders running innovative businesses across the United States right now.

To better understand the intersection of race and entrepreneurship, we studied the experiences of successful Black entrepreneurs in the U.S., as shared on NPR’s “How I Built This” podcast. The challenges Black entrepreneurs face are well documented, so we focused our research on a different question: How does someone’s identity as an entrepreneur intersect with their racial identity?

Two key insights emerged.

A step toward equality

We found that while race can be a liability in some respects, some successful entrepreneurs have found ways to capitalize on race in their startups.

Most Black entrepreneurs, for example, understand their communities much better than outsiders typically do. This understanding lets them better and more quickly see opportunities in their respective communities.

That’s the competitive advantage John leveraged in 1992 when he founded the clothing company FUBU, which stands for, “For Us, By Us.” As he said on “How I Built This” in 2019, “I wanted to create a brand that loved and respected the people who love and respect hip-hop.”

John knew the market he wanted to serve better than most because he was a part of it. He recognized the opportunity when outsiders could not.

Other business founders echo John’s sentiment.

Tristan Walker, founder of Walker & Company, a personal grooming products company focused on Black men, said his purpose is “to create a health and beauty products company for people who look like me.”

And the McBride sisters, in naming their flagship wine Black Girl Magic, told “How I Built This”: “If there’s like a moment for Black women in which they can celebrate … whatever it is … we just wanted to be able to be there to celebrate with her with just like beautiful, high-quality wines.”

FUBU clothing brand co-founders Carlton Brown and Daymond John greet the crowd at the Actively Black fashion brand’s The Black Mixtape 2 runway show at Sony Hall on Sept. 8, 2023, in New York City.
Shannon Finney/Getty Images

In this sense, some Black entrepreneurs find themselves uniquely positioned to create products others would never think of. And, our research found, they are better positioned to sell to a community eager to support them.

A recent study from Pew Research Center found the majority of Black adults believe that purchasing from Black businesses is a step toward racial equality.

Meaning as mission

Our study also found that many Black entrepreneurs care about creating a company with meaning. That’s especially true when it can help lift up others in their race. For them, giving back to – and inspiring – their communities matters.

In other words, Black startup founders frequently build businesses that reflect their racial identity. It’s part of their purpose in becoming an entrepreneur.

“I’ve always felt that my company’s mission had to be of service to my community,” Cathy Hughes, founder of Radio One, a station focused on Black culture, told “How I Built This” in 2017. “Being the first African American woman (in charge) of a publicly traded corporation … my whole purpose for being in business was to be a voice, and an assistant to my community,” she said.

Many other people in our study mirrored this sentiment, identifying role modeling, racial pride and the empowerment of future generations as a deliberate part of their mission as Black business owners.

Role models matter

Communities benefit from homegrown entrepreneurs. These are people who demonstrate the power of entrepreneurship and show that a career as an entrepreneur is possible.

Yet many minority communities lack such success stories. Just 3% of U.S. businesses were Black-owned in 2021, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

That’s one reason we wanted to document Black success stories in the first place. We believe they have the potential to be transformational. Each new success shows others in those communities that it’s possible, and that entrepreneurship can provide a pathway to a more prosperous future. Läs mer…

Despite recent efforts to restrict them, diversity training programs have become as ubiquitous in American offices as the water cooler. They’re everywhere.

But our recent update on the state of diversity training research confirms that these programs have different levels of effectiveness and widely varying results.

In our prior work, published in 2016, we found that diversity training programs strive to foster understanding and appreciation of differences among people. This message, however, was often misunderstood or overlooked in American workplaces.

Alarmed by growing polarization and unequal treatment that have become serious public and social concerns in America and abroad, we updated our prior findings to see what has changed.

We did so because these divisions contribute to toxic relationships, dysfunctional organizations and fragmented societies — the same things diversity training is supposed to address.

Some of the research we studied found that diversity training had a limited positive impact on workplace demographics. And in some cases, these programs also created resistance and backlash.

Often, underperforming programs focus exclusively on a specific marginalized group — African Americans or the LGBTQ+ community, for example — rather than educating people about the value of our differences.

Effective programs, in this sense, are measured by participants’ cognitive learning and affective learning, or how they perceive others. Behavioral learning — how well participants interact with different people — represents another standard of success.

In our study, other underachieving programs struggled to get participants to change how they judge people who are different. Most of these programs were online or conducted over a brief period of time.

On the other hand, diversity training programs that had better results often implemented skills training and role-playing. These include role-playing simulations of business negotiations. They also featured conflict management courses where participants interact with diverse counterparts.

Some of these programs also emphasize training earlier in grade school, before people enter the workforce. These programs include, for example, activities like playing soccer with kids from varying ethnic backgrounds.

Successful programs were also more effective when they formed part of a broader, ongoing company effort against intolerance. Positive examples include retention and recruitment efforts, affinity clubs and mentorship programs.

The research on some of these successful programs showed that diversity training led to better productivity and organizational commitment. They also resulted in less harassment. Läs mer…