Mike Evans knew something had to change. As the lead instructor for American Government 1101 at Georgia State University in 2021, Evans had watched his students over the years show up with fewer facts and more conspiracy theories. Gone were the days when students arrived on campus with dim memories of high school civics. Now they came […] … learn more→

We often associate fashionable expressions or practices like verlan with youth. But isn’t it a misuse of language to evoke a “youthful” speech? Is there really a vocabulary or a use of syntax that would allow us to identify ways of expressing ourselves specific to young people? “Gadjo”, “despee”, “tchop”: these words are associated, in media […] … learn more→

Beyond the media hype, what do child-free tourism options really represent? Beyond the marketing rhetoric of some and the outrage of others, the situation and motivations are more complex than the fantasized image. While they call into question the place of children in our society, these new offerings also reveal fundamental social problems. We can […] … learn more→

According to Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes against Jews rose by 82 per cent in 2023. In the months following Oct. 7, 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza, university campuses across Canada became sites of tension, protest and divisions. Jewish students and faculty increasingly reported feeling alone, excluded and targeted. As our research has examined, despite these urgent realities, Jewish identity and antisemitism […] … learn more→

The sexual assault trial of five former World Juniors hockey players has spotlighted issues around sexual assault and consent. Sexual assault, intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence aren’t inevitable. Kindergarten to Grade 12 public schools have an ethical obligation to enact sexuality education that is responsive to current contexts, respects human diversity, empowers young people and is […] … learn more→

Imagine finding out your friends hosted a dinner party and didn’t invite you, or that you were passed over for a job you were excited about. These moments hurt, and people often describe rejection in the language of physical pain. While rejection can be emotionally painful, it can also teach us something. I am a social psychology […] … learn more→

Social media influencers have become cultural powerhouses, setting trends, shaping lifestyles and even swaying political views. As their influence grows, so do ethical debates about them: are they villains exploiting their audiences, victims of an unregulated industry or champions driving positive change? In our chapter in the recently released book, Influencer Marketing, we synthesized existing literature to […] … learn more→

Filming, editing, and posting videos on social media is now a central activity in young people’s social lives. But it’s also a complex, even dangerous, activity, especially for young women. What do they film, what don’t they film, and why? A look back at the findings of a survey. In an article dated March 12, 2025 , […] … learn more→

“Lies are often much more plausible, more appealing to reason than reality, since the liar has the great advantage of knowing beforehand what the audience wishes or expects to hear.” This statement might have been written last year – or last week – as a comment on the current state of political reporting. It is […] … learn more→

There are four key and interrelated dimensions that determine the well-being of children and adolescents: physical health, emotional well-being, digital technology use, and the relational environment. Each influences the others: therefore, we cannot talk about digital well-being without considering physical, emotional, and social connections. In Spain, most minors receive their first cell phone at age 11. They are […] … learn more→