About YesContext

YesContext takes the stereotypes people repeat about nations and cultures and puts a number from a named source next to each one. Some turn out to be partly true, some are out of date, and many are explained by history or economics rather than character. The point is not to confirm or mock a stereotype. It is to show what the evidence says and where it comes from.

How an article works

Every article follows the same shape, so you can find the part you need:

  • Short answer. The question answered in a few sentences, with the key figure in bold.
  • The numbers. A small table of indicators, each with its source and year.
  • The explanation. The history, economics and sociology behind the pattern, in plain language.
  • FAQ. Follow-up questions people actually ask.
  • Sources. Every figure traces back to a source listed at the end.
  • Related reading. Links to the articles that explain the same underlying logic in another place.

Six kinds of article

The Site holds more than 80 articles, grouped by the question they ask:

  • Why do: why a cultural behaviour exists, such as why a country eats late or talks with its hands.
  • Are they really: a stereotype tested against data.
  • Why is: why a region or country looks the way it does.
  • Compare: two cultures set side by side.
  • Patterns: the wider frameworks, such as honour culture or the link between trust and corruption.
  • History: the events that left a mark on a culture.

Where the numbers come from

Figures come from public, citable sources:

  • World Bank data on population, income, urbanisation and health;
  • OECD statistics such as working hours;
  • International Labour Organization (ILO) labour data;
  • World Values Survey (WVS) results on trust and values;
  • Hofstede Insights cultural dimension scores for 40 nationalities;
  • UNODC, SIPRI and FAO figures where an article needs crime, military or food data.

We report each figure as it stood in the source when the article was written. Sources revise their numbers, so the cited source always has the final word.

How the articles are made

Articles are produced with the help of AI tools working from a curated set of public datasets. The data is assembled first, and the text is written around it, not the other way round. This allows us to cover many questions with consistent structure, but it also means mistakes can happen. We treat them as errors to fix, not as opinions to defend.

Editorial rules

  • A claim needs a number and a named source. If we cannot find one, the article says so.
  • Describing a stereotype is not endorsing it.
  • Statistics describe groups, never individuals.
  • Images are illustrative stock photographs and do not depict the people or events discussed unless a caption says so.

Corrections and contact

Found an error, an outdated figure or a better source? Write to [email protected] with the article link and we will check it and correct it. You can also read our Disclaimer, Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.