Explore our latest research, analysis, and commentary on critical policy issues shaping our world today.
52 publications found• Displaying 10 of 52
While ordinary Americans continue to suffer at the hands of gun violence, our elected leaders refuse to take action. In fact, the vast majority of our politicians seem to forget the true scope and magnitude of the tragedy that lays at their feet. Their lack of action is inexcusable.
As of May 2024, it has officially been two years since the inauguration of the current South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol. As Yoon nears the halfway point of his five-year term, the country’s attention is gathered on his updated approval rating. Upon surveying 1000 citizens across the country, a historic low of 24% responded in approval of Yoon’s presidency. Particularly, Yoon’s second year approval rating draws a stark contrast to that of the ex-president Moon, who held an approval rating of 47% during the second year of his term. Upon closer examination of the reasons behind Yoon’s low approval rating, it is apparent that 19% of those dissatisfied cited “the economy, people’s livelihood and inflation,” whilst 15% took issue with his “insufficient communication with the public.”
As President Obama once said, “one of the best investments we can make in a child’s life is [a] high-quality education.” Obama’s words still stand true nearly a decade later, but that ‘investment’ is becoming yet more of an exorbitant commitment. The ballooning price of tuition isn’t just straining the feasibility of the same investment into one’s education, but also completely challenging the notion of opportunity and upward mobility in America. What once was a minor setback that opened a pathway to success is turning into a mammoth burden many simply can’t afford. As the American Dream transforms into a pipe dream, decisive action must be taken to address this burgeoning crisis.
On October 24th, 2023, a collective force of 33 states filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The suit, filed in California district court, alleged that Meta had used advertising tailored towards children, which made them addicted to its services, while its failure to properly regulate its platforms created a dangerous and harmful environment for them. The lawsuit against Meta Platforms is of utmost importance to the SPRING Group. As an organization exclusively composed of students who are young adults, the members of the Group are in the age cohort that Meta has directly tailored its deceptive advertising towards. On top of our knowledge regarding the addictive effects of social media, such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, on younger children, SPRING fellows also have personal experiences with living childhoods defined by the constant usage of social networks. As part of its goal of highlighting youth viewpoints on issues of concern to them, SPRING seeks to bring the unique perspective of high school students into the states’ action against Meta. This brief analyzes the specific causes of action in the lawsuit, specifically Meta’s youth-tailored advertising, their negligence and misrepresentation to the public, as well as their harms on the physical and mental safety of younger users. It then delves into the validity of the lawsuit, how it is likely to be ruled upon, and what courts have done or will likely do with it.
The solitary confinement of juvenile delinquents is a widespread practice across America’s 50 states. Under specific circumstances, law enforcement is permitted to keep these individuals isolated by themselves in separate sections of the facility. The specific conditions of youth solitary confinement and the requirements necessary for it to be used differ across each American state. Some use it in many circumstances, others never at all. The range of hours spent in solitary confinement ranges from as low as 0, in states that do not implement the practice for juveniles, to as high as over 101. This report outlines the details of when youth solitary confinement is used, the quality of that youth solitary confinement when it is used, and any notable reports or statistics coming out of each state. A graphic representation of the amount of hours each state allows will be included to visualize the national differences in use of the practice.
In the past three years, the number of deaths caused by fentanyl overdoses has skyrocketed. The drug is 100 times more potent than morphine and just 2 milligrams of fentanyl, equal to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose. Illegally manufactured fentanyl is found in heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and in counterfeit pills. Teenagers are the center of this epidemic. They consume common drugs, unknowing that it might contain traces of fentanyl and that those traces are enough to be fatal. It is imperative that action is taken at every level to combat the epidemic and protect those that are most vulnerable. In this brief, we cover the basic mechanisms of how fentanyl functions, how it affects the human body, how it is propagated throughout society, who is most at risk of fentanyl poisoning, and how it might fall into those groups’ hands. We stand in support of The Nyl Project’s attention on the surge in fentanyl-related deaths in the United States of America, believing that more is needed to involve NGOs, educate susceptible populations, and prevent overdoses to end the epidemic once and for all. Now more than ever, schools, governments, and NGOs need to step up and take action.
A critique of the IMF, detailing their past mistakes and exploring the structural flaws that make them ineffective in achieving their goals, while proposing potential solutions to reform the organization
Rooted in century-old conflicts, political polarization in South Asia has threatened—and continues to threaten—the region’s development. The resentment between ethnic and political groups in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan have created generational distrust between their people that worsens the already significant challenge that policy-makers and governments face in these nations. India, in particular, is relevant in the discussion of political polarization in South Asia. While many events and figures can be deemed significant in the creation of India’s political divide, it stems from a deceivingly simple question: who ‘belongs’ to India?
The TransAction2040 plan, a product of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, aims to provide Northern Virginia residents with world-class transportation infrastructure. If successful, it will greatly improve the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) Metrorail system, which to this point has fallen far short of similar metro systems around the world. Despite serving as the primary public transit option for many commuters in the region, Metrorail has struggled to deliver reliable and efficient service, often plagued by delays, service interruptions, and aging infrastructure. Finally, the TransAction2040 plan can serve as a much-needed solution.
The Belize Chiquibul National Park was once a place of serenity. But recently, specks of brown and white appeared in the forest, herds of Guatemalan cattle grazing on the pristine land. Locals lament against the intrusion; from conservationists to farmers, they’ve made themselves very clear, but hundreds of miles away in Belmopan, the government has yet to give a single answer. Ever since its independence from the United Kingdom in September 1981, the small coastal state, sandwiched between Guatemala and Mexico, has consistently ranked among one of the most democratic and politically active in the region, a flourishing parliamentary democracy. And as democracy and prosperity have begun their continuous backslide within Central America, it’s necessary to analyze this issue and see how addressing this erosion of democracy requires a multi-pronged approach concerning proper budget management, and anti-corruption campaigns from the Belizean government.
