There is a growing global movement among economic, public policy and academic communities questioning the appropriateness of gross domestic product (GDP), and specifically its growth, as an indicator of progress. Despite the broad range of indices and dashboards that have been developed to challenge it, GDP remains entrenched as the essential indicator of national prosperity, despite its purpose being to measure the size and performance of the economy.

In a joint letter, a group of scientists calls on U.S. policymakers and the nation's scientific communities to avoid shunning Russian scientists and academics for the actions of Russia's government in light of the invasion of Ukraine.

Vaccines and other biomedical advances will not be sufficient to halt COVID-19, unless we simultaneously counter anti-science aggression, writes Peter Hotez, fellow in disease and poverty, in a new article for PLOS Biology.

By Kevin F. Erickson, Bo Zhao, Jingbo Niu, Wolfgang C. Winkelmayer, Jay Bhattacharya, Glenn M. Chertow and Vivian Ho The acquisition of independently owned dialysis facilities by facility chains lead to slower decreases in mortality and hospitalization rates, write the authors. JAMA Network Open: https://bit.ly/2WPYGSD

Tweets by legislative candidates from four major political parties in Turkey are examined to compare their policy positions with those of party supporters. Journal of Representative Democracy: http://bit.ly/2UrQURQ

Global deworming programs for children were once believed to improve a child’s chances for health, growth and success in school. New research that claims to debunk the merit of such programs has set off so-called “worm wars” between investigators. The authors aim to resolve the issue through an extended comparison of findings from key economics and epidemiological studies.

The role social media can play in the Middle East peace process is examined in this article through an assessment of social media peace campaigns in Israel and the Palestinian territories and an analysis of social media campaign design. 

Using the work of the women’s caucus in Iran’s Sixth Parliament as a case study, the authors examine women’s struggles to obtain a voice and influence within an authoritarian polity and a male-dominated political body.

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Abstract

Can we construct transnational or…

The lower participation of women in the paid labor force in the Muslim Middle East relative to other world regions raises the question: What is the culprit of gender inequality in the Muslim Middle East? Could it be Islam or is it something else?