Brookings: Topics - Social Norms

The Hidden People of North Korea: Everyday Life in the Hermit Kingdom

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

November 10, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM

On November 10, Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Kongdan Oh and Ralph Hassig, adjunct associate professor of psychology at the University of Maryland University College, discussed their new book The Hidden People of North Korea: Everyday Life in the Hermit Kingdom (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). For decades, the people of North Korea have lived in extreme isolation under a closed and repressive regime, where individual rights are restricted and the regime exercises complete control over the political class and legal systems.

Encouraging Marriage Helps Everyone

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Can marriage decrease poverty? Higher marriage rates among the poor would benefit poor adults themselves, their children and the nation, says Ron Haskins. He argues that non-coercive programs that are delivered by community-based agencies can be effective. By helping couples who want to marry, the payoff to them, their children and society is potentially enormous.

Is the American Dream a Myth?

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:24:00 GMT

Despite its status as one of the world’s leading economies, the United States is faced with high poverty rates and less economic opportunity than many other affluent countries. Senior Fellows Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins, argue that it will take a combination of personal responsibility along with smarter and better-targeted government policies to make the American Dream a reality for children and families now stuck at the bottom.

Target Compliance: The Final Frontier of Policy Implementation

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Voters elect governments to solve social problems and governments design and implement an array of programs to ensure the public good. However, little theoretical attention has been devoted to the final step of the implementation chain: explanations of why the targets of public policies do or do not “comply” with those policies. Kent Weaver focuses on why program “targets” frequently fail to act in the way that program designers intended and wanted, even when it appears to be in their self-interest to do so.

Afghan Star: The Impact of Independent Media in Afghanistan

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

June 12, 2009, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

On June 12, the Brookings Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World hosted a discussion on the role of independent media in Afghanistan. Discussion centered on holding government accountable, fostering critical thinking, and empowering women to the most effective strategy for the United States in supporting independent media and the societal changes it promotes.

Understanding China’s "Angry Youth": What Does the Future Hold?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 29, 2009, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

On April 29, the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings hosted an event on China’s "angry youth" to explore the characteristics of this unique segment of Chinese society – their views, values and behavior.

Does the Free Market Corrode Moral Character?

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

February 05, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Over the past decade, the effect of the market economy and globalization on moral values has been vigorously debated in academic circles, in the press, and among citizens and politicians. On February 5, Governance Studies at Brookings and the John Templeton Foundation will host a panel discussion, moderated by Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne Jr., with Brookings Senior Fellows Rebecca Blank and William Galston, and William McGurn, former chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush and former chief editorial writer of the Wall Street Journal.

Coupled Contagion Dynamics of Fear and Disease: Mathematical and Computational Explorations

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In classical mathematical epidemiology, individuals do not adapt their contact behavior during epidemics. They do not endogenously engage, for example, in social distancing based on fear. Yet, adaptive behavior is well-documented in true epidemics. Joshua M. Epstein, Jon Parker, Derek Cummings, and Ross A. Hammond explore the effect of including such behavior in models of epidemic dynamics.

How The Real World Ended “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Peter Singer analyzes the history of the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy which allows gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans to serve in the U.S. military as long as they stay quiet about their sexuality. Singer argues a world shaped by reality television has created a new generation of troops more open to allowing homosexuals in the military, and that during this difficult time for recruiting and retaining talent, the military should embrace those willing to serve.

The Obama Victory: Giving Affirmative Action Its Due

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hugh B. Price argues that the growing acceptance of diversity that fueled Senator Obama's victory was due to affirmative action, which unquestionably has made our robustly diverse nation a more perfect union.

Souled Out : Reclaiming Faith & Politics After the Religious Right

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT

E. J. Dionne explains why the era of the Religious Right—and the crude exploitation of faith for political advantage—is over.

A Hybrid Epidemic Model: Combining the Advantages of Agent-based and Equation-based Approaches

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

With Feng Yu, Brookings Senior Fellow Joshua M. Epstein and Nonresident Fellows Georgiy V. Bobashev and D. Michael Goedecke introduce a hybrid Agent-based and Equation-based model that can dramatically save time and can better describe epidemiological processes involving human behavioral response.

Agent-Based Modeling and Spatial Population Dynamics Workshop

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

December 07, 2007, 12:00 PM to 05:00 PM

The Brookings Center on Social and Economic Dynamics and the Metropolitan Policy Program jointly hosted an NICHD funded Agent Based Modeling and Spatial Population Dynamics Workshop at the Brookings Institution. Researchers from across the country attended the workshop to discuss current projects, to gain insight into agent-based modeling, and to unearth issues for future research collaboration.

A Complex Systems Approach to Understanding and Reversing the Obesity Epidemic

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

An event brought together top international obesity experts—from academia, government, industry, and non-profit—to work toward a comprehensive approach to the worldwide obesity pandemic. Brookings’s Ross Hammond discussed how insights and techniques pioneered at CSED can play a key role in facilitating an integrated approach.

Innovation Diffusion in Heterogeneous Populations: Contagion, Social Influence, and Social Learning

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

H. Peyton Young analyzes the effect of incorporating heterogeneity into three broad classes of models -- contagion, social influence, and social learning.

Social Norms and Public Policy

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

H. Peyton Young suggest that differences in social norms may help to explain puzzling differences in group behavior that are not readily attributable to differences in income, tastes, and other individual characteristics.

Exploring Price-Independent Mechanisms in the Obesity Epidemic

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper #48 by Ross A. Hammond and Joshua M. Epstein (August 2007)

Agent Based Modeling: Population Health from the Bottom Up

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Presentation by Joshua M. Epstein (07/13/07)

Complex Systems Approaches to Population Health

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings' Senior Fellow Joshua M. Epstein joined scholars from across the country at the University of Michigan to explore how complex systems approaches can be used to understand the broad problems of population health.

The Possible and the Impossible in Multi-Agent Learning

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Peyton H. Young surveys work on learning in games and delineates the boundary between forms of learning that lead to Nash equilibrium and forms that lead to weaker notions of equilibrium (or none at all).

Are We Born Prejudiced?

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Article on Ross A. Hammond (03/17/07)

Innovation Diffusion in Heterogeneous Populations

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

People may realize different benefits and costs from the innovation, or have different beliefs about its benefits and costs, hear about it at different times, or delay in acting on their information. Peyton H. Young analyzes the dynamics arising from different sources of heterogeneity in a completely general setting without placing parametric restrictions on the distribution of the relevant characteristics.

Social Influences and Smoking Behavior

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The objectives of this project were to conduct a comprehensive study of social influences on smoking behavior using an agent-based modeling approach.

Firm Sizes: Facts, Formulae and Fantasies

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper No.44 by Robert Axtell (February 2006)

The Spread of Innovations through Social Learning

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper #43 by Peyton H. Young (December 2005)

Public Service Reform: A UK Perspective

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

October 03, 2005, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM

As the United States examines the emergency response of federal, state, and local governments in the wake of two major hurricanes, the Right Honorable John Hutton MP delivered remarks at Brookings on common themes and trends in the provision of public services that will confront all modern governments in the next decade.

Remarks on the Foundations of Agent-Based Generative Social Science

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

In this CSED Working Paper, Brookings Senior Fellow, Joshua Epstein, treats a variety of epistemological issues surrounding generative explanation in the social sciences, and discusses the role of agent-based computational models in generative social science.

Social Dynamics of Obesity

Sun, 01 May 2005 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper No. 40 by Mary A. Burk and Frank Heiland entitled "Social Dynamics of Obesity"

Social Dynamics: Theory and Applications

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper No. 39, by H. Peyton Young (April 2005)

Does Inequality Matter to Individual Welfare? An Initial Exploration Based on Happiness Surveys from Latin America

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT

CSED working paper 38 on perceptions of inequality among Latin Americans

Social Norms, Rules of Thumb and Retirement

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper No. 37 by Gary Burtless (November 2004)

Perceived Opportunity in Latin American Fertility Choice

Tue, 01 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Louise C Keely and Margaret Macleod hypothesize that the perceived returns to human capital and to income uncertainty are important determinants of recent cross-sectional variation in Latin American fertility

Social Norms and Voter Turnout

Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Ben Klemens (1/26/04)

The Effects of Income Losses and Gains on Happiness: Do Temporary Trends Matter

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 00:00:00 GMT

The Effects of Income Losses and Gains on Happiness

Physician Social Networks and Geographic Variation in Medical Care

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 00:00:00 GMT

CSED Working Paper No. 33: Physician Social Networks and Geographic Variation in Medical Care

Religion in America: The New Ecumenicalism

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review article by Gregg Easterbrook (Winter 2002)

The Three Faith Factors

Sun, 01 Sep 2002 00:00:00 GMT

John Dilulio examines three types of religious influence in relation to relevant research on urban crime and delinquency. This social trinity of "spiritual capital" can help low-income urban children, youth, and families. As a result, he argues, we should include federal research on spiritual capital and how it can help to prevent teenage pregnancies, reduce public health problems, combat illiteracy, among many other vital social goals.

Sacred Places, Civic Purposes : Should Government Help Faith-Based Charity?

Wed, 28 Nov 2001 00:00:00 GMT

This collaboration of the Brookings Institution and the Pew Charitable Trusts explores the issue of &faith-based& social programs and organizations, their historical role in society, and the promise and potential dangers of church-state cooperation.

Facing Up to Racial Disparity: Daunting Realities Hinder the Drive For Equality

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review article by Christopher H. Foreman, Jr. (Spring 2000)

Coordination in Transient Social Networks: An Agent-Based Computational Model on the Timing of Retirement

Sat, 01 May 1999 00:00:00 GMT

Coordination in Transient Social Networks:

What's God Got To Do With the American Experiment?

Mon, 01 Mar 1999 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review article by E.J. Dionne, Jr. and John J. DiIulio, Jr. (Spring 1999)

First Trombone

Mon, 01 Mar 1999 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review article by Taylor Branch (Spring 1999)

Recreating the Civil Society--One Child at a Time

Mon, 01 Sep 1997 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review article by Colin Powell (Fall 1997)

Broken Bottles: Alcohol, Disorder, and Crime

Fri, 01 Mar 1996 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review, Spring 1996

Values and Public Policy

Fri, 17 Dec 1993 00:00:00 GMT

In this book, six distinguished social scientists identify trends in America's values and their consequences, and consider public policy tools with which some of those values might be changed.