Bard College Berlin

ABSTRACT Despite increasing evidence of the risks associated with hate speech, the factors influencing emerging adults’ responses to online hate remain underexplored, particularly their decision-making processes and strategies for upstanding against cyberhate. This study addresses this gap by focusing on emerging adults, a demographic frequently exposed to online hate. Through three focus groups involving 14 participants living in the European Union, we investigated the motivations behind bystanding or upstanding. Our findings reveal that recognizing hate speech does not necessarily lead to upstanding. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral barriers – especially an undue focus on perpetrators and insufficient attention to targets and bystanders – appear to hinder upstanding behavior. Additionally, many participants perceived upstanding as an overwhelming task due to excessively high self-imposed expectations. These insights underscore the need for targeted initiatives to empower emerging adults and inform future research on fostering supportive online communities.

A positive relationship between pro-environmental behavior and subjective well-being has been used to argue for a “double dividend”, i.e. the narrative that pro-environmental behavior is beneficial for both environment and individual, when measured in the metric of subjective well-being. Our paper argues that the (causal) evidence base for such a narrative is far too weak. We suggest methodological improvements to strengthen the credibility of multivariate regression analyses with observational data. Directed acyclic graphs help with a theoretically grounded selection of control variables and equivalence tests (and associated power considerations) help interpreting null results. Illustrating both for a novel data set from a medium sized German municipality ( n = 1073 ), we find no evidence for a positive relationship between pro-environmental behavior and life satisfaction. Equivalence tests robustly reject the null hypothesis of a true effect size larger than even half that from a recent meta-analysis ( r = ± . 1 1 ∗ ∗ ∗ ). We discuss the implications of these findings and conclude that this dampens enthusiasm for the narrative of the double dividend.

The increasing rate of student dropouts is a significant challenge in education systems worldwide, affecting both academic progress and institutional sustainability. This research presents an AI-driven predictive model aimed at early detection and prevention of student dropouts. Leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms, including ensemble learning and deep learning techniques, the model analyzes a variety of student data such as academic performance, attendance, behavioral patterns, socio-economic factors, and psychological well-being. By identifying early warning signs of potential dropouts, the model provides actionable insights for educators and administrators to intervene promptly. Additionally, the system integrates personalized recommendations for targeted support, ensuring students receive the necessary resources to improve their academic engagement and performance. This predictive approach not only helps in reducing dropout rates but also contributes to fostering a more supportive learning environment. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the model, achieving high accuracy in dropout prediction and offering promising implications for its adoption in educational institutions

Faced with a more multipolar world, scholars of International Political Economy are sharpening their tools to make sense of the longue durée of post-colonial institutions, international financial subordination and the quest for self-determination. This article develops the notion of ‘earnest struggles’ in Senegal’s postcolonial history and shows that successive governments have indeed tried to move their country forward against the odds. The focus is on three struggles: First, the attempts at transforming the Senegalese economy away from colonial cash crops and the influence of the French from 1960 to 1980. Second, the struggle of grappling with Global South debt crisis and the devaluation of the Franc CFA by 50% between 1980 to 2004. Third, the struggle to expand the Senegalese economy with newfound fiscal space and novel forms of external debt since international debt relief in 2004 until today. Based on financial data and interviews in Dakar and Paris, I argue that these struggles have led to some structural transformation. However, the danger of debt crisis has not gone, and economic self-determination has remained precarious. Dependence on foreign finance has stayed and reached record levels in recent years. Relative delinking and the search for regional complementarities offers a more promising avenue to break out of the structural condition of international financial subordination.