I must say, this has not been an easy blog post to write. Never have I seen a conflict that splits so much societies and citizens around the world. That polarization spills into research spaces too: research risks to become political, words are read as endorsements, and even neutral methods feel like statements. Working onContinue reading “What it is like to study resistance and participation in Israel?”
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How to Identify and Study Genocide Rescuers?
Content Who are the “rescuers” ? The rescuers, also sometimes called the “Righteous” or “les Justes” (in French), are people who risked their lives to rescue other human beings during genocides. The terminology “Righteous Among the Nations” was initially used by the Yad Vashem Program supported by Israel, whose one of the primary duties isContinue reading “How to Identify and Study Genocide Rescuers?”
What it is like to test Survivors of the Cambodian genocide?
The main project and long-term vision In our primary project conducted here, we concentrated on the psychological consequences of trauma. Existing scientific literature has shown that the children of parents who have experienced a traumatic event are more likely to develop PTSD symptoms. Neuroscientific research has also established that a traumatic event, whether or notContinue reading “What it is like to test Survivors of the Cambodian genocide?”
How to get prepared for conducting a neuroscience project in Cambodia?
Another major project, in yet another country where few neuroscientists have ventured before. It’s the perfect combination for another challenging research endeavor and, of course, a new blog post! Admittedly, organizing this project was far more difficult than it was in Rwanda. Over the past two years, there were moments when I contemplated giving up.Continue reading “How to get prepared for conducting a neuroscience project in Cambodia?”
What is it like to work with survivors of the genocide in Rwanda?
Context of the study Between April 1994 and July 1994, about 1 million of Rwandese citizens, mostly Tutsis, were killed in a genocidal process. This dramatic event in the history of Rwanda could be seen as unforgivable. However, Rwandan citizens have to learn to live together: perpetrators of the genocide were not invaders from anotherContinue reading “What is it like to work with survivors of the genocide in Rwanda?”
What is it like to test inmates in prison ? PART 2 – The testing part
The first thing to highlight is the incredible human experience this prison project has been. In just three weeks, I have learned so much about human behavior, and there is still much more to come as we have only recruited a third of our final sample (expected N between 150 and 200). This project hasContinue reading “What is it like to test inmates in prison ? PART 2 – The testing part”
What is it like to conduct a research project in prison? (And make sure to exit prison) PART 1 – Getting prepared
Table of content How it started and main objective I had the idea of testing inmates in prison after my stay in Rwanda. According to the Rwandan Correctional Services, there are still 27,000 perpetrators of the genocide in prisons, and they will be released within the next 5 years. The country is currently grappling withContinue reading “What is it like to conduct a research project in prison? (And make sure to exit prison) PART 1 – Getting prepared”
Some media coverage
My work is frequently covered by worldwide media, including for instance, The New York Times, BBC Reel, BBC Future, Science et Vie, Cerveau et Psycho, El Pais, El Science, Scientific American, etc.). You will find some examples below. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/why-obeying-orders-can-make-people-do-terrible-things-338917 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/21/opinion/disobey-orders-save-lives/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-nazi-s-defense-of-just-following-orders-plays-out-in-the-mind/ https://www.bbc.com/reel/playlist/free-will?vpid=p086tl5s https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180709-our-ability-to-stand-up-to-authority-comes-down-to-the-brain https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-learn-faster-when-we-arent-told-what-choices-to-make/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2016-02-19/following-orders-distances-us-from-sense-of-responsibility/7181376 https://www.science-et-vie.com/cerveau-et-intelligence/les-nouvelles-experiences-de-milgram-notre-cerveau-est-cable-pour-obeir-48650 http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/37459/20160219/neuroscientists-discovere-why-humans-more-hurt-others-given-orders.htm https://www.lescienze.it/news/2016/02/19/news/percezione_responsabilita_ridotta_azioni_milgram_norimberga-2978144/?rss
What it is like to work with the military for an experiment?
Table of contents Working in the military appears to influence various neuro-cognitive processes, yet only a handful of researchers have delved into its components. As a result, this specific and unique population holds significant interest in advancing our understanding of human cognition. The publication related to this blog post is the following: Caspar, E. A.,Continue reading “What it is like to work with the military for an experiment?”
What it is like to conduct an experiment with university students in Rwanda?
Table of content How it all started and the long-term vision I first have to say that the idea to go to Rwanda did not come into my mind directly. Possibly I would not even have thought about conducting a research project there. I have been in contact with a Dutch NGO, Radio La BenevolencijaContinue reading “What it is like to conduct an experiment with university students in Rwanda?”
Emilie A. Caspar 