Were you spanked as a child? Have you ever spanked your own child? Shame on your parents if the answer to the first question is yes; good on you if the answer to the second is no. Today in The Conversation Canada, Tracie O. Afifi of the University of Manitoba and Elisa Romano and University of Ottawa have combined to write a very informative article that states all the scientific evidence shows spanking is bad. “Those who say spanking is safe for a child if done in a specific way are, it would seem, simply expressing opinions,” they write. “And these opinions are not supported by scientific evidence.”

Quebec’s Bill 62, which bans the niqab for anyone who wants to receive public services, has attracted worldwide attention. For most of us who don’t live in Quebec, the law is confounding. Not only is it discriminatory, but it’s a heavy-handed approach given that only a few dozen women in Quebec wear the niqab. Efe Peker, a postdoctoral fellow in sociology at McGill University, explains how the legislation fits within the complex history of the Quebec sovereignty movement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping emerged from the recent Communist Party Congress with a “steely new grip on power,” says Charles Burton of Brock University, which means Xi can now focus on how China can dominate the global economy. Prof. Burton is a former counsellor at the Canadian Embassy to China and offers some unique thoughts on how our government will respond to the ongoing use of torture by Beijing.

And finally, the pumpkins are carved and the candy dishes are filled. But you have a choice on Halloween. Are you simply handing out candy to cute little kids or are you ready to conduct an experiment in human behaviour? If it’s the latter…please read the great article by Dilip Soman, a professor and co-director of Behavioural Economics in Action at Rotman at the University of Toronto. Prof. Soman writes about studies that have used Halloween to determine interesting things about human psychology.

Regards,