MIT School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

“Literature creates opportunities to slow down and reflect on what really matters, and in a fast-paced, increasingly automated world, those skills are more vital than ever,” @LITatMIT professor Arthur Bahr says. He's the new Literature Section head. news.mit.edu/2026/arthur-ba…

“This was the first time. People didn’t know what was happening,” @mit_cmsw professor @TomLevenson says of the world's first international stock market crash. ft.com/content/dc41cc… @FT

“Less available labour led to technological innovation and investment," says @FT contributor @oren_cass while citing research from @MITEcon professors @DAcemogluMIT and @davidautor. ft.com/content/1b934a…

Many people think the trolley problem is about what you'd do in that same situation. @MITphilosophy researcher Julian Perilla says it's really about something deeper: Is it ever okay to harm some for the greater good? Explore the trolley problem and more MIT learning moments: bit.ly/44VTrW2

Before launching a new program, funding a new idea, or shaping a new policy, there's value in asking: What have we already learned? Explore J-PAL's database of 1,200+ randomized evaluation summaries from 100 countries and discover evidence that can inform real-world decisions. 🔗 povertyactionlab.org/evaluations

"Lower birth rates, and the aging and shrinking populations they have produced, have raised rather than lowered GDP per worker," @MITEcon professors @davidautor and @DAcemogluMIT assert. bloomberg.com/opinion/articl… @opinion

Dear followers, please see this new paper on the labor market and macroeconomic effects of low birth rates. Although almost all analysts and policymakers are very worried about the prospect of stagnant and aging populations, the evidence from cross-country and within the United States points to the opposite: lower birth rates predict faster growth of GDP per worker and wages. The reason: labor scarcity encourages more technology adoption.

Evan Lieberman (@evlieb), director of CIS and Total Professor of @MITPoliSci and Contemporary Africa, reflects on more than a year since the closure of USAID and Americans' indifference toward foreign development assistance. Read here: globalcommons.substack.com/p/do-americans… @MIT_SHASS

Does it matter whether cash arrives all at once or in small amounts over time? Referencing a Kenyan study, Abhijit Banerjee highlights that a lump-sum transfer led to the creation of more businesses than the same amount paid monthly, even over many years. 📹

Big news! 🏛️⚡️ We’re welcoming @gwucolombian to the ADEPT network! Through this collaboration, @MITxCourses DEDP learners can now fast-track their M.S. in Applied Economics at GWU, saving up to 20% on tuition. 📈 Details here: bit.ly/3TnFk9m

Will AI replace workers en masse? @baselinescene argues that it doesn't have to — but we must fill a critical gap in AI development and investment today. AI companies & business leaders are heavily focused on replacing workers, rather than increasing the demand for human skills.

In the summer edition of the newsletter, recap the AI and Society Forum, see how @MIT_MTA professor Sara Brown encourages students to create and think visually, and more. mailchi.mp/mit/shass-week… @MITPoliSci @MITPSTS @MITEECS @MITSloan @MIT_SCC

“He’s a really important voice...at a[n] influential hospital dnd medical school, and he's using that voice in a way that’s...loud and unafraid,” @KSJatMIT director Usha Lee Farling says of physician-journalist Jeremy Faust. bostonglobe.com/2026/07/07/mag… @BostonGlobe

Aging and shrinking populations have historically raised an economy’s output per worker and had no damping effect on overall gross domestic product, according to a new study co-authored by @MITEcon professors @DAcemogluMIT and @davidautor. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

🚀 J-PAL is excited to launch the Smart Buys Alliance alongside Coopération Globale, @CEGA_UC, @CGDev, @NU_GPRL, and @poverty_action. The Smart Buys Alliance brings together researchers, funders, and implementers to identify and elevate programs that deliver strong impact at low cost. Learn more: povertyactionlab.org/updates/j-pal-…

Drones. Artificial intelligence. Cyber warfare. How do states develop these technologies, identify barriers to innovation, and consider how these new technologies affect war and peace? Find out the answers in the course "Emerging Technology and International Security" taught by @MIT_SHASS professor and Air Force squadron commander @eriklg. bit.ly/4wr2ZUV Always free. Always available.

Doctoral student Rachel Sava is the 2026 Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize for her essay “Superintelligence, Superintimate.” news.mit.edu/2026/toward-fu… @MIT_SCC @MITEECS @MITphilosophy

U.S. Representative from the 4th District of KY and MIT alum Thomas Massie generously shared his time, expertise, and advice with students in our MIT Washington Summer Internship Program. @MIT @MIT_SHASS polisci.mit.edu/news/2026/mit-…

The MITHIC-administered SHASS Faculty Fellows Program offers scholars a communal space in which to share and refine ideas and research projects. news.mit.edu/2026/building-… @HistoryMit @LITatMIT @MITanthropology @MITphilosophy @MITPoliSci @MIT_MTA

In honor of the holiday weekend commemorating 250 years of independence, here are 10 free MIT courses to spark your curiosity about the origins of the American Revolution. openlearning.mit.edu/news/red-white…