Society and Culture

Recent Posts

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How stigma makes pandemics worse for marginalized groups

The assumption that pandemics affect everyone equally is wrong and is helping to unnecessarily stigmatize socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, according to a University of Alberta diversity expert.

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University of Alberta virologist awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Michael Houghton discovered hepatitis C virus and now is developing a vaccine.

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International learning in the time of COVID-19

"I became more aware of my own global context and the differences between cultures," says CIL graduate Aislinn Makowski.

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How competitive athletes can stay motivated when they can’t compete

Athletes can find opportunities amid the challenge of cancelled sporting events, say U of A master's student and sport psychology researcher.

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Finding the silver linings in the age of COVID-19

"There are always silver linings when you look for them. This year didn’t go as expected, but no experience is wasted.”

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Digital mental health treatment just as effective as in-person therapy: study

Researchers focus on post-traumatic stress injuries to Canadian military personnel, veterans and public safety personnel during COVID-19.

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U of A infectious disease expert helps bridge COVID-19 knowledge gap

Sharing academic expertise is integral for public awareness, says Lynora Saxinger, who has been a near-daily presence in media since the pandemic began.

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Why not using cash during COVID-19 could make you more likely to overspend

U of A experts offer tips on how to handle your money during the pandemic—including decontaminating bills and coins.

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My Transition to the Online World

UAlberta international student Gurbani Baweja shares her top tips for succeeding in the transition to online learning.

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Canadians with disabilities face barriers to financial security, researchers find

Study shows those living with disabilities average 25 per cent less in assets—and COVID-19 is making the situation worse.

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Shared-use roads improve physical distancing, research shows

Edmonton study suggests making underused roads available to pedestrians and cyclists encourages healthier behaviour during pandemic—and likely afterward.

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Why Indigenous communities are taking COVID-19 measures into their own hands

Local responses to pandemic are a necessity to protect people at higher risk of infectious diseases—and a strong assertion of sovereignty, says U of A expert.

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Lessons from the Pandemic: Leadership and Childcare

How can schools reopen safely, and if they remain closed, will women's workforce participation be disproportionately affected? Tristan Patterson uses an adaptive leadership lens to suggest we can do better than "getting back to normal."

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Q&A with Becca Tanner, MSc Physical Therapy

We asked Becca Tanner, one of our Calgary-based MSc students, what it was like to learn from home last academic year. Read about her experiences and discover some tips for success in this new learning environment.

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Obesity rates likely to rise during COVID-19 pandemic, study suggests

New consumer psychology research shows people under financial stress want to eat more of everything.

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Does music matter in the age of COVID?

Augustana music professor Ardelle Ries sees making and listening to music as vital for health, wellness and even the human soul...especially during a pandemic that has brought concerts, festivals and choirs to an abrupt halt.

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U of A sociologist compiles COVID-19 stories to document extraordinary moment in history

Contributors to new website put experiences in words, music and visual art running the gamut from optimism to despair.

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U of A student helps organize virtual ultramarathon

Charity event will see runners choose their own 50-kilometre courses through Edmonton’s river valley trails.

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Art project aims to make viewers look twice—and think twice—before sharing COVID-19 misinformation

U of A printmaker Sean Caulfield teams up with his brother, pseudoscience debunker Timothy Caulfield, to tackle COVID-19 infodemic.

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Flu deaths rise when cities get pro sports teams, study shows

New research has implications for reopening arenas to fans during COVID-19 pandemic.

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Public acceptance of protective masks growing in Canada

Rapid shift in perception shows people are heeding public health advice—and points to differences in how Asian and non-Asian Canadians view wearing masks, say U of A researchers.

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Six expert tips for finding good information about COVID-19

U of A librarian offers advice to help you sift through an endless stream of info and sort out what’s accurate and trustworthy.

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COMMENTARY || As a Sufi singer, I believe the sounds of world religions can cultivate compassion during COVID-19

Developing an "intercultural ear" can help prevent us from isolating ourselves from diverse communities in our midst, says U of A ethnomusicologist.

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Majority of Chinese-Canadians say they’ve experienced discrimination because of COVID-19: study

Media coverage, political tension between Canada and China may be fuelling ‘shadow pandemic’ of racist behaviour, says U of A social psychologist.

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Experts urge federal standards, investment to fix long-term care system

Immediate improvements for nursing home workforce needed before next crisis hits, says U of A researcher who chaired expert working group.

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Five ways COVID-19 will change the food business

New eating and shopping habits likely here to stay as pandemic measures ease, U of A food economist predicts.

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Galleries West: Sean Caulfield

Art’s role in inspiring thoughtful conversations about the coronavirus pandemic.

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COMMENTARY || How the pandemic could reshape Edmonton's urban landscape

Encouraging greater density in the city doesn’t mean overcrowding—and could lead to better public health, argue urban planning experts.

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Investing in green future easier said than done for Alberta, say economists

Capitalizing on an educated workforce and taking a hard look at taxation would help the province diversify its post-pandemic economy, according to two U of A experts.

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COMMENTARY || Canadian prisons in the time of COVID-19: Recommendations for the pandemic and beyond

Short-term measures to protect workers and inmates during pandemic could lead to rethinking incarceration more generally, say criminologists.

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Repurposing spaces left vacant by COVID-19 could breathe new life into cities, says researcher

New guide shows how planners can revive social life of urban centres by shifting focus of vacant spaces from commercial to cultural.

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COMMENTARY || We can’t stress the importance of social connection enough

As we deal with COVID-19, it’s important to use technology—the very tools once thought to encourage social isolation—to fight against it, says U of A sociologist.