Figure 2 is pretty awesome. It's a proof-of-concept approach using words like AI, graphene, exoplanet, prozac, etc. This is a great way to track the rise and fall of academic trends in general.
However, as far as the rest of the study, the researchers could have addressed the hypothesis that the rise in 'prejudice and social justice' terminology in academics and media is a way of avoiding the (arguably) more fundamental problems of wealth inequality and class conflict. This would have involved looking for terms like 'wealth inequality', 'minimum wage', 'housing costs', 'unemployment', 'unions', 'class conflict', 'inherited wealth', etc.
All told I don't think any of the above socioeconomic factors are the most important problems facing human civilization - resource exhaustion and ecological and climatic destabilization are far more likely to pull the rug out from under the whole project. That of course would amplify inter-group conflicts, but that's a side effect, not the central driving factor.
However, as far as the rest of the study, the researchers could have addressed the hypothesis that the rise in 'prejudice and social justice' terminology in academics and media is a way of avoiding the (arguably) more fundamental problems of wealth inequality and class conflict. This would have involved looking for terms like 'wealth inequality', 'minimum wage', 'housing costs', 'unemployment', 'unions', 'class conflict', 'inherited wealth', etc.
All told I don't think any of the above socioeconomic factors are the most important problems facing human civilization - resource exhaustion and ecological and climatic destabilization are far more likely to pull the rug out from under the whole project. That of course would amplify inter-group conflicts, but that's a side effect, not the central driving factor.