News

The field of social robotics introduces robots able to interact socially with humans. Studying the resulting human-robot dynamics can provide humans with a new angle of self-observation.

The latest review of global leave policies and related research is now available from the International Network on Leave Policies and Research. Two STI experts, Allison Koslowski and Alexandra Macht, were among the authors of this 15^th edition of the report. It is excerpted below.

Economist Antonio Argandoña cautions that “not too bad” isn’t the same as “good,” in terms of the Spanish economic situation.

Samuel Gregg gives Social Trends Institute a glimpse of his latest book, about the particularities of Western civilization and the challenges it faces.

After having signed an agreement with IESE, STI welcomes to its Board of Directors 3 new board members from IESE and another from the University of Navarra.  The new board met on July 3 to set a strategy that will open the door for closer cooperation between the two institutions.

The UN’s 2019 ‘World Population Prospects’ presents population estimates underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends. The estimates and projections presented here describe two of four demographic megatrends (population growth and ageing).

Demographic transition has as much or more to do with cultural values as with socio-economic factors.

The World Family Map 2019 was presented last week at the Brookings Institution’s Center on Children and Families. The Executive Summary “The Ties that Bind: Is Faith a Global Force for Good or Ill in the Family?” follows:

Sociologist Nicholas Wolfinger has found that adult children of divorced families of origin are less likely to divorce from their own marriages than in the past.

Philosopher Al Mele summarizes for STI the thrust of his latest book. It concerns autonomy and free will, into which Mele has delved in many projects - STI’s Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? experts meeting among them.

Philosopher and business school professor Alejo José G. Sison considers the true marks of excellence in advanced business schools, lamenting that standard ranking systems fail to take them into proper account.

All over Europe, civil society is not waiting for governments to solve the problems families face. Varied initiatives in many countries seek to strengthen this fundamental building block of society.