Recharge overview
The Living Lab project aims to bring nature and agriculture together
In some parts, the number of insects is declining rapidly, whereas other areas have an abundance of thriving plant species. "Why does an area look the way it does?" wonders Professor of Ecology Hans de Kroon. He hopes to find an answer through his Living Lab project.
The good, the bad and the ugly of praise
Who would say no to a compliment about their own work? It feels good, right? What about one that doesn’t feel entirely honest? Most importantly, is all praise the same?
“Employers still don’t know enough about sustainable employability”
A promotion or reorganisation, the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, a move, new job or divorce and even the Covid-19 pandemic is one of them: a major life event. University lecturer Karen Pak investigates how staff policy can contribute positively to the sustainable employability of staff members who experience these kinds of life events.
How Googling affects your memory
Having virtually all the information in the world at our fingertips means that we are less likely to learn and remember it for the long term.
Volt leader Laurens Dassen had no intention of becoming a politician
Business Administration alumnus Laurens Dassen (35) won three seats in the House of Representatives with his party Volt Nederland. Now that they managed to get into the House, the real work can begin. We spoke to Dassen at the Binnenhof in The Hague. About his student days, his political ambitions and the success of Volt.
Parents harsher with toddlers during first lockdown
Parents of toddlers often reacted more harshly with their child during the first corona lockdown in The Netherlands (April and May 2020), for example by shaking them or yelling at them, than a comparable group of parents did before the lockdown. This was reported in an article by behavioural scientists at Radboud University, Erasmus MC and VU Amsterdam in Child Maltreatment on 17 June 2021.
Murder ballads: murder and violence in American music
American culture is filled with violence and murder. And this is not a recent phenomenon, explains Professor of American Studies Frank Mehring. ‘The American tradition of connecting violence with national identiy dates back to the War of Independence.’
Compensation for leaked data vital to GDPR compliance
Is it possible that you could soon expect to receive compensation of tens or hundreds of euros for the next data breach committed by Facebook, LinkedIn or a random web shop? According to Tim Walree, it should certainly be easier to get compensation.
Cultural taste may help in gaining access to the upper class
According to research, people with classical cultural tastes have more social contacts with a higher level of education or a higher occupational status. The fact that this is especially true for people who grew up in a lower socioeconomic class argues in favour of cultural education and participation.
Settling an old debate: can words help us see letters more clearly?
Letters are more easily recognised when embedded in a word. We’ve all experienced this effect, for instance when navigating in bad weather: it’s easier to read a word or name (like a road sign) than a random string (like a licence plate). But why?
Microscopic view on digital interaction
The new book Analysing Digital Interaction, written by Radboud Scientists, shows how digital interaction can be scrutinised and how that communication is rich, challenging and social, just like face-to-face communication.
Beauty bias: another form of discrimination?
The way we perceive and look at each other has consequences. Beautiful people get more attention and have more chances in society. Philosopher Francesca Minerva clears out the topics of this so-called lookism and beauty bias.
Anti-tourist guides from interbellum strive for authenticity
Do you turn your nose up at the crowds of people queuing for Checkpoint Charlie, the Rijksmuseum or the Palmengarten? Then the ironic, anti-tourist travel guides Was nicht im Baedeker steht and Wat niet in Baedeker staat will appeal to you. Dutch scholar Rob van de Schoor wrote an article about them. ‘Instead of highlights, those guides contain everything you don't want to know.’
‘I hope for less tension surrounding the words standard Dutch’
In her new book Taalwetten maken en vinden (Making and finding language rules), Dutch linguist Nicoline van der Sijs examines the origins of the Dutch standard language and shows how coincidental the formulation of some rules was.
‘I hope for less tension surrounding the words standard Dutch’
In her new book Taalwetten maken en vinden (Making and finding language rules), Dutch linguist Nicoline van der Sijs examines the origins of the Dutch standard language and shows how coincidental the formulation of some rules was.
Voices from the Revolution
Historian Jan Brabers wrote an article on the 1969 student protests at Radboud University.
Keetje in the street: Dutch classic translated from the French
Keetje trottin (1921) is a Dutch classic that has never been available in Dutch - until now. Historian Anna Geurts spent eight years working on the translation of Neel Doff's French novel about a working-class girl in 19th-century Amsterdam, entitled Keetje op straat. ‘This book was revolutionary at the time.’
Long live ‘biodiversity’!
‘Biodiversity’ is very important, but the word is often used as an ‘umbrella concept’ in a meaningless way. There's so much complexity behind it, but for many people it's just a buzzword. At the same time, everyone cares about it. A lot. You only have to mention nitrogen, the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve or agricultural landscapes to unleash a barrage of opinions. But why is that? After all, we all just want a healthy natural environment.
The argument ‘sports are not political’ is no longer valid
Recently, representatives of Amnesty International, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and researchers sat down together in an expert meeting to discuss human rights and sports. A modest historical milestone is what initiator and historian Paul Reef would like to call it.
Gardening against stress
Gardening is not just cheaper than therapy, it also gives you tomatoes. In a new Donders Wonders blog, Marlijn ter Bekke, writes about scientific views on the health effects of gardening.