(Optional) In case we ever need them, here are my Tips for using Zoom in the Classroom.

(Optional) I never used to cold-call on students. I've changed partly because I think cold-calling helps keep people involved in a class. But, I've also been influenced by this September 2019 article about Elizabeth Warren's Teaching Style. Warren adopted a cold-calling approach that sought to involve as many students as possible in every class period. "In essence, Warren's approach was borne of her concern that the classroom tends to reproduce societal inequalities. By only calling on students who raised their hands, the professor limited class discussion to those who traditionally felt the most comfortable speaking up." If interested, the article explains more about her reasoning.

[Optional]  After the first class or two, I will post the Opening Day Questions I presented (PDF or Powerpoint)  if you want to look at them again. Many of the items linked to will be used at some point during the semester.

1. Gay & Lesbian optional readings

[Optional]  Some researchers have done a very impressive job of documenting 20th Century LGBTQ student activism at the University of Notre Dame  and St. Mary's College utilizing Observer Archives.

[Optional]  Andrew Sullivan was an advocate for gay marriage. But today he laments How the Gay Rights Movement Radicalized and Lost Its Way and claims that abolishing the sex binary for the entire society is madness.

[Optional]  Educationally, American women have done far better than American men over the last several decades, with one possibly-surprising exception: gay men.  Former Notre Dame Sociologist Joel Mittleman examines the causes and consequences for this phenomena in his fascinating ASR article on Intersecting the Academic Gender Gap: The Education of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual America. Read pp. 303-309 and pp.328-331 carefully. The rest is highly recommended.

[Optional]  In a famous study, Texas Sociologist Mark Regnerus challenges the claim that gay families are just as good for children as same-sex ones. But the American Sociological Association (and numerous others) criticized his work and filed a court brief reviewing the evidence on gay marriage. Here is the complete ASA brief on Gay Marriage. Stephanie Pappas reviews the empirical evidence and argues that gay parents may be the best parents. The world's largest study on the children of same-sex parents says they are doing as well or better than the rest of the population on key health indicators.

[Optional] In October 2021, the Irish Rover argued that on issues of gender and sexuality, the university's stance regarding Church teachings raises concern.

[Optional]  Memories Pizza in Walkerton Indiana created a firestorm of controversy when it said it would not cater a gay wedding (something it had never been asked to do anyway) - and received $840,000 in donations as a result. An anti-gay group blasted JC Penney's Father's Day ad. The Hallmark Channel Apologizes for Pulling Ads With Brides Kissing.

[Optional] The LGBTQ community reportedly has a trillion dollars in purchasing power -- but many marketers don't know how to reach it. Still, some brands are waking up to the opportunities that the LGBT market represents.  Even way back in 2010 The NY Times found that When the Bride takes a Bride, Businesses Respond. Avis went after the gay market decades ago. Adam Hay-Nicholls explains Why Lesbians Love Subarus. South Bend's Gavin Ferlic argues that cities benefit economically when they are gay-friendly.

[Optional] Mark Joseph Stern Fact Checks Ted Cruz's Video Defense of Religious Liberty.

[Optional]  John Harwood says that the vast majority of US corporations have already voted yes on gay marriage. Spencer Bokat-Lindell says only some queer people get married, but almost all of them work. He explains why he thinks the June 2020 Supreme Court Ruling on L.G.B.T.Q. Worker Rights Is Such a Big Deal. Gavin Ferlic argued that being gay-friendly was good for the local South Bend economy.

[Optional]  A group of Notre Dame faculty and staff offer a Catholic Justification for support of the LGBTQ community. Nate Silver notes that change doesn't usually come this fast.

[Optional-Video] In 2011 Barbara Bush (George's daughter) joined the ranks of Republican offspring who support gay marriage (here is her 22 second video) and Iowa college student Zach Wahls (3 minute video) made an impassioned appeal on behalf of his lesbian parents. In this short video clip, The Golden Girls made the case for gay marriage more than 20 years ago. Notre Dame graduate President Bartlett turns the tables on those who use the Bible to attack gays. Preacher Phil Snider gives a gay rights speech with an unusual twist. Wikipedia lists several Christian denominations affirming LGBT people.

[Optional] Gay activist Katherine Franke warns that same-sex marriage is a mixed blessing. June Thomas says I'm a lesbian and I'm never getting married. Why are you?

[Optional] Here is Abigail Ocobock's full article on Status Or Access? The Impact Of Marriage On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Queer Community Change

[Optional] In same-sex partnerships, how do couples decide who asks who to get married? ND Sociology Professor Abi Ocobocks examines that and other questions in Freedom and Constraint in Same-Sex Engagements: How Age and Gender Shape Adherence to Marriage Scripts.

[Optional] Notre Dame alum Greg Bourke was named one of National Catholic Reporter's 2015 Persons of the Year for his efforts to legalize gay marriage. Notre Dame Press interviewed him about his book Gay, Catholic, and American.

[Optional-Video] Notre Dame Athletics says If you can play, you can play.

[Optional] Some people predict that the first openly gay President of the United States will be South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg. But historians speculate that there might have been other gay presidents before him.

[Optional - Many find it fascinating while others don't like it at all] In one of the most controversial sociological studies ever done, Laud Humphries examined the covert lives of closeted homosexuals in Tea Room Trade. Laura MacDonald did an update in America's toe-tapping menace.

[Optional] An August 2004 op-ed piece lamented that Notre Dame was ranked as the most homophobic school in the country and urged students to prove the ranking wrong. A horrible anti-gay cartoon that somehow got published in the Observer in January 2010 probably didn't help. But in 2015 ND suddenly dropped out of the top 20. Maybe it was because in early 2012 members of the 4 to 5 movement said It Needs to Get Better at Notre Dame -- and then in late 2012 the University responded by making major changes in LGBT policy. A few months before that Notre Dame students exposed The Gay Agenda. In 2018 a student described what it is like to be Gay and Catholic at Notre Dame.

[Optional] A Notre Dame student issues A Call for Empathy from a Gay Catholic. Two underclassmen ask Does Notre Dame fear the queers? The Observer tells Notre Dame Don't just include, protect.

[Optional] A Conversion therapy center founder who sought to turn LGBTQ Christians straight now says says he is gay, rejects 'cycle of self shame'.

[Optional] The Notre Dame Leprechaun was recently denounced as the 4th most offensive mascot in college football. In its defense, Notre Dame noted that the leprechaun began in England -- as a disparaging symbol of Irish people. "Irish-Americans -- including those at Notre Dame -- again have turned back on former oppressors as a sign of celebration and triumph," the university wrote. "In both the upraised fists of the leprechaun mascot and the use of the word 'fighting', the intent is to recognize the determination of the Irish people and, symbolically, the university's athletes." What other group has taken a once-derogatory term and transformed it into a symbol of Pride?

[Optional] In August 2021, the Sycamore Trust blasted Notre Dame for sterilizing "welcome week of heteronormative messages that created an unwelcoming or awkward environment for many students."

2. Transgender Optional Readings

[Optional]  Pioneering scientist Andrew Sinclair says World Athletics' mandatory genetic test for women athletes is misguided.

[Optional]  Today Transgender Americans feel under siege as political vitriol rises. Brynn Tannehill says the GOP doesn't want to punish trans people -- it wants to eradicate them. Ohio Governor Mike Dewine vetoed his own party's bill that would ban any gender transition care for minors. Similarly, former Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson explains why he vetoed his party's bill restricting health care for transgender youth. But a lot of people aren't happy with the other party either -- Jennifer Finney Boylan says Trans People Shouldn't have to hide to Help Democrats Win.

[Optional] A report reveals that, while the numbers are still small, there is a sharp rise in Transgender Young People in the US. The article also discusses generational factors that might account for the fact that younger people account for a disproportionately large share of the transgender population.

[Optional] Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling explains why Sex is not Binary. Former Notre Dame Anthropologist Agustin Fuentes say Biological Science Rejects the Sex Binary, and that's good for Humanity. These German scholars also explain why Sex isn't Binary.

[Optional] The CDC reports that nearly half of gay and bisexual teens considered suicide in 2021. Michael DePeau-Wilson notes that hospitilizations due to suicidality and self-harm are far more common in young people with gender dysphoria diagnoses. The parents of an Oklahoma transgender girl fear for their child's safety. German Lopez attacks The ugly myth about transgender people opponents of a Houston civil rights law used to win. Lopez debunks what he calls 10 common myths about transgender people. Johnson & Rogers discuss how peer support and community involvement can enhance the mental health and well-being of trans people.

[Optional] A parent was shocked to learn that her child identified as transgender - and her school knew but wasn't required to tell her. But, while she was sympathetic, Michelle Goldberg argued that Trans Kids Deserve Private Lives, Too.

[Optional] Michigan's Womyn's Fest was torn by controversies over transgender exclusion. Julian Wyllie outlines how Women's Colleges Are Handling Transgender Applicants. Rebecca Jane Morgan explores how TERFS (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists) became so powerful in Great Britain. Responding to the JK Rowling and Elliott Page controversies, the Women's Media Center contends that Feminists Need to Do More for Trans Men. Human Life International contends that the number of transgender people who want to detransition is far higher than has been estimated. Elinor Burkett discusses What Makes a Woman -- and doesn't think that Caitlyn Jenner qualifies.

[Optional] GOP State Lawmakers are pushing a growing wave of anti-transgender bills.  The father of a trans boy says that Florida's Don't Say Gay law is working as intended -- and he isn't happy about it.

[Optional] Runner's World describes how NCAA Transgender Athletes are fighting for the Right to Compete. Ashley and Chu make the case for Trans Inclusion in Sports. Notre Dame Anthropologist Cara Ocobock argues The idea that trans-gender women are going to dominate sports is not based in reality, it is based in fear and bias. Nova reviews the debates on whether or not Testosterone should be regulated in Female Athletes.  Olympic silver medalist Erica Sullivan explains Why I'm Proud to Support Trans Athletes like Lia Thomas.

[Optional] Sociology has often had internal battles over what to study, and how. Kristen Schilt describes how scholars working in new areas of inquiry (e.g. transgender studies) have had to fight The "Not Sociology" Problem-- i.e. the claims that their work isn't really sociology or is too fringe to be worth doing.

[Optional] There are eight Catholic Womens' colleges in the US and seven of them admit transgender women. Bowing to intense pressure, in December 2023 St. Mary's College reversed a decision to join them.

[Optional] Jennifer Finney Boylan contends that, by prohibiting nonbinary gender markers on birth certificates, Oklahoma is erasing real Oklahomans.

[Optional] Harry Potter author J.K. may have sold 500 million books, but even some of the stars of her movie stars criticized her when she got involved in the TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) wars.

[Optional] A ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth has a mother in Texas fearing for the welfare of her transgender son.

[Optional] Former All-American swimmer Riley Gaines is crusading against trans athletes in women's sports. Olympic silver medalist Brooke Forde says Lia Thomas has followed the rules and she has no problem with racing against her.

[Optional] Azeen Ghorayshi points out that debates in elite sports over what defines a woman are nothing new -- they've been going on for almost a century

 [Optional] A transgender college swimmer shattered records, sparking debates about fairness. Louisa Thomas tells the story of The Trans Swimmer Who Won too Much - Lia Thomas.

 [Optional] Transgender women aren't the only ones facing bans in sports. Because of shifting rules Intersex athletesa with naturally elevated levels of testosterone face bans too.

[Optional] The Independent challenges widespread beliefs and argues that the data show that LiaThomas does not have an unfair advantage.

[Optional] The Human Rights Commission lists steps to address anti-transgender stigma, discrimination and higher rates of violence (pp. 26-27 are especially useful; the rest of the 31 page report is recommended).

[Optional] Kathleen Kingsbury shares  her concerns about the Complexities of Care for Transgender Children. Pamela Paul  defends her column about detransitioners. The Lancet, the world's highest impact academic journal, blasted efforts by several states to block gender-affirming treatment. But The Society for Evidence Based Gender Based Medicine challenged those arguments.

[Optional] Debates rages on many fronts over whether transgender women are really women.The Economist explains why the word "woman" is tying people in knots. A prominent feminist sparkeed controversy when she said Women's issues are different from trans women's issues. Westbrook and Schilt provide a fascinating sociological analysis of the conflicts over who counts as a man and who counts as a woman. The opening (pp. 33-35) and the conclusion (pp. 49-53) are especially good; the rest is recommended.

[Optional] Conservative evangelical Christian and Republican Anthony Guerrero says I'm Not the Person You'd Expect to Oppose Trump's Ban on Transgender Troops - but he does.

[Optional] CNN offers some Fast Facts on Roe V Wade. In 2022 the Pew Research Center provided a demographic breakdown of abortion attitudes of Americans. A national longitudinal study finds that almost no women regret their abortions five years later. Guttmacher further claims that Abortion Is a Common Experience for U.S. Women, Despite Dramatic Declines in Rates. The Guttmacher Institute also provides estimates of Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion Worldwide. A 2018 study by the World Health Organization and the Guttmacher Institute says nearly half the world's abortions are unsafe. Here is PRB's detailed 2021 report on Abortion Facts & Figures. In July 2022 The Pew Research Center offered key facts about the abortion debate in America.  Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux  of 538 says the Supreme Court sent the issue of abortion back to the voters -- and the voters were not pleased.

[Optional] The Washington Post assessed where the battles over abortion stood at the end of 2023.

[Optional] Katie Rose Guest Pryal warns the mental health of women on campus will be endangered. A UCSB professor says Myths about abortion and women's mental health are widespread, and that the vast majority of women feel they made the right choice, and they don't experience regret. Researchers from Child Trends agree that Research Strongly Indicates Abortion Restrictions Harm People's Health and Well-being. St. Joseph County Public Health officials argued that there could be  'More dead women' in Indiana without exemptions to abortion ban. An Indiana doctor who attracted national attention after providing an abortion to a 10 year old girls says I don't believe in turning patients away. College students said they were terrified, elated, and anxious about living in a world where the right to abortion is not guaranteed (you can just skim this; it takes a ridiculously long 17 pages but most of that is white space). Doctors' fear of lawsuits is making some horrible situations even worse. Law proffesor Greer Donley says that What Happened to Kate Cox Is Tragic and Completely Expected.

[Optional] Teresa Collett says Rape and incest are deeply tragic -- but they do not justify killing a child.

[Optional] Students for Life lists several documentaries and films with pro-life themes. The French film Happening tells the true story of Nobel Laureate Annie Ernaux's illegal abortion in 1963, a story which some say has an unfortunate timeliness. [Warning: Some of these films -- even the trailers for them -- are pretty intense.]

[Optional] After Dobbs, what happens now? If some pro-lifers have their way, fetal personhood will be next. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham unveiled a bill that would impose a federal ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy with a few very narrow exceptions. Mark Joseph Stern fiercely objects, saying If enacted, Graham's bill would criminalize abortion at the exact moment in pregnancy when dangerous fetal anomalies and maternal health problems come to light. Ruth Marcus says Lindsey Graham's 15-week abortion ban gives the endgame away.

[Optional] On the pro-choice side, Mayday Health is one of the many groups trying to expand abortion access even in states where it is banned. Ruth Marcus says Abortion Pill Providers are working  to broaden access.

[Optional] Donald Trump allegedly claimed that the Dobbs decision would hurt Republicans at the ballot box. He may be right. Nate Cohn estimates that the Kansas Result Suggests 4 Out of 5 States Would Back Abortion Rights in a Similar Vote. 538 explains Why Republicans Keep Failing to Pass Abortion Bans.

[Optional] Phillip Elliott notes that Democrats have won some early races by focusing on abortion, and that should worry Republicans. Former Presidential speech writer Peggy Noonan warns pro-lifers that they lost in Kansas because they asked for too much.

[Optional] Today a rabbi in Florida claims that anti-abortion laws violate the religious freedom of Jews and several other groups are also claiming that Dobbs violates their religious beliefs. Columnist Jennifer Rubin agrees that doctors and patients deserve a 'conscience' exception to abortion bans. Two South Bend rabbis contend that "As more states, including our own, outlaw and criminalize abortion, Jewish women and their partners may not be able to continue to freely practice their Judaism."

[Optional] Ruth Graham profiles The Pro-Life Generation of Young Women Fighting Against Abortion Rights. Pro-Life Marchers share their thoughts on how you stop abortion. (Sorry if a firewall blocks you. I tried to create a PDF but it loses almost all the content in the article.)

[Optional] Maureen Dowd says once, Ireland seemed obsessed with punishing women. Now it's America, and Irish eyes aren't smiling about changes in US abortion policies. Alexander Burns cautions that States With Abortion Bans Risk Losing Their Economic Edge.

[Optional] Susan Venker says To be Catholic and vote for Democrats in 2020 is just wrong.  Ramesh Ponnuru and Robert P. George say Biden's stance on abortion contradicts his Catholicism.  Conservative evangelical David French discusses how to be pro-life in Joe Biden's America. Evangelical minister Rob Schenck explains why he switched from being an anti-abortion crusader to an advocate for Roe V Wade.  Nicholas Kristof asks abortion opponents some tough questions.

[Optional] In 2004, it was Notre Dame intramural warfare as scholars Mark Roche, Gerard Bradley, and Charles Rice battled over whether or not Catholics could vote in good conscience for John Kerry. Douglas Kmiec is a conservative legal scholar, a former law professor at Notre Dame, and a past advisor to Ronald Reagan and Mitt Romney.  But in 2008, he said Sorry McCain. Barack Obama is a natural for the Catholic vote.

[Optional] Professor Ralph McInerny claimed that Notre Dame forfeited its right to call itself a Catholic university when it invited Barack Obama to speak at commencement.  Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz of Lincoln said he was "utterly appalled" by Omaha native and ND President John Jenkins' "absolute indifference to the murderous abortion program and beliefs of this President of the United States." Professor Richard Williams had kinder words for his fellow Nebraskan. 

[Optional] The National Catholic Reporter contends that the hyperfocus on abortion obscures the focus on other issues Catholics care about.

[Optional] Four Notre Dame students argue that Planned Parenthood may have a new face, but it still has the same (dismal) legacy. (I'm linking to the original source because the online comments are also very good. But if the link doesn't work, a pdf version is here.)

[Optional] In 2012, Notre Dame Professor Carter Snead and Princeton Professor Robert George blasted abortion provider Planned Parenthood. About the same time,  John Saveland explained why he's pro-life and supports Planned Parenthood while William Saletan argued that funding Planned Parenthood was the best way to reduce the need and demand for abortions. America Magazine argues Erasing Margaret Sanger from Planned Parenthood doesn't change abortion's eugenic logic.

[Optional] Katha Pollit doesn't agree that feminists can be pro-life. In January 2020 Notre Dame students battled fiercely over pro-life and pro-women marches.The Feminists for Life web site expands on its call for a pro-woman, pro-life feminist revolution. Ruth Graham notes that many dispute the idea that Susan B. Anthona was a pro-life heroine. Pro-choice advocate Ronald Klain (who later became Joe Biden's White House Chief of Staff) fears that Reversing Roe V Wade will be just the beginning of the judicial attack on women's reproductive rights.

[Optional] View Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow's seemingly innocuous Super Bowl ad that ignited a national controversy. William Saletan countered with what he called the grisly truth about the ad.

[Optional] Georgia Right to Life touched off a firestorm of controversy when it launched a campaign claiming abortion is the primary tool in a decades-old conspiracy to kill off Black people. But Linda Greenhouse says Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman in Congress, would strongly disagree. Today Black Republican Senator Tim Scott says Abortion is not the way to help Single Black mothers.

[Optional] Sister Margaret McBride was excommunicated for agreeing to an abortion that probably saved a woman's life. Pro-life Catholic Julianna Baggott and columnist Nicholas Kristof defended her.

[Optional] Studies from the Guttmacher Institute offer facts on induced abortion in the United States and worldwide, and also examine the reasons US women have abortions. The Guttmacher Institute further notes that the abortion rate is at an all time low -- and claims that better birth control is largely to thanks. Anti-abortion groups, however, argue that the drop shows new state restrictions on abortion are working.

[Optional] Columnist Margaret Carlson is pro-choice - but even she isn't comfortable with Partial-Truth Abortion.

[Optional] Some said "The poster child jumped off the poster" when Norma McCorvey (Roe of Roe V. Wade) converted to being a pro-life advocate. The Washington Post profiled McCorvey when she died in 2017. But on her deathbed, McCorvey stunningly revealed her anti-abortion routine was all just an act.

[Optional] Emma Green discusses whether Science Is Giving the Pro-Life Movement a Boost. Religious groups, scientists and doctors debate whether some popular forms of contraception cause abortions. The New York Times reviews the scientific evidence and concludes abortion qualms on the morning after pill may be unfounded. In Dec 2022 the FDA changed Plan B packaging to clarify that it is not an abortion pill. Father John Jenkins chose not to include alleged abortion-causing drugs when he announced Notre Dame's new contraceptive coverage policy. Tara Culp-Pressler argues that the birth control method Hobby Lobby won't cover is leading to a decline in teenage pregnancies.

[Optional-Video] In this one minute clip, Dr. Willie Parker, the only abortion provider in Mississippi, is confronted by an angry protester. The Washington Post explains Why Willie Parker changed his mind about abortion. In one of the most memorable moments of the ND Obama protests, Father Norman Weslin was arrested for defending the unborn (see especially the first 3 minutes or so). Pam and Bob Tebow expand on their pro-life beliefs and their decision not to abort Tim despite the great risks. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argued that, for the women of the world, abortion should be legal, safe, and rare.

[Optional-Video] In a famous 1984 speech at Notre Dame, New York Governor Mario Cuomo explained why he thought a Catholic Pro-Life Politician can support the right to have an abortion. Thirty years later the South Bend Tribune discussed the controversy over the speech. If interested, you can read the entire text of the speech or watch a video of it.

[Optional-Video] Professor Richard Williams & Father Jonathan Morris debated Barack Obama's visit to Notre Dame. Richard Williams and Randall Terry offered their opinions of each other. [NOTE: I hesitate to include videos of myself, partly because I don't like how I look but mostly because I don't want anyone to feel like they have to agree with what I say. You are free to take whatever positions you want so long as you can defend them. Also note that Williams praises the efforts of both the pro-life and pro-choice students on campus.]

[Optional] Ruth Graham discusses How Down Syndrome is Redefining the Abortion Debate. It is called "screening" but George Will says it is really a search and destroy mission in the attack on kids with Down Syndrome. Time notes that the life prospects for those with Down Syndrome have never been better - and the ability to abort them has never been greater. Mark Schrad has a child with Down Syndrome. He explains why he and his wife decided not to abort - and why he supports the right of others to choose differently. Rachel Adams says My son with Down syndrome is not a mascot for abortion restrictions. Likewise Emily Barbero opted to keep her baby, knowing that he might never walk or talk - and she tells Republicans how they can prove they are pro-life too. If you are curious about how Jonathan Will is doing, George Will updates his story here and here.

[Optional] Margo Kapan asks Fertility clinics destroy embryos all the time -- Why aren't conservatives after them? NBC reports that the Nation's fertility clinics are struggling about what to with a growing number of abandoned embryos.

[Optional] NPR explains how China's One_Child Policy led to forced abortions and 30 million batchelors.

[Optional] Some Church leaders say the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be avoided if possible. But ethicists worry Catholic Bishops may be making "pastorally dangerous" statements about vaccines. Jesuit priest Sam Sawyer says Some bishops are choosing the culture war over the common good. Public health officials are enthusiastic about the potential of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to reach vulnerable populations.

[Optional but highly recommended] Here is Alice Goffman's complete 19 page 2009 ASR paper On the Run: Wanted Men in a Philadelphia Ghetto, that later led to her book. [Warning: There are a lot of obscenities and racist terms in this piece, but in each case they are direct quotes from the people Goffman is writing about.]

[Optional but highly recommended] Heather MacDonald contends that the criminal justice system is not racist and  that the high percentage of Black people behind bars reflects crime rates, not bigotry. [NOTE: This is a great article, albeit a difficult one. I have stopped requiring it but I still highly recommend it.] Debra Dickerson writes Know your Enemy: Heather MacDonald. Some of the reader comments (especially the first one by Michael Cohen) are much better than the article itself. MacDonald makes a powerful case in her article about the criminal justice system not being racist but some of the comments provide strong counter (or supporting) arguments.

[Optional but highly recommended] The ACLU supplements Alexander's arguments and elaborats on The Racist Roots of Denying Incarcerated People Their Right to Vote. Conservative writer George Will says there is no good reason to stop felons from voting.

[Optional] Jonathan Ben-Menachem counters claims that anti-police protests have led to an increase in violent crimes.

[Optional] Jamila Michener claims that Racial discrimination pervades nearly every aspect of American life, and offers the data to prove it. Radley Balko says There's overwhelming evidence that the criminal justice system is racist. Purnell and Stahly-Butts say the police can't solve the problem. They are the problem. Elie Mystal says Cops lynched Tyre Nichols because they knew they could.

[Optional-Video] These pictures from Katrina sparked controversy over how Black and White crime are depicted. The NY Times offers several videos that are sparking outrage of Black Lives upended by policing. Example videos include Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, and Teenagers at a Pool Party.

[Optional] The NY Times won a 2022 Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles on Deadly Police Encounters. NYT Reporters elaborate on Why Many Police Traffic Stops turn Deadly.

[Optional]  The New York Times further examines video evidence of 120 vehicle stops over five years in which police officers killed motorists who were not brandishing a gun or knife or being pursued for violent crimes.  In dozens of incidents, footage shows, officers made tactical mistakes that put themselves in positions of danger then used lethal force to defend against that danger. NYT Also examines  The Demand for Money Behind Many Police Traffic Stops.

[Optional] Several reports claim that In City After City, Police Mishandled the Summer 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests. Liberal NYT columnist Maureed Dowd, herself the daughter of a police officer, reminds us that we should be proud of the good cops even as we weed out the bad ones.

[Optional] David French may be a conservative but he is also the father of an adopted daughter from Ethiopia and he says that with American Racism, we've still got a very far way to go. Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough explains why he still believes in the American Dream but he understands why others don't (here is a  pdf version). Caroline Randall Williams, the descendant of Black slaves and White rapists, says My Body is a Confederate Monument -- and no one should dare her to celebrate her White ancestors.

[Optional] German Lopez says Riots are destructive, dangerous, and scary - but can lead to serious social reforms.

[Optional] A 2020 report from the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law claims that $372 billion in earnings are lost in the United States each year for those who have a criminal conviction or have spent time in prison - enough money to close New York City's poverty gap 60 times over.

[Optional] Eric Garner made the phrase "I can't breathe" famous. But the NY Times found that over the last decade at least 70 people have died in law enforcement custody after saying the same words. [You can read the first few pages and then skim the rest. The online version is very cool but if you can't get through the firewall here is the pdf.] The optional readings include several other compilations of readings accusing police of misconduct.

[Optional] These articles all have long, in-depth discussions. The Washington Post claims there is massive bias in our police systems and offers what it calls overwhelming proof. (Here is a pdf if the direct link doesn't work.) The New York Times maintains a chronology of stories on Police Brutality, Misconduct and Shootings. The NYT also talks about the stubborn problem of testilying by the police.

[Optional] Black Lives Matter Activists blasted the kid gloves treatment the Pro-Trump mob received on January 6, 2021.

[Optional] Rolling Stone presents what it claims are 11 racist police killings with no justice served.

[Optional] Matthew Yglesias warns that White-on-White Murder is Out of Control. (Some might suspect he is being a little sarcastic or satirical, but his numbers are valid.) John Haltiwanger adds that White Men have Committed  More Mass Shootings than any other group.

[Optional-Video] RedState is a very right-wing web page -- but contributor Leon Wolf says Many Conservatives are Blowing it on the Ferguson DOJ report. Erick Erickson, former editor of RedState, makes a similar argument in Ferguson is not Binary.

[Optional] Adam Driver (Mishawaka High School class of 2001) says there were plenty of KKK rallies when he was growing up in St. Joseph County, and the facts support him.

[Optional] Here is the complete Sentencing Project's Report on Eliminating Racial Inequity in the Criminal Just System.

[Optional] Alice Goffman's On the Run is one of the most highly acclaimed Sociological books in years. The New York Times hailed it as "A remarkable feat of reporting . . . The level of detail in this book and Goffman's ability to understand her subjects' motivations are astonishing--and riveting." But in summer 2015 several critics started questioning her honesty and ethics. Here is a very detailed attack and a much shorter one. Goffman wrote a reply to her critics but Steven Lubet said she just raised even more concerns.

[Optional] In President Obama's Department of Injustice, Alec Karakatnis blasted the Obama administration for keepings tens of thousands of poor people languishing in federal prisons on illegal sentences.

[Optional] The Ban the Box Movement aims to end structural discrimination against people with conviction and incarceration histories, primarily in the areas of hiring and housing policy. This video explains the movement. To learn more, check out the campaign's web page. However, businesses have expressed concerns about the movement, and the Pew Institute warns that Ban the Box laws may be hurting young Black men seeking jobs. 

[Optional] The New York Times (April 2015) says that, because of early deaths and incarceration, more than 1.5 million Black men are missing.

[Optional] A 2015 study says mass incarceration did not lower the crime rate.

[Optional] Facebook was torn by controversy when the Notre Dame Women's Basketball team declared I can't breathe. Here is the famous video of Eric Garner that inspired the protest.

[Optional] Former Notre Dame basketball superstar Brianna Taylor, the daughter of two police officers, gives her views about the dialogue on race.

[Optional] The Marshall Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system. It includes several articles on Police Accountability and other topics.

[Optional] A lot of people claimed that a gender double-standard hurt Serena Williams at the 2018 US. But the NY Times shows that men are actually penalized more often.

[Optional] In The Underpolicing of Black America, Jill Leovy says that police are better at stopping African Americans at random than they are at halting an epidemic of murder. Viewing things from the left, Emory Professor Carol Anderson says Ferguson isn't about Black rage against cops. It's White rage against progress.

[Optional] Toella Pliakas says The Left shouldn't Scrap Defund the Police. They should rebrand it. The Guardian explains what defunding the police means. Dionne Searcey further discusses What Would Efforts to Defund or Disband Police Departments Really Mean? Jenifer Eberhardt explains why she supports police reform but doesn't believe in defunding. Criminologist Rod Brunson notes Protests focus on over-policing. But under-policing is also deadly (pdf version). Geo Maher says Yes, we should defund the police. Wilfred Reilly says Defunding the police is stupid and counterproductive. Radley Balko challenges the claim that policing shortages is fueling crime.

[Optional] Radley Balko counters Giuliani and says there is no war on cops and that those who claim otherwise are playing a dangerous game.

[Optional] Some African-American Community Activists were not Happy with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg. In August 2019 the local chapter of Black Lives Matter called for Buttigieg to resign.

[Optional] Gallup found that in September 2020 Perceptions of White-Black Relations had Sunk to New Low. A study finds that 93% of Black Lives Matter protests have been peaceful.

[Optional] In Bellevue Nebraska The Police Chief is hiring Female Officers to Fix Toxic Policing. (Use this alternate link if necessary.)

[Optional] The NY Times has interesting statistics on economic diversity and student outcomes at Notre Dame. You can look up other schools too if you want. For a broader picture see here. Notre Dame isn't the richest school out there, but it is pretty high up, and we also seem to be on the lower side as far as economic diversity goes. Notre Dame's Office of Student Enrichment tries to help lower-income students succeed.

[Optional] Want to improve your kid's chances of getting into Harvard? Then spending $100,000+ to make them into a good fencer may be a great idea. John Miller laments how America sold out little league baseball.

[Optional] Here are the Census Bureau figures for Poverty and Wealth in the United States, 2020. The  World Hunger Education Service overviews Poverty and Hunger in the United States.

[Optional] Kyle Spenser talks about students who are in College and Homeless. Nicholas Casey outlines how The Coronavirus Exposed Just how Unequal College Students Lives are.

[Optional] In 2014 Barbara Ehrenreich wrote about how it is expensive to be poor.

[Optional] Amia Srinivasan argues that the rich are dependents of the state too. To deal with income inequality, Nicholas Kristof says we should soak the rich - and they will still be wealthy. But Brian Reidl scoffs and says You cannot fund socialism by taxing the wealthy.

[Optional] Here is the Children's Defense Fund Full report on The State of America's Children 2021. Child Trends notes that Childhood Poverty has actually been declining since 1993. Vox and the NY Times elaborate on recent declines in childhood poverty.

[Optional] Eduardo Porter attacks the Myth of Welfare's Corrupting Influence on the Poor. Linda Tirado was poor herself -- and she explains why she thinks poor people make bad decisions.

[Optional] Andrew Jabobs reviews Sidewalk, where Mitchell Duneier discusses how he spent five years examining the lives of poor book vendors in New York. Here are some excerpts from Sidewalk.

[Optional-Video] Here is the hour-long video for Sidewalk. You may or may not need to download it first (1.3 GB). It is in mpg4 format and is freely available. Here is the whole DVD (7 GB, in iso format) which has some extra features if you want it.

[Optional] William Julius Wilson reviews Edin and Shaefer's book  $2 a day: Living on Almost Nothing in America.

[Optional] Brian Goldman reports that Housing insecurity in the nation's richest cities is far worse than government statistics claim.

[Optional] In Working the System that is working her, Jennifer Friedman and Laurel Graham describe how one woman dealt with poverty and all the obstacles it presented her with. (Fascinating albeit long; you can skim though, you don't have to read it super-carefully.)

[Optional] Byron Auguste says that Requiring a college degree hurts millions of qualified workers unnecessarily.

[Optional] Robert Reich warns that a weak middle class hurts everyone, including the rich.

[Optional] Allison Shrager says that Bernie Sanders' plan for free college tuition is a terrible idea.

[Optional] Eden & Shaefer describe one survival strategy of the poor -- Donating Plasma.

[Optional-Video] Gary Rivlin describes how payday lenders and others have helped to turn poverty into a multibillion dollar industry and says more about Fat times for the poverty industry. In this humorous, profane, but also accurate clip, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver discusses Predatory Lending. Warning: Language is a bit crude at times. The Center for Responsible Lending has some more conventional but also very good videos. The CRL also addresses Payday Lending: Myths and Facts.

[Optional] Mark Rank says we need to rethink poverty and its solutions. His ConfrontingPoverty.org site offers several tools for understanding American inequality.

[Optional] In 2016 the Republican Party proposed what it thought was a better way to deal with Poverty, Opportunity, and Upward Mobility.

[Optional] Jesse Miler discusses The Disappearing Black Middle Class.

[Optional] In this 2012 report, Elizabeth Warren and Deborah Thorne update how bankruptcy is affecting the middle class. Thorne further discusses how financial distress affects families, especially women. Deborah Thorne explains why many find it hard to make a fresh start after bankruptcy.

[Optional] In October 2020, William Galston noted the current recovery is the most unequal in modern history

[Optional] Business Week discusses the role that luck plays in making someone rich or poor. Saez and Zucman say it is absurd that the working class is now paying higher tax rates than the richest people in America. They explain how to Tax our Way back to Justice.

[Optional] Michael Hobbes says The Glass Floor Is Keeping America's Richest Idiots At The Top.

[Optional] An MIT Economists claims Escaping Poverty Requires Almost 20 Years With Nearly Nothing Going Wrong.

[Optional] The New York Times reports on What Middle-Class Families want Politicians to Know.

[Optional] Several studies suggest that African American adults and their children receive less effective health care than their white counterparts - and their doctors may not even realize it. Racial stereotypes & a lack of minority doctors and condescending communication with patients may be among the reasons.

[Optional] The Marshall project finds COVID-19's Toll on People of Color Is Worse Than We Knew. African American orthopedic surgeon Kenneth R. Alleyne describes how covid-19 is a perfect storm for black Americans. Black Chicagoans say they have long confronted racism in medicine -- and Covid-19 didn't help.

[Optional] What should be done about poverty? Edin and Shaefer blast the Clinton-era welfare reforms and claim America's Poorest are getting virtually no assistance. Catholic Charities of Fort Worth praised Paul Ryan for his understanding of poverty. In 2014 the future Speaker of the House blasted the Obama administration for a system that perpetuates poverty. In investing in our children, Robert Samuelson argues that government programs can only do so much to combat poverty.

[Optional] Elizabeth Warren says $1.2 trillion in student loan debt is keeping young people out of the middle class, and describes what she thinks should be done about it. [Note: The article is only a few pages long. But, I left the comments in, in case you want to skim through them. A lot of people agree with Warren while others have no sympathy for students whatsoever!] But Charles Lane says proposed student debt plans violate principles of social justice.

[Optional] In her famous "You didn't build that" speech, Elizabeth Warren noted some of the many ways that government has helped people build and secure wealth. She'd probably add the American banking system to that list -- and she is very upset at how legislators and regulators helped make it possible for Silicon Valley Bank to abuse that system. (One interesting quote: "It's no wonder the American people are skeptical of a system that holds millions of struggling student loan borrowers in limbo but steps in overnight to ensure that billion-dollar crypto firms won't lose a dime in deposits.") Nobel Prize winning Economist Paul Krugman shares his concerns with the fairness and long-term consequences of the SVB bailout.

[Optional] Claire Cain Miller says part of the reason women's wages trail men's is that As Women Take Over a Male-Dominated Field, the Pay Drops. Politifact analyzes the claim that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns.

[Optional] Demographer Phillip Cohen argues that Childhood Poverty isn't that hard to solve.

[Optional] Robert Reich claims that those at the top would be better off with a smaller share of a rapidly growing economy than a large share of one that's almost dead in the water.

[Optional] George Johnson explains why everyone seems to have cancer.

[Optional] Laura Helmuth asks the provocative question, Why are you not dead yet? In 2020 your instructor wrote down his own thoughts on Why is Richard Williams not dead yet? (You don't have to take detailed notes on me! But it might help prod you to ask the same question about yourself or someone you know.)

[Optional] The CDC lists the 10 leading causes of death in 2023. Here are the 10 leading causes of death for ages 20-24.

[Optional] In this classic 1993 JAMA article, McGinnis and Foege discuss The real causes of death in the United States. The statistics are dated but the general principles still hold. I'll probably summarize the highlights in class.

[Optional] The 1918 flue pandemic killed an estimated 50-100 million people worldwide, including 675,000 in the US.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tells the story of the pandemic. Aaron Kassraie uses pictures to show How America Fought a Pandemic a Century ago. J. Hudson describes How the Nebraska Football Team Struggled Through its season that year. National Geographic describes how some cities flattened the curve in 1918. Here is What New York looked like during the 1918 Flu Pandemic. Dylan Matthews shows how social distancing both saved lives and was better for the economy too. Margaret Fosmoe tells the story of Notre Dame in the Fall of 1918.

[Optional] Anti-vaxers think that, because of Covid, this is their moment. Kerry Kennedy Meltzer loves her uncle, but she says Vaccines are Safe, no matter what Robert F. Kennedy Jr says. Recent studies show shaming doesn't work -- Here is what will actually convince people to get the Covid Vaccine. Colleges debate whether they should require Covid vaccinations for students. A Notre Dame student offers his thoughts on How to Talk to your friends who won't get vaccinated.

[Optional] In 2020, Covid-19 came from out of nowhere to be the the #3 cause of death and sent life expectancy down sharply. George Monbiot warns that Long Covid is no respecter of youth, health or fitness - and the effects can be horrible. Here are brief excerpts from other articles on long-haul Covid. The optional readings include several other pieces about the potentially devastating effects of long-haul Covid. Shirin Ali reports that, thanks to Covid-19 related learning loss, Those 2022 Grade-School Test Scores Are a Really Bad Sign, and discusses what we might do about them.

[Optional] Mark D. Hayward & Dr Jennifer Karas Montez describe health and educational disparities across the country. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 18-24 -- and Richard Friedman asks why are so many young Americans killing themselves?

[Optional] Why is American mortality increasing? David Wallace-Wells says It isn't Deaths of Despair -- It's Deaths of Children. The New York Times reports that The portion of American hospital beds occupied by children with suicidal or self-harming behavior has soared.

[Optional] Kate Hidalgo Bellows says Colleges are reaching a breaking point in campus mental health. Gluckman and Mangan add that When suicide is a risk, campuses struggle with doing too little -  or too much. Sarah Rose Cavanagh challenges popular opinion and argues that mandated mental health breaks do more harm than good.(Note: At least in my classes I don't think this has ever been an issue. I don't know about other Notre Dame professors.)  Kate Marijolovic offers ideas on what colleges can do that may help. Kelly Field reports that, nationwide, Professors are Struggling  With Demands to Tend to Students' Mental Health - and many say their own mental health is being threatened. Notre Dame student Isabella Rogers writes about The Mental Health Crisis of College Athletics. At Yale in 2023, a Surge of Activism Finally Forced Changes in Mental Health Policies.

[Optional] Psychology Today explains why today's youth are so anxious (I sort of hate the pop culture approach of the article, but I figured I'd see if you think it is right). Princeton struggled with the question Should Suicidal Students Be Forced to Leave Campus? Sarah Richards outlines how colleges are struggling with ways to treat suicidal students. The New York Times provides an in-depth analysis of Why More American Teenagers Than Ever are Suffering From Severe Anxiety. Sabrina Tavernise reports that younger Americans die earlier and live in poorer health than their counterparts in other developed countries. The Atlantic discusses one way parents can fight the phone-based childhood.

[Optional] The American Heart Association warns that, while life expectancy may be up, our healthspan (the number of years a person can expect to live in relatively good health) is quite a bit less than that.

[Optional] Hannah Nichols lists and explains the top ten leading causes of death in the United States in 2019. Here are the 10 leading causes of death for ages 20-24.

[Optional] The Center for Disease Control provides a 2015 overview of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the US.  The United Nations gives a 2016 Fact Sheet on AIDS.

[Optional] Dr. Sharon Moalem argues that, When it comes to survival, men are the weaker sex. It appears that men are much more likely to die from Covid-19 than women are.

[Optional] Roge Karma describes The Gross Inequality of Death in America. A JAMA study finds that life expectancy varies by as much as 20 years across counties in the United States. A 2016 report finds that the Disparity in Life Spans of the Rich and the Poor Is Growing. FiveThirtyEight says More Americans Are Dying From Suicide, Drug Use And Diarrhea.

[Optional] A national study finds that guns send 8,000 children to the emergency room every year. Doctors responded when the NRA told them to stay in their lane. Elinore Kaufman says I'm a doctor fighting two epidemics: Coronavirus and gun violence. KFF reports that the US has by far the highest and teen firearm mortality rate among peer countries. Brian H. Williams says We're Focused on School Shootings But What About Youth Firearm Suicide? But an NRA critic was surprised to find that gun control is not the answer.

[Optional] U.S. life expectancy improved for almost a century -- but now there is a dismal trend in the other direction. Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton say it is because Despair has killed a million Americans -- and the white working class (especially Trump supporters) has been hit the hardest. Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDun say There are Far Too Many Deaths of Despair.  Angus Deaton and The Atlantic provide more details on the Deaths of Despair. But two Colorado researchers disagree with the analysis.

[Optional] You can play Laura Helmuth's Wretched Fate game if you'd like to see how you might have died a few centuries ago.

[Optional] Sheila King outlines the hazards of smoking for women. William Wan laments that the rich stopped smoking but the poor didn't. But luckily Fewer US Adults are Smoking than Ever Before. Gabrielle Glaser warns that more people are consuming alcohol in risky ways, and that's not a good trend.

[Optional] Breast cancer is one of the leading killers of women worldwide. The New York Times elaborates on how Susan G. Komen for the Cure became a fundraising superpower and on the criticisms and praise it has received. Cancer survivors Barbara Ehrenreich and Peggy Orenstein are among those who criticize the way the battle against breast cancer is being waged.

[Optional] My sister-in-law Mary Mannix Decker completed the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Half-Marathon in a personal best time of two hours, 11minutes, 30 seconds -- which is pretty good seeing as how her feet never touched the pavement. Here is the story of how Robo Granny did it.

[Optional] We are used to hearing about malnutrition as a problem - but recent studies warn that increasing numbers of obese people worldwide could lead to a "global tsunami of cardiovascular disease."  But Paul Campos claims the evidence shows we have an absurd fear of fat. However,  others disagree.

[Optional]  Africa faces an unexpected epidemic: obesity.  A March 2018 report says American adults just keep getting fatter and fatter. Another study projects half of Americans will be obese by 2030. Mexico faces soaring obesity too. This aticle explores Why Obesity is getting worse. In a rather depressing piece, Time Magazine explains Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin. An economist offers his theory as to why we are fat.

[Optional] In the Culture of Corpulence, Claudia Kalb argues that American innovations in food, transportation, and technology are threatening to supersize us all. David Zinczenko says don't blame the eater - blame the fast food companies that are marketing a product with proven health hazards and no warning labels. Sam Ali argues that the food industry profits while society pays and that the food industry is following big tobacco's playbook. 

[Optional] ZOE CARPENTER says Racism is killing America's black infants. Several studies suggest that the quality of health care you receive likely depends on your skin color. Juan Williams points out that homicide is the #1 killer of young black men.

[Optional] Americans are going bankrupt from getting sick. The New York Times says that prices, not the amount of care, explain Why the U.S. Spends So Much More Than Other Nations on Health Care.  Recent studies show that hospital billing varies wildly in the US. Professor Gilbert Welch thinks we should be outraged about the cost. Incredibly high bills for child birth,  asthma, and colonoscopies are among the reasons the United States leads the world in health care costs. Just revealing the prices for health care can help. But Paul Krugman expresses optimism over health care costs because of the Medicare Miracle.

[Optional] Paul Krugman blasts Republican health care proposals. Congressman Ron Kind says the GOP bill failed because the Democrats had already taken all of the best Republican ideas. President Trump claims that Obamacare will explode. Politifact assesses Paul Ryan's claim that Obamacare is in a death spiral. As for the claim that preventive care saves money, Anne Carroll says sorry, it is too good to be true -- but worth doing anyway. Sociologist Paul Starr critiques the Affordable Care Act and outlines A new strategy for health care.

[Optional] The health care industry is changing as more physicians are saying no to endless work days. The U.S. is on the verge of a major nursing shortage. There is a sense of alarm as Rural Hospitals keep closing.

[Optional] Vaccines have been a subject of hot debate in recent years.  An unvaccinated child contracted tetanus and required $800,000 worth of medical care -- and his parents still would not vaccinate him. The anti-vaxx movement is growing, but a massive new study once again refutes the claims that vaccinations cause autism. A simple graphic shows how Vaccines have changed the world. Steven L. Weinreb pleads For the Herd's Sake, Vaccinate. Blogger KATETIEJTE describes the worst things people say about unvaccinated kids while L. Shaka counters with The worst misconceptions parents of some unvaccinated children hold. Thea Tympanick explains why your kids need the HPV vaccine - and why so many aren't getting it. On Facebook, anti-vaxxers urged a mom not to give her son Tamiflu - and he died.  Anti-vaxxers are facing a backlash as measles cases surge.  Saad B. Omer grew up in a dictatorship -- and he says that Rand Paul is wrong, mandatory immunizations are not a threat to liberty. Here is more on the massive Danish study that found no link between vaccines and autism. Former anti-vaxxers explain what changed their mind while doctors assess how they can change anti-vaccine minds. Other relatives of his say RFK Jr. Is Our Brother and Uncle. He�s Tragically Wrong About Vaccines.

[Optional] A professor of pediatrics says the science behind vaccination is not up for debate. Sharon Begley discusses how vaccines (unfairly) became villains in the autism debate. A British investigation says the Wakefield Autism Study was an elaborate fraud that continues to damage public health. A pediatrician claims to debunk the most common misconceptions about childhood immunizations. Counter to the fears of some, the HPV vaccine does not seem to affect sexual behavior; further it is lowering teenage infection rates, 

[Optional-Video] In this 15 minute video, the NY Times takes you Inside a Covid I.C.U., Through a Nurse's Eyes.

[Optional] The Biden Administration has enlisted nearly 300 organizations, including NASCAR and several Catholic groups, that will speak to communities where skepticism of the coronavirus vaccine remains high. As Biden Confronts Vaccine Hesitancy, Republicans Are a Particular Challenge. Former Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin urges everyone to wear a mask. A recent study finds that Race and Christian Nationalism are the two strongest predictors of anti-vaccination attitudes.  People explain why they changed their mind about the Covid vaccine. Vox talks about The frustrating reality of having vaccine-hesitant family members. Market Watch says Fewer people take a wait and see approach to COVID-19 vaccine -- here's what changed their minds.

[Optional] The director of the College Crisis Center argues that Covid vaccine priority for college students makes sense even if it seems wrong.

[Optional] Food, shelter and clean water are what aid agencies emphasize.  But if we really want to battle some of the biggest killers of children worldwide, Rose George says we have to get over our squeamishness and send in the latrines.

[Optional] He may not have been the most popular president in the United States - but in Africa, George Bush is praised for helping to save millions.  Nicholas Kristof adds that America can be proud of Bush's efforts to battle sex trafficking and HIV.

[Optional] Here are some more articles on long-haul Covid if interested. The NY Times asks What if you never get better from Covid-19? Pam Belluck reports They Had Mild Covid. Then Their Serious Symptoms Kicked In. Belluck also describes how first they had Covid, then they had psychosis. Alyson Krueger says If everything Smells Bad, you are not Alone. In this lengthy piece, the Atlantic describes how clinicians are Unlocking the Mysteries of Long Covid. Fiona Lowenstein and Hannah Davis warn that Long Covid Is Not Rare. It's a Health Crisis.

[Optional] On Monday, October 9, 2023, Harvard economist Claudia Goldin released a working paper called Why Women Won. It chronicles 155 critical moments in the modern history of women's rights. A few hours later, a 156th occurred: Goldin herself was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics. Catherine Rampell goes over some of the highlights of Goldin's work, which includes an analysis of how the greedy workplace has fostered gender inequality. Abha Bhattarai says more about Goldin's pathbreaking work on women in the workplace. Here is Goldin and Rouse's famous study on how blind auditions (where performers were hidden behind a screen) dramatically increased the number of women selected for symphone orchestras.

[Optional-Video] Kristen Bell introduces Pinksourcing, where women are a bargain at the workplace (2:08).

[Optional-Video] Here is the Census Bureau's handout on Women's History Month 2017. The statistics are a little less current but more detailed than those in later reports. The Population Reference Bureau gives a brief summary of Gender Equity in Work and PayWorldwide.

[Optional] The Population Reference Bureau says Young Women are Losing Ground compared to older generations. Wisconsin Sociologist Jessica Calarco says that other countries have social safety nets. The US has women. As a result, American Women are at a breaking point.

[Optional] Claire Cain Miller explains why boys are already behind when they start kindergarten. In Sept 2024, Rachel Wolfe demonstrated that America's Young Men Are Falling Even Further Behind.

[Optional] The Ecomist discusses The Stunning Decline of the Preference for Having Boys.

[Optional] More than 20 years after Christina Hoff Sommers wrote her famous book, the war over whether there is a war goes on. In 2022 Women's College President Carine Feyten said The Boys are Doing Just Fine and Richard Reeves countered No, they Aren't. In 2022 The Chronicle of Higher Education offered the most up-to-date statistics on The Male Enrollment Crisis. About the same time Kelly Field explained why people should be much more concerned about the Male Graduation Gap. In January 2023 Idrees Kahloon further discussed What's the Matter with Men?

[Optional] Christina Hoff Sommers updated her arguments in the 2013 op-ed piece The Boys at the Back. In Feb 2018 Michael Ian Black agreed that The Boys are Not All Right.  The Brookings Institute examines Why are so many American men not working?

[Optional] Abby Braiman explains Why Women Should Coach Boys' Sports. Notre Dame Anthropologist Cara Ocobock points out that when When it Comes to Sports, Men Don't Always have the Advantage, The NY Times says more about where are all the women coaches?

[Optional] As if all that  unpaid work in the home and office wasn't bad enough, Melanie Hamlett argues that men have no friends and women bear the burden. Sayer and Pepin find that Moms spend even more time on housework when a man is in the house - but we can't just pin the blame on men. Julia Carpenter describes the unpaid labor that always falls to women both at home and at work. 

[Optional] Surveys show that US men and women disagree about the severity of gender inequality problems -- and that female perceptions tend to be more accurate.

[Optional] Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, attributes the gender gap in corporate leadership to chauvinism and corporate obstacles -- but also, in part, to women who don't aggressively pursue opportunities.

[Optional] Kate Snow claims Women are now the backbone of the economy. In The End of Men, Hanna Rosin reports on the unprecedented gender role reversal now under way and its vast cultural consequences. [Pages 7, 8 and 13 are required; the rest of the article is highly recommended.] But Katica Roy says The Recession is Already Here - if You are a Woman.

[Optional] Men are more likely than women to say their research is excellent -- and it isn't because their work really is better.

[Optional] Former faculty member Abby Palko laments that Notre Dame did not make it possible for her to have a family of the size she wanted. (Palko's critique is pretty damning. But in fairness, ND says it can't respond because it cannot discuss individual cases.)

[Optional] Melinda Gates says the Pandemic has exposed our broken care-giving system. Kamala Harris says The exodus of women from the workforce is a national emergency. Helaine Olen says the pandemic is devastating a generation of working women.

[Optional] Christina Hoff-Summers and Jillian Berman debate the accuracy of the often made claim that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. A November 2018 study claims the gender pay gap is even worse than we thought. Politifact further analyzes the claim that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. In this lengthy but easy to read piece, Sarah Kliff tries to tell The truth about the gender wage gap.  In this short video Hoff-Summers claims that The Gender Wage Gap is a Myth (2:20)

[Optional]  Why does the gender wage gap persist? Part of the reason is that As Women Take Over a Male-Dominated Field, the Pay Drops.

[Optional] In 2019 Tara Law warned that, despite recent gains, major challenges for working women remain.

[Optional] Black  doctors (mostly female) tell Delta #WhatADoctorLooksLike.

[Optional]  Jennifer Britz apologizes to all the girls she has rejected - for admission to college. But apologies are not enough, says Richard Whitmire.  He says women are discriminated against in college admissions and they ought to sue. US News elaborates on the problems colleges are having in recruiting enough males. Susan Dominus reprts that in 2023 There Was Still Definitely a Thumb on the Scale to Get Boys.

[Optional] Why are boys so unruly?  It is in their nature, says Christina Hoff Sommers, and efforts to make them more docile and emotional are misguided.

[Optional]  Dan Abrams argues that Women Rule as doctors and investors. But anesthesiologist Karen Sibert says too many women doctors are working part-time and leaving the profession and we can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don't spend their careers in the fulltime practice of medicine. Eye surgeon Carolyn Anderson thinks Sibert is distorting the statistics and being unfair to women and explains why doctors should be allowed to work part-time.

[Optional]  Do you want to dramatically improve policing? Then hiring more women may be the key to success.

[Optional]  Time lists 28 historic firsts for women in 2019.

[Optional]  The AFL-CIO provides these Vital Statistics for Professional Women in 2010. Some of the statistics are now a little dated, but it highlights some of the major changes that have occurred over the last century.

[Optional] Liza Mundy talks about how the rise of female breadwinners is changing the world in Women, Money and Power.

[Optional] Tara Siegel Bernard offers A Toolkit for Women Seeking a Raise.

[Optional] The late Suzanne Bianchi received her Master's Degree from Notre Dame. Her New York Times Obituary covered some of the highlights of her life's work on gender roles.

[Optional]  There have been many benefits in the gains that women have made. But Emma Green argues that as the demands on women's time increased, communities suffered, in What America Lost as Women Entered the Workforce.