Academics
Why Is Bilingualism Framed as an Asset for Some Students and a Deficit for Others?
Advocates and researchers have warned that dual-language programs are increasingly becoming a tool of enrichment rather than a mode of serving the needs of English learners.
Can Traffic Pollution Negatively Affect Student Performance?
A working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that higher levels of pollution can lead to behavioral and academic problems.
Dispatches: Five Essential Reads From the Past Week
A collection of some of our most important and timely stories, from a round-up of news about Jerry Brown's final days in office as governor of California to an investigation into what happens to federal grants when scientists are faced with accusations of wrongdoing.
The Most Competitive High Schools Don't Guarantee Success. What About Ones Like Georgetown Prep?
Research suggests that being surrounded by well-off peers in not-too-intense academic environments can lead to lifetime gains.
Debate Over Affirmative Action in College Admissions Could Be Disastrous for Legacy Students
If affirmative action is abolished there will undoubtedly be increased pressure to also eliminate admissions criteria that favor a very different demographic—children of alumni and donors.
Smarter Kids Are More Open to Experimentation With Drugs and Alcohol
A study found that 11-year-olds who demonstrated medium or high academic ability were more likely to smoke cannabis at ages 18 to 20.
What Does Having Grit Really Get You?
A new study suggests that "grit," the now-celebrated ingredient to success in education and life, isn't so important for academic success.
Is a Liberal Bias Hurting Social Psychology?
The importance of ideological diversity in academia.
What the 2015 MacArthur Fellows Are Up to
The latest scientists to win the "genius grants" are learning about the brain, turning sewage into useful stuff, and everything in between.
Boost Cognitive Skills, Boost Grades—Right?
The link between cognitive ability and academic performance is an intuitive one, but a new study says there's little evidence to support or refute the value of "executive function" curricula.
Can Ivory Tower Academics and Policymakers Work Well Together?
At their best, federal advisory committees offer an efficient way for policymakers to obtain expert guidance on policy issues. But, in the wake of Grubergate, there’s room for improvement.
Our Obsession in American Education With Ranking People
For 150 years, the American education system has been: A) teaching kids what they don't know or B) dividing kids and teachers into meaningless categories. Answer: B.
The Academic of Comic Books
Kim O'Connor talks to Hillary Chute about comics as objects of criticism, the role of female cartoonists, and the art world's evolving relationship with the form.
The Problem With a Culture of Excellence
Asian Americans have become a model of academic achievement. This is bad news for basically everyone.
Books in the Home Strongly Linked to Academic Achievement
Test scores from 42 nations provide evidence of the benefits of having a home library.
Why Asian Americans Excel at Academics
New research suggests hard-driving “tiger moms” are just one factor.
Does the Science of Human Behavior Only Show Us What We Want to See?
An intellectual crisis in the age of TED talks and Freakonomics.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: Tejas Parasher, 23, Political Science
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: Nominate Someone for a Future List
For the month of April we’re profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard. Use this form to nominate someone you know—or yourself—for inclusion in a future list of bright young minds.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
What to Wear?
Feminist scholars aren’t yet liberated from restrictive clothing norms, but at least they think about why they’re wearing what they’re wearing.
Where Did the Concept of the 'Asian F' Come From?
The association between Asian Americans and achievement is relatively recent.
Conference Call: What’s Happening in November and December
From Perspectives on Progress to 3-D Printing: Destiny, Doom, or Dream?, academic gatherings you should be aware of.
Conference Call: What’s Happening in July and August—and Why It Matters
From Rust, Regeneration, and Romance to The Global Crime Scene: Crime Narratives Beyond Borders, academic gatherings you should be aware of.