Society

This post by Dr. Jeff McCall was originally published by The Indy Star. Let’s remember a key fact as we prepare snacks and grab the remote to watch the Super Bowl. The … Continue reading "Media Have Warped Our Perception Of Athletes"

After an emotionally-charged and educational first DePauw Dialogue, many students, faculty, and staff are asking: What’s next? in terms of campus-wide education and commitment to inclusion and diversity.  Previous discussions … Continue reading "Why the “M” Requirement is Not Enough"

No matter the conflict, time keeps ticking by, and who better to measure it than museums? Here, the history collected is still a living, painful truth. In Ferguson, MO, the ashes of … Continue reading "Collecting History Now"

The other day, I took a test. It didn’t take long, just a few keystrokes and some flashing images on a computer screen. Fifteen minutes later, my results suggested something … Continue reading "Facing the Facts on DePauw’s Campus Climate"

With the recent announcement of details regarding DePauw University’s Day of Inclusion activities, some in our community have questioned whether cancellation of school and requirement of attendance is warranted for … Continue reading "Ethics of School Cancellation – Day of Inclusion"

Officials at Brown University have ruled that the fraternities Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Chi “created environments that facilitated sexual misconduct” at fraternity parties. Brown University isn’t the first college where … Continue reading "Decreasing Sexual Assault: Should Sororities Host Parties Too?"

An Australian man was arrested and stripped of his parental rights after treating his 2-year-old daughter with cannabis oil. Adam Koessler’s daughter has been diagnosed with stage-4 neuroblastoma, which develops … Continue reading "Cannabis and Cancer"

Should refugees seeking asylum be housed in former concentration camp barracks? Schwerte, Germany, is planning to house 20 asylum seekers in a satellite post at former Buchewald concentration camp. While … Continue reading "Repurposing Buchenwald: Housing Refugees"

If the government can’t see it, should you be allowed to communicate with it? British Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday that if he is reelected, his Parliament will draft … Continue reading "What the Government Can See and No More?"

In a typical criminal trial, the jury is shown pictures or videos of the crime scene as evidence. When photos or videos do not provide enough information for the jury … Continue reading "Field Trips for High-Profile Juries"

Receiving employment after prison can be difficult for many who are released; in fact, unemployment can lead to multiple offenses in the long run. While rehabilitation is generally good for … Continue reading "Convicted Felons in Professional Sports"

Although the American news coverage has dropped off significantly, the death toll in the Ebola epidemic in West Africa continues to rise. It is currently approaching 10,000 victims, and 6/10 … Continue reading "Ebola in the News"

After a year-long investigation in Tampa Bay, Florida, a news station has revealed that police have been using dating sites to arrest men as sex offenders who had no interest … Continue reading "Sex Stings and Property Seizure"

Should anyone be forced to receive medical treatment they do not want? In September, a 17-year-old in Connecticut was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The girl, Cassandra C., told her mother … Continue reading "Minors and Unwanted Medical Treatment"

This Guest Scholar post was written by Rebecca Schindler, professor of Classical Studies at DePauw University.  Seven thousand years of history in the Middle East is on the brink of … Continue reading "Conflict Antiquities: Is there a Future for the Past?"

Death with dignity is increasingly becoming a prominent social issue. In November, 29-year-old Brittany Maynard decided to end her life after receiving a prognosis of six months to live after … Continue reading "Dying with Dignity"

Across the country, schools are experiencing high numbers of school cancellations due to weather and illness outbreaks. While usually these events bring a couple of days off for students, many … Continue reading "Ethics of the Virtual Snow Day"

This post by Dr. Jeff McCall was originally published by The Indy Star on December 26, 2014.  Journalism enters dangerous territory when reporters look to tell “stories” that are more dramatic, more … Continue reading "The Rolling Stone UVA Rape Story Debacle"

For more than a year, students at North Putnam High School – not far from the Prindle Institute – have been attempting to form a Gay-Straight Alliance club. On November … Continue reading "All Clubs Are Created Equal"

The role of a Grand Jury is to secretly examine all evidence of a case and decide if there is reason to indict at individual. In the case of the … Continue reading "Freedom of Speech: The Ferguson Grand Jury"