The Scout Report -- Volume 26, Number 48

From political figures to pop-culture icons, LGBTQ&A is a podcast with a range of star-studded guests. The title's play-on-words accurately summarizes the content of the show, which features "weekly interviews with the most interesting LGBTQ+ people in the world." Launched in 2016, the show hopes to document the full extent of LGBTQ+ history and the full experience of LGBTQ+ individuals, moving "beyond transition and coming out stories to get to know each person, their accomplishments, their failures, and how they got to where they are today." In its more than 100 episodes, the show has hosted such guests as actress and advocate Laverne Cox, award-winning author Roxane Gay, and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. Jeffrey Masters, a New York City-based producer, hosts the show. It is produced by The Advocate (a magazine dedicated to LGBTQ+ news) and GLAAD (a media monitoring organization dedicated to equality). Listeners can tune in on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, among other favorite podcast platforms. [EMB]

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Researchers work hard to create and disseminate cutting-edge scholarship, and tracing the impact of and interaction with this work is important. The Metrics Toolkit assists researchers with this task by "provid[ing] evidence-based information about research metrics across disciplines, including how each metric is calculated, where you can find it, and how each should (and should not) be applied." Included metrics range from social media sites (e.g. Twitter mentions) to scholarly platforms (e.g. Mendeley Readers), to software databases (e.g. GitHub). For each metric users will find an outline of key information, making it easier to find the best tools for their specific needs. A chart highlighting what each field means is found on the About the Toolkit tab (under Metric Description Schema). Readers new to this type of evaluation may be wondering why metrics matter. Check out the Use Cases tab for examples of how this data has enhanced several projects. The Resources tab also houses general information on metrics and research evaluation. The Metrics Toolkit is populated by a global editorial board and supported by Altmetric, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and FORCE11. [EMB]

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Goodbye boring search bar, hello interactive search grid. Putting a creative twist on traditional databases, Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA's) Collection Explorer invites users into a "birds-eye" view of more than 12,000 pieces of art. Click on a piece to zoom in and find basic record information (including title, date, maker, and material). The mosaic structure fuels curiosity; after all, half of the fun is the thrill of the unknown as users click around the database, unsure of what will be discovered. Perhaps readers will stumble upon bright prints like Child with Pretend Animal by Karel Appel or ornate textiles like the Adire eleko wrapper made by the Yoruba Cultural Group (Nigeria). Feeling overwhelmed by the volume of work? Filters at the top of the grid sort these pieces by medium (for example, drawing, print, or sculpture). For users who prefer a conventional browser experience, a search bar at the top of the database allows for keyword filtering. This tool is a subsection of WCMA's Digital Project, a Mellon Foundation-funded initiative to create open and accessible art resources. [EMB]

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The name says it all. At the link above, readers will find 150 science experiments, allowing for enough STEM discoveries to last through spring. These experiments are organized into several categories, including Water Science Activities, Force and Movement Experiments, and Space Science Projects. Many of these activities involve common household objects, perfect for caregivers juggling school-from-home. For example, "What Freezes First ... Hot or Cold Water?" (found under "Water Science Activities") only requires two cups of water, a stirring utensil, a stopwatch, a freezer, and a pen and paper to record results. A similarly simple activity, "Oreo Cookie Moon Phases," requires five materials (including, of course, oreo cookies). This activity is found in the Space Science Projects section. In addition to a plethora of experiments, the site has a category for Useful Science Websites, linking out to topical sites in multiple science fields. These resources are curated by Fizzics Education, an Australian company with more than a decade of experience with STEM outreach, programming, and events. [EMB]

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Founded in 2017, the Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology continuously publishes scholarship on a range of topics, including spatial analysis, semantic web, and statistics. The journal hopes "to foster debate about the crucial role of digital technologies within archaeology, and to promote the theoretically informed and interdisciplinary use of digital methods." Interested readers can view the included scholarship on the Content tab, sortable by Articles, Issue Archive, and Special Collections. The Articles section labels content as a "position paper," "case study," or "research article" for easier browsing. The Issue Archive categorizes articles by yearly installments (currently available from 2018-2020). The Special Collections section highlights three special issues on overcoming illicit antiquities trade, applying lidar practice to archaeology, and analyzing digital scholarship in the field. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) supports the journal, though it is independently governed by its Editorial Board (led by Managing Editors Arianna Traviglia, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy and Philip Verhagen, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands). [EMB]

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Yesterday, December 10, the world celebrated Human Rights Day, a day commemorating the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This Declaration is available in hundreds of languages; in fact, it "is the most translated document in the world," and forms the basis of many of our universal conceptions of justice and equality. Explore this important document at the link above. In addition to reading the text, viewers will also find a unique illustration accompanying each of the 30 articles. This creative edition is perfect for educators searching for primary documents for young learners. Readers can flip through the embedded book or download the entire document as a PDF. The special edition was a collaboration between artist Yacine Ait Kaci, the United Nations Regional information Centre, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights-Regional Office for Europe. [EMB]

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Facing History and Ourselves is bringing equity and justice to the forefront of classroom curriculums. Their powerful work is no stranger to the Scout Report, and readers may remember the full trove of educator resources featured in the 09-25-2015 issue. In honor of Human Rights Day, instructors may want to explore a subset of the site's curriculum offerings focused on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This 11-part syllabus "leads students through a deep exploration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, from the history of its creation to its legacy in today's global community." The first lesson provides historical context, linking to a timeline and introductory reading. Subsequent lessons address drafting and delegates, how to define and defend rights, and the impact (and future impact) of the document, among other themes. Activities, guiding questions, and handouts are scattered throughout the lessons. Depending on how much time educators wish to devote to the curriculum, they can use it in its entirety or choose individual lesson plans, all of which are previewed on the main page. [EMB]

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Launched in 1968 and published triannually, the Columbia Human Rights Law Review (HRLR) highlights scholarly legal analysis of domestic and international civil liberties and human rights issues. Though it is currently on its 51st volume, the journal has only been open-access since 2019. Nonetheless, readers will still find plenty of scholarship to sift through, including the Spring 2020 issue on capital punishment and Fall and Winter 2019 issues with various themes, from social media to asylum. Additionally, the link provides access to content from the HRLR Online, which also publishes scholarship on a breadth of issues. For example, a September 2020 article, "Law, Development and Access to Education: A Brazilian Case Study of Class Actions," explores how class actions serve as a venue for access to justice, and a May 2020 article, "'Territory is Everything': Afro-Colombian Communities, Human Rights and Illegal Land Grabs," discusses the multifaceted discriminatory forces threatening rural Afro-Colombian women's land rights. Both HRLR and HRLR Online articles can be read online or downloaded as PDFs. The journal is currently led by Editor-in-Chief Caitlin Lowell (Columbia Law 2021). [EMB]

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Better Human, a podcast by London-based human rights lawyer Adam Wagner, welcomes listeners into fascinating conversations about human rights law and principles. Wagner launched the podcast with three goals. First, Wagner seeks to discuss complex human rights issues. Second, the podcast breaks down important human rights concepts into accessible terms. And third, the show hopes to answer the fundamental question, "can human rights make our societies better?" Readers interested in human rights history may enjoy Episode 7, "The fascinating inside story of the Human Rights Act's birth." This episode discusses how the UK passed the Human Rights Act 1998, "its first modern bill of rights." Readers may also be interested in a series of episodes on the intersection of COVID-19 and human rights law. The podcast is supported by the Goldsmiths University Law Department and individual donors. Listeners will find the show on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Spotify, and RadioPublic, and may also wish to follow the show on Twitter, @BHumanPodcast. [EMB]

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On-call Scientists, a project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program (SRHRL), facilitates mutually beneficial partnerships that allow individuals in STEM fields to use their unique skills to contribute to human rights organizations. The program's definition of "scientist" is broad, so whether an individual is a social scientist, health professional, or engineer, there are opportunities to participate. Since its launch in 2008, the program has garnered more than 1,000 volunteers from all over the world. Scientists have contributed their skills to address a range of human rights issues, from forensic scientists analyzing the remains of genocide victims to geographers using their technology experistise to chart displacement, and worked with a variety of organizations, from Human Rights Watch to statewide Innocence Projects. Readers interested in joining the rank of volunteers should check out the Volunteer tab for more details (note that contributions are entirely pro bono). Those interested in connecting their organization to volunteers will find information under the Host a Volunteer tab (note that volunteer assistance is limited to human rights organizations). The SRHRL team screens and connects volunteers and hosts to ensure successful partnerships. Have a short-term, time sensitive need for a scientist's input? Check out the On-call Scientists Hotline tab to connect with this limited-scope service. [EMB]

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Last featured in the 08-26-2019 Scout Report, this resource remains a rich source of information on the history of human rights, having added new stories on topics such as the Srebrenica genocide and human rights in the Star Wars movies.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which opened in Winnipeg in 2014, "fosters an appreciation for the importance of human rights, spurs informed dialogue and invites participants to identify the contemporary relevance of past and present human rights events, both at home and abroad." As part of this mission, the museum offers dozens of thoughtful and informative stories sharing narratives about current and historical human rights issues both in Canada and around the world. For example, a featured story focuses on Canadian anti-segregationist activist Viola Desmond spoke out against injustice and "became the first Canadian woman featured on a regularly circulating Canadian $10 bill." Stories are tagged with categories such as "civil and political rights" and "human rights violations," which visitors can use to browse by theme, but it may be easiest to simply view all of the stories and browse them by title. In addition to photos and images, many of the museum's stories incorporate videos and suggestions of further reading, and virtually all of the stories include questions designed to encourage reflection and empathy among their readers. [JDC] [EMB]

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