University of Pennsylvania researcher Tina Lasisi set out to remove racial prejudice from the study of hair appearance, especially in societies dominated by white people. Similar to skin tone, people in the past were classified based on their hair curvature. Those with tightly curled hair, for example, were classified as African Americans. As a result, they were only given limited access to education and employment. But people with curly hair have something to be proud of. Curly hair protects your head from UV radiation, just like the higher levels of melanin in darker skin. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
