"Being a war photojournalist is a complex and dangerous undertaking," writes Clea Simon in the Harvard Gazette. "But the goal is simple: bear witness and, hopefully, inspire positive change." Read the terrific article about our recent Jodidi Lecture with Ron Haviv: https://loom.ly/6ZIOiEE

Last week, Ron Haviv delivered the Samuel L. and Elizabeth Jodidi Lecture. He shared moving images and short films on the realities of conflict and the ethical, practical, & personal challenges of visual journalism. Thank you to Ron, Ziyah Gafić, and The VII Foundation for the powerful work you do!

Canada's economic dependence on the US is no longer viable—but it's also an opportunity. In Canada After America, economists argue the country must scale up globally competitive industries and stop playing small. The crisis is real, but so is the potential. https://loom.ly/QhU3vQQ

Check out the photography exhibition "Imagine: Reflections on Peace," now on display in the CGIS South building concourse at 1730 Cambridge Street. The exhibit is open to the public on November 7, 12–4 p.m., for those without Harvard IDs. For more information, visit: https://loom.ly/AcYOcfY

New research with 1,753 Americans reveals: the capitalism vs socialism debate is mostly about labels. When you look at actual policies—social safety nets, public education, progressive taxes—both parties largely agree. When replicated in Brazil, the finding was the same. https://loom.ly/0YXqWcE

Games aren't just fun—they're powerful teaching tools. A recent study done by Elizabeth Spelke's team found that social-skill games helped disadvantaged Brazilian preschoolers significantly improve their ability to recognize emotions and understand others' perspectives. https://loom.ly/3JCuuis

Evidence of board games building bedrock social skills

A recent study from the Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies describes how games aimed at improving social skills, played in preschool settings, boost social-cognitive development for Brazilian children living near or below the poverty line.

current.fas.harvard.edu

Check out our events for the week of October 25, 2026. https://loom.ly/ZbJYsbc

Check out the photo exhibition "Imagine: Reflections on Peace," now on display in the CGIS South building concourse at 1730 Cambridge Street. Public viewing hours this Sunday, October 25, 10–2 p.m. and November 7, 12–4 p.m. for those without Harvard IDs. For more information: https://loom.ly/AcYOcfY

NEW on Epicenter: Protests are escalating in India, led by young people increasingly disillusioned by the promise of nationalism. Leela Khanna unpacks the value shifts taking place inside universities, looking closely at the ABVP membership. https://loom.ly/Kx_T1B4

How do communities recover from conflict? Center Director Melani Cammett shares what she’s found in regions recovering from sustained conflict & why there’s cause for hope in our increasingly divided world. Listen to her episode on Born Curious from the Radcliffe Institute: https://loom.ly/HSXodzE

Join us TODAY in CGIS South for the Jodidi Lecture with Ron Haviv titled "Testimony (1989–2026)." Photography exhibition reception at 4pm, lecture at 5pm. There is still time to register! https://loom.ly/_jjwN8Y

New study from Weirong Guo finds that Chinese youth's emotional responses to Hong Kong & Taiwan sovereignty claims depend less on the territories themselves and more on their visions of China's future. Stronger China vision = defensiveness. Freer China vision = admiration. https://loom.ly/TTrvrpM

The battle for India's democracy has moved from the ballot box to the streets. Youth protests against voter disenfranchisement are facing repression—but they're only growing stronger. A new generation is fighting for free & fair elections. Read the op-ed by Yamini Aiyar: https://loom.ly/RRFX3JA

Please join me Monday October 26th at the Program on US-Japan Relations for a discussion of my new book Beyond Common Ground TL;DR: we can move beyond grey infrastructure to use libraries, parks, and pubs as hubs for resilience us-japan.wcfia.harvard.edu/event/beyond...

Check out our events for the week of October 18, 2026. https://loom.ly/5d50ThA

Everyone worries about killer robots, but the more realistic nightmare is an AI system that improves itself recursively. Perhaps it finds humans to be an inconvenient obstacle—not out of malice, just indifference. And once it starts self-improving, we can't reverse it. https://loom.ly/Tud6hUs

Who knew self-improvement could be so terrifying? — Harvard Gazette

Contemplating a future where machines break free of human meddling, with internet law expert Jonathan Zittrain.

news.harvard.edu

Peace isn't built in boardrooms. It's built by women organizing in communities, bridging divides, demanding inclusion. Hear from peacebuilders in No. Ireland, Turkiye, & Bosnia on embedding women's leadership into lasting peace. Register for our online Weatherhead Forum here: https://loom.ly/9l4i6ME

The trauma many LGBTQIA+ Indians carry didn't start with them—it began generations ago. When mental health frameworks screen only for discrete incidents of rejection, they miss the real harm: inherited family scripts for enforcing conformity, reenacted across generations. https://loom.ly/-bXVS1I

Next week, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and award-winning photojournalist Ron Haviv shares life behind the lens of 35+ years documenting conflict, human rights abuses, and defining moments of our time. Register for our Jodidi Lecture here: https://loom.ly/_jjwN8Y

Israel is at a critical juncture. Politicized institutions, suppressed media, captured security services—the markers of competitive authoritarianism are unmistakable. The upcoming elections will make or break Israel's democracy. Read more from Andrew O'Donohue & Oded Haklai: https://loom.ly/Hy6BaLE

We are pleased to announce 4 new members of our Advisory Committee! David Battat, Paula J. Dobriansky, Juan Enriquez, and Saumitra Jha join a distinguished group of individuals from academia, government and policy sectors, and private business. Meet our newest members here: https://loom.ly/9wOVAGo

Check out our events for the week of October 11, 2026. https://loom.ly/_ZQy7Yk

Forget seawalls and prisons—the most powerful tool to fight climate change and crime might be your local park or library. In Beyond Common Ground, @danielaldrich.bsky.social shows how social infrastructure builds true resilience. https://loom.ly/I5F8Omw

Harvard Impact Labs has selected 8 faculty members—including Weatherhead Director Melani Cammett—for the 2026-2027 Development Fellowship. Fellows receive $25K in seed funding and training to build scalable, evidence-based solutions with public & private leaders. Learn more: https://loom.ly/yiiSM5I

NEW on Epicenter: What is the purpose of citizenship if wealthy people can just buy it? In this interview, legal scholar Ayelet Schachar reflects on the paradoxes and promises of citizenship, and how the arbitrary sale of it underscores global inequality. https://loom.ly/lChSNy8

Join us TODAY at 12pm for our Weatherhead Forum webinar called "The Photojournalist as Witness." We have an excellent speaker lineup! There is still time to register: https://loom.ly/v6RLvm0

Our installers have been hard at work over the past few days setting up our photography exhibition with The VII Foundation, "Imagine: Reflections on Peace." Please check out the exhibition, open now across the street at CGIS South! For more information: https://loom.ly/AcYOcfY

Check out our events for the week of October 4, 2026. https://loom.ly/EKcap1c

What role do photojournalists play in exposing truth? Our upcoming Weatherhead Forum on Wednesday 10/6 at 12pm explores how images from humanitarian crises inspire compassion, accountability, and action. Register today: https://loom.ly/v6RLvm0

Iran's war with the US/Israel shows that the age of "precise mass" has arrived. Cheap, mass-produced drones & missiles let weaker states fight stronger ones to a standstill. Defense still costs far more than offense. Read more from Michael Horowitz: https://loom.ly/78fUaUk