In addition to the most pressing issues of the day, scholars at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies focus their research on many regions of the world, from Beijing to Brazil.
Research Spotlight
South Korea's Democratic Decay
South Korea is following global trends as it slides toward a “democratic depression.” Both the spirit of democracy and actual liberal-democratic standards are under attack.
The Deer and the Dragon: Southeast Asia and China in the 21st Century
Southeast Asian and Chinese perceptions of each other are examined using survey research and by asking whether China views the region as its “strategic backyard.”
Author Vincent Barletta explores rhythm as a primordial and physical binding force that establishes order and form in the ancient world, as the anatomy of lived experience in early modern Europe, and as a subject of aesthetic and ethical questioning in the twentieth century.
Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy
International Journal of Behavioral Development,
January 10, 2025
This study aims to compare the ratings of primary caregivers and teachers of any mental health problems of preschool children in rural China. The primary caregivers and teachers provided their ratings of mental health of 1,191 sample rural preschool children (mean age = 56.8 months; 587 girls) using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). According to the findings, primary caregivers consistently gave their children higher SDQ scores and identified more symptoms across the different categories of mental health problems (i.e., normal, borderline, and abnormal) than teachers. The correlations between the ratings of caregivers and the ratings of teachers were low. The study also identifies the characteristics of children, caregivers, and teacher that were correlated with the differences in the ratings. Specifically, boys, children that were identified by scales of cognitively development as being delayed, and those that parented with authoritarian style were more likely to be rated differently by primary caregivers and teachers. In addition, primary caregivers from relatively poor families rated their children differently from teachers, compared with primary caregivers from relatively rich families. Regarding teachers, they tended to rate on child mental health differently from primary caregivers when they were male or at older age. These findings suggest considering multi-informant reports when assessing the mental health problems of preschool children in different settings. In addition, understanding factors linked to informant discrepancies can potentially improve the accuracy of the assessments.
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools,
December 18, 2024
Purpose: This mixed-methods study examined how differences in parental time, knowledge, and economic constraints, as well as community socioeconomic contexts, may contribute to differences in home language environment and child language ability outcomes between peri-urban and rural households in China.
Method: We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods analysis using data from 158 children aged 18–24 months among peri-urban and rural households with low socioeconomic status (SES) in southwestern China. Audio recordings were collected from each household and analyzed using the Language ENvironment Analysis system. The Mandarin version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories was administered to each child's primary caregiver. We also conducted qualitative interviews with primary caregivers in 31 peri-urban and 32 rural households. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded.
Results: The quantitative results reveal that children in peri-urban households heard less adult speech and had lower language ability than children in rural households. Directed content analysis of interviews found that peri-urban caregivers faced more severe time constraints and less favorable community socioeconomic contexts than rural primary caregivers. Taken together, these findings suggest that differences in time constraints and community socioeconomic contexts between the two populations are the most likely factors contributing to the inferior language environment and language ability among children in peri-urban households.
Conclusion: The mixed-methods study indicated that parental time constraints and community socioeconomic contexts should be considered alongside SES for a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing parental investment in the home language environment in China.
The quick reversal of President Yoon’s martial-law order is being celebrated as a democratic victory. But the problems run deeper than one man. What comes next?
