ETH News
All stories that have been tagged with Humanities and social sciences
The future of work: 3/2, 2/3, or 0/4?
- News
- Zukunftsblog
How productive are we when we work from home? It’s an increasingly common question. But Gudela Grote believes it’s the wrong question, because it says more about our conceptions of human nature than about effective ways of working.
Reflecting on one’s values increases success in job search
News
ETH Zurich researchers show in a new study that a short reflection exercise to boost self confidence increases job search success. This holds true even for the long-term unemployed and people over 50.
Tracing a digital shadow
- Globe magazine
- Homepage
Psychologist Verena Zimmermann joins computer scientists Joachim Buhmann and Elgar Fleisch to discuss whether our feelings can be measured, what role they play in human-machine interactions, and the use of smart technologies.
The nuclear reality is unsettling
- News
- Zukunftsblog
Stephen Herzog is researching how nuclear weapons could be better controlled and eventually eliminated. For him, Putin's threats are a reason to fundamentally question the nuclear “balance of terror."
Why conflict parties cease fighting
News
The path to peace usually leads through a ceasefire. In an international project, ETH Zurich researchers have shown the conditions under which parties to civil wars are willing to stop fighting – and why they decide to do so.
The unequal distribution of noise
News
In cities, those who earn more are better able to protect themselves against noise and its associated health risks. This is shown by two new ETH studies conducted in Bern, Zurich, Hannover and Mainz.
Staying positive in challenging times
- News
- Globe magazine
Linda Maduz has great faith in people’s – and society’s – resilience and in their capacity for positive development, even in politically turbulent times.
What the young think about the natural sciences
News
How much do children and adolescents really understand about what constitutes scientific knowledge? According to a new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Tübingen, this has less to do with intelligence – and more to do with the academic background of their parents.
How to best deal with unavoidable threats like that of the pandemic
Zukunftsblog
José Antonio Pérez Escobar studied who was best able to cope with the pandemic. People who are able to deal with negative emotions were particularly successful. This skill can be learned, he says. ?
Sensational Kafka Trove
News
More than a hundred unpublished drawings by the German writer Franz Kafka are now presented for the first time in a volume edited by Andreas Kilcher, professor at ETH Zurich.
Empathy-based counter speech can reduce hate speech
News
Online hate speech can be curbed by inducing empathy for those affected. In contrast, the use of humour or warnings of possible consequences have little effects. A team of social scientists and 13 ETH Zurich students has demonstrated this in a new scientific publication.
Two Advanced Grants for ETH
Press release
The European Research Council has decided on the recipients of its lucrative Advanced Grants. Researchers at ETH Zurich were awarded two grants – one in political science and the other in climate research. ETH is set to receive around CHF 6.6 million.
Working for Peace
Globe magazine
ETH alumna Therese Adam spent 28 years in the diplomatic service working for peace and development. Now she shares her knowledge as a lecturer.
Power-sharing and its side effects
News
The participation of ethnic minorities in the government can decide between war and peace. ETH postdoc Andreas Juon researches how different forms of power-sharing affect the stability and quality of political systems.
Grasping exponential growth
News
Most people underestimate exponential growth, including when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus. The ability to grasp the magnitude of exponential growth depends on the way in which it is communicated. Using the right framing helps to understand the benefit of mitigation measures.
The algorithm on my team
Globe magazine
The automation of work is increasing at a tremendous pace. But how well do technology and humans really work together in a digitised world?
Citizen in uniform
Globe magazine
Germaine J. F. Seewer is the first woman to hold the rank of Major General in the Swiss Armed Forces. Her new role as Commander of the Armed Forces College has forged even closer ties to her alma mater.
Giving chance a helping hand
News
New research from ETH Zurich shows that holding events for new students before they enter university is an investment that pays off. Incoming students benefit from the chance to meet, mingle and form friendships at orientation events, which contributes to their long-term academic success.
How a lockdown impacts our minds and relationships
News
Social scientists at ETH Zurich studied how students’ social networks and mental health changed as a result of coronavirus lockdown measures. They found that although anxiety decreased, feelings of stress and loneliness rose. A strong social network was able to buffer this effect, however.
New professors appointed
Experimental epidemiology;?bio-?inspired micro- and nanorobotics;?ultrafast processes in materials;?forest resources Management;?construction heritage and preservation;?social networks: the incoming professors work in a wide range of cutting-?edge research fields.
A call for carbon-neutral construction
Zukunftsblog
Today’s new buildings could easily last until 2050 and beyond. That's why we now need binding climate targets in the construction sector, argues Guillaume Habert.?
“Citizen science means excellent research”
News
The Citizen Science Center of UZH and ETH is ready to hit the ground running. With the new Participatory Science Academy, it aims to bring citizen science to a new level. In this interview, co-director Mike Martin, professor of gerontopsychology at UZH, co-founder Effy Vayena, professor of bioethics at ETH, and managing director Rosy Mondardini explain the concept and future plans for the center.
Youth violence on the decline
News
Researchers at ETH Zurich's Criminological Research Unit have examined the evolution of violence among youths in the canton of Zurich. Their study shows that the propensity towards violence is clearly decreasing within this age group.
Switzerland’s ‘Grand Prix Literatur’ award goes to Adolf Muschg
News
Adolf Muschg, emeritus professor of ETH Zurich, received the Swiss Grand Prix Literatur award for his complete literary works on Thursday. Federal Councillor Alain Berset honoured the writer at the ceremony of the Swiss literary awards.?