Extra Credit: Our pick of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship. Brought to you each Tuesday from the editors of JSTOR Daily.
Does sexism matter at the polls? (FiveThirtyEight)
by Maggie Koerth-Baker
As the first women to run for office on a major-party line, Hillary Clinton faces unprecedented questions about how much of a handicap her gender may be. Some surprising political science research suggests female candidates aren’t penalized at the polls—but the dynamics of men, women, and elections are complicated.
The trouble with “fall back” (Vox)
You might be feeling a bit more refreshed this week, thanks to the extra hour we gained by setting our clocks back over the weekend. But a number of studies have found negative consequences of changing the clocks that suggest we might be better off keeping daylight savings time all year.
The context of Standing Rock (The Conversation)
by Rosalyn R. LaPier
Native activists’ resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline involves concerns about water rights, global warming, and the health and safety of historically oppressed people. It also involves a question of sacred space. Historians, anthropologists, and religious scholars can help us understand the meaning of the protests.
How Arab scholars changed Greek philosophy (Aeon)
by Peter Adamson
It’s well known that Arab Muslims helped preserve ancient Western philosophy during the Dark Ages. But a historian of philosophy points out that they did much more than that, transforming the thought of Aristotle and Plotinus in ways that aligned with monotheism.
The quest for male birth control (New York Magazine)
by Lisa Ryan
When scientists halted a study of hormonal birth control for men, a flurry of articles mocked the study’s subjects. But the reality of the drug trial didn’t match the coverage.
Have you seen a story online that does a good job of bridging the gap between the news and scholarship? Or something that seems particularly well-researched? Let us know and we may include it in next week’s roundup. Email us at jstordaily_submissions (at) jstor (dot) org.
