Reinvention: an International Journal of Undergraduate Research

Reinvention: An International Journal of Undergraduate Research editorial

Yit Xiang Wong — 2024-04-30

A Concept of Death in Genus Pan: Implications for Human Evolution

Katherine McLean — 2024-04-30

An understanding of what death and dying entail is termed a concept of death (CoD), and the human CoD is often viewed as one of the characteristics that distinguishes our species. In this research, I identified an analogous understanding of death and dying in our closest living relatives—genus Pan. Linguistic frameworks designed for studying the CoD in human children look for evidence of understanding of several facets of death. I adapted these frameworks for the non-verbal Pan species, systematically analysing written and video recordings of chimpanzee and bonobo behaviours surrounding death within these new behavioural frameworks. I identified compelling evidence for the comprehension of several aspects of death, and thus for the presence of a human-like CoD in chimpanzees and bonobos. This has implications for our own evolutionary story and raises questions about what makes humans ‘human’.

Period Pain: Student Perceptions of the Ongoing Stigma Surrounding Menstruation at the University of Warwick and Potential Interventions to Counter Such Stigma

Naomi Carter — 2024-04-30

With ongoing menstrual stigma maintaining a culture of silence and secrecy in academic institutions, this research seeks to reveal student perceptions of this stigma at the University of Warwick, and understand their suggestions for how the University can better support menstruating students. Drawing on findings from a focus group of six menstruating students at the University of Warwick, the paper suggests that menstrual stigma persists at the University, affecting students’ wellbeing and academic performance. Participants expressed frustration at the lack of understanding of, or institutional support for, the difficulties of menstruation; including (but not limited to): debilitating pain, negative assumptions about the body, inaccessible menstrual products and inadequate hygiene facilities. However, certain students appear to be countering the cultural pressure to remain silent about menstruation, calling for the University to implement proactive measures to improve menstrual education, counter stigmatising assumptions and help menstruators mitigate the effects of pain and menstrual management. The research also calls attention to the elements of privilege present in such discourses, highlighting the need for further research into students’ menstrual needs and potential institutional interventions, with a particular focus on the intersecting difficulties faced by marginalised students.

Towards a European Framework for Fiscal Standards: Data Collection, Description and Institutional Analysis

August Küenburg — 2024-04-30

The fiscal rules of the Stability and Growth Pact have consistently failed to enforce good fiscal governance and contain rising debt ratios across euro area economies. This article illustrates the unsustainable nature of Greek fiscal policy prior to the global financial crisis and argues for the adoption of fiscal standards to improve fiscal policy. This will require a common and transparent framework for debt sustainability analysis. An evaluation of the euro area’s newest member along the lines of sustainable fiscal governance shows that Croatia is in a stronger fiscal position than Greece was after adopting the euro. Moreover, the resilience and crisis management methods of the Eurozone as a whole have improved significantly. To safeguard against future crises and prepare euro area economies for the fiscal strain of ageing populations and climate change, however, the Eurozone needs to transition from fiscal rules to fiscal standards.