Topic: Globalization

Semantic segmentation of cars on a road. Research Brief / Technology

AI’s Somewhat Hidden Secret: Invisible Human Workers

How 934 workers around the globe regard their labor; it doesn’t have to be this way

A departures board for international flights at an airport Research Brief / Startups

Why Do Startups Make International Moves?

In connection with funding, typically; those chasing money abroad tend to raise a lot more of it

Three female workers planting rice. Research Brief / Cultural History

Why Offspring of Rice Farmers Are Better at Detecting Emotions

Raising the crop is a communal project, more so than the work of wheat farmers, who’re less attuned to feelings of others

Detail of a 19-century painting depicting the Battle of Kulikovo (1380 CE). Research Brief / Cultural History

Testing 17 Theories on the Development of Complex Civilizations

Large-scale data project produces stark conclusion: military technology + agricultural productivity caused the takeoff

A Soviet Union propaganda poster for May Day in 1950 that features a man and woman. Research Brief / Economics

An Enemy’s Economic Success Sparked U.S. Congressional Cooperation

Bipartisan action rose amid reports of surprising Soviet Cold War economic growth

An overhead view of a herd heading toward water Research Brief / Cultural History

Societies With a Legacy of Herding: More Prone to Current Day Violence

A culture that valorized revenge among pre-industrial herders resonates today

An illustration that has interlocking chains to represent blockchain Research Brief / Currencies

What Happens to Pesos When Dollars Go Digital?

As major central banks adopt digital currency, emerging countries will feel mixed effects

A masked person looks at their phone and sits behind a glass counter Research Brief / Supply Chain

A Survival Plan for the Developing World’s Tiny Retailers

Technology and mobile finance needed as nanostores’ compete against online behemoths

An aerial photo of a work site Research Brief / Economy

World Economy 9.6% Bigger Without Investment Barriers

In a model, cultural differences matter as much as geography, institutional distinctions or capital constraints

Monochrome picture of people disembarking a ship Feature / Politics

The Long-Term Political Influence of Immigrants

Europeans brought an appreciation of social welfare programs that still resonates

Aerial shot of a port Forecast / International Trade

The Dollar: That Other Trade Problem

A strong currency makes U.S. exports harder to sell, even outside of China

People with luggage Research Brief / Economy

Modern Monetary Theory: Fiasco in Latin America, Option in U.S.?

The populist model, embraced by some on the American left, resembles policy that helped torpedo some smaller economies

Illustration map of Central Poland and surrounding countries Research Brief / Cultural History

Descendants of Forced Migrants Value Education More Highly

Post-World War II Poland provides a unique setting to study mobility and success

Illustration of a factory Feature / Cultural History

In Some Places, Fertility Rates Declined Before the Industrial Revolution

Using parish records, researchers examine fundamental changes in society following the French Revolution