Uriel Abulof says the dissolution measure proposed by Israeli lawmakers is puzzling given that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is simultaneously blamed by Israelis for mishandling the pandemic but also doing well in polls.

Law and Policy

International

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On Wednesday, hundreds of companies’ executives joined in a new statement to call out Republican-sponsored voting bills that they say will curtail voting access in several American states. Republican leadership, including senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, have criticized corporate activism in the past, calling for businesses to “stay out of politics.” Lawrence Glickman, professor of history at Cornell University and an expert on consumer activism, says conservatives’ resistance to business leaders making political statements suggest a shift in the traditional alliance between corporations and the Republican Party in the U.S. Glickman is author of “Free Enterprise: An American History” that chronicles the history of “free enterprise” as a cornerstone of conservative politics.

Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship

Arts and Sciences

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Uriel Abulof says the recent escalation in violence between Israelis and Palestinians resulted in part from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to elevate ultra-nationalists and racist leaders.

Law and Policy

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On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the Cathedral of Notre Dame within five years, in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics. While some experts have raised doubts that timeline is feasible, Barry Strauss, professor of history at Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences, says that Macron’s approach mirrors that of Roman emperors who, since ancient times, have been conscious of the symbolic – and political – power of holy sites.   

International

Arts and Sciences

Arts & Humanities

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Next week, Israelis will head to the polls in a snap election, where the incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face off against Benny Gantz, leader of the centrist Blue and White alliance. Netanyahu, who has failed to form a coalition after a narrow electoral victory in April, has mounted an aggressive campaign ahead of next week’s vote including pledging to annex additional parts of the West Bank.   Uriel Abulof, visiting professor at Cornell University’s Government Department and a senior lecturer of politics at Tel-Aviv University, says that despite Netanyahu’s unlikely chances at the polls next week, his influence as a populist may reach beyond Israel.

International

Arts and Sciences

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Angela Odoms-Young is the Director of the New York State Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and was on the committee to develop the nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program. 

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Sarah Kreps, a surveillance systems and cybersecurity expert at Cornell University, comments on a new system designed to link national COVID-19 tracing apps across the European Union.

Arts and Sciences

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Sabrina Karim, assistant professor of government at Cornell University, visited Rohingya refugee camps in January of 2020, where she is conducting a large-scale survey on the educational needs of the Rohingya and local host population in Bangladesh.

International

Arts and Sciences

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Protests continued in Thailand on Friday after parliament failed to reach an agreement on possible constitutional reforms. Demonstrators have been taking to the streets since July in an effort to pressure parliament to limit the powers of the country’s monarchy. Tamara Loos, professor of history and Thai studies at Cornell University, says that the rallies highlight how Thai society has changed its approach to politics, and the monarchy. 

International

Arts and Sciences

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Adrienne Bitar specializes in the history and culture of American food and health and, says Americans are increasingly looking beyond traditional diets towards “whole health philosophies” and “lifestyle plans” that promote physical and societal health.

Health, Nutrition & Medicine

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