Agustina Paglayan speaks about the preconceived notions about primary education around the world, which previous scholarship held up as an example of investing in the poor and promoting economic development. Paglayan argues that the aims of governments in spreading primary education to the masses wasn’t a democratic effort; instead, it was used as a tool for silencing dissent, undermining rebellion and reinforcing their hold on power. Scope Conditions (PODCAST)

A new study from Nico Ravanilla and co-authors analyzed over a million police reports and other data on extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, determining that in municipalities led by mayors with no mainstream, established political party affiliation, the cities had 40% more anti-drug incidents and 60% more police killings. The Diplomat. See also: The Manila Standard, Inquirer.net

Decarbonization means electrification, David Victor explains, and in order for the Biden administration to achieve its goals on climate change, they will need to invest heavily in technological innovations to overcome our dependence on fossil fuels. The Washington Post