The Unforeseen Economic Revolution of China

Number of words: 1,079 China’s economic growth has lifted hundreds of millions of individuals out of poverty. The resulting positive impacts on the material well-being of Chinese citizens are abundantly evident. Beijing’s seven ring roads, Shanghai’s sparkling skyline, and Guangzhou’s multitude of export factories none of which existed in 1980are testimony to China’s success. What … Read more

The Intersection of Language and Sexuality

Number of words: 126 Sothesyntax of the verbs of sex uncovers two very different mental models of sexuality. The first is reminiscent of sex–education curricula, marriage manuals, and other sanctioned views: Sex is joint activity, details unspecified, which is mutually engaged in by two equal partners. The second is a darker view, somewhere between mammalian … Read more

The Dynamics of Power in Human Sexual Relationships

Number of words: 474 Sex has high stakes, including exploitation, disease, illegitimacy, incest, jealousy, spousal abuse, cuckoldry, desertion, feuding, child abuse, and rape. These hazards have been around for a long time and have left their mark on our customs and our emotions. Thoughts about sex are likely to be fraught, and not entertained lightly. … Read more

The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Design Innovation

Number of words: 1,750 The “old design”—the creation of artifacts for consumption—has traditionally been managed in the form of individual projects. This is most obvious when a consultant works with a client. The typical engagement works like this: A client—often a large corporation—identifies a problem that requires design skills. The client assigns a budget and … Read more