The Conversation

Judge nixes some of Georgia’s charges against Trump and his allies − but that won’t necessarily derail the case

Written by Anthony Michael Kreis, Assistant Professor of Law, Georgia State University

Donald Trump continues to face criminal charges in Georgia, even though some have been dismissed by a judge.AP Photo/Steve Helber

A Fulton County judge has tossed out six of the 41 state charges against Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia’s expansive election interference case against the former president and others.

Fulton County Superior...

Buyouts can bring relief from medical debt, but they’re far from a cure

Written by Erin Duffy, Research Scientist, University of Southern California

Medical debt can have devastating consequences.PhotoAlto/Odilon Dimier via Getty Images

One in 10 Americans carry medical debt, while 2 in 5 are underinsured and at risk of not being able to pay their medical bills.

This burden crushes millions of families under mounting bills and contributes to the widening gap between rich and poor.

Some relief has...

Putin has no successor, no living rivals and no retirement plan – why his eventual death will set off a vicious power struggle

Written by Robert Person, Associate Professor of International Relations, United States Military Academy West Point

Vladimir Putin isn't waving goodbye just yet.Pavel Bednyakov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Two things are certain concerning Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

First, he will be reelected as president in the rigged election scheduled to run from March 15 to 17, 2024, by a resounding – if fraudulent – margin.

Second, he is not immortal. He...

Congress’ failure so far to deliver on promise of tens of billions in new research spending threatens America’s long-term economic competitiveness

Written by Jason Owen-Smith, Professor of Sociology, University of Michigan

Science is again on the chopping block on Capitol Hill. AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz

Federal spending on fundamental scientific research is pivotal to America’s long-term economic competitiveness and growth. But less than two years after agreeing the U.S. needed to invest tens of billions of dollars more in basic research than it had been, Cong...

What is the Darien Gap? And why are more migrants risking this Latin American route to get to the US?

Written by Sara McKinnon, Professor of Rhetoric, Politics & Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Migrants wade through the Tuquesa River as they traverse the Darien Gap.AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco

Much of the discussion over illegal immigration to the U.S. has in recent weeks moved its focus south to the Darien Gap.

This treacherous route that spans parts of Central and South America has seen an increasing number of people attempting to pass on...

Climate-friendly beef? Argentina’s new ‘carbon-neutral’ certification could help reduce livestock emissions – if it’s done right

Written by Paul Winters, Professor of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Cattle are major producers of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

In Argentina, where beef is a symbol of national pride, a government-led partnership has started certifying certain livestock as carbon neutral. It’s a big step that shouldn’t be underestimated, but getting the certification process right is...

How AI is shaping the music listening habits of Gen Z

Written by Beatriz Ilari, Professor of Music Teaching and Learning, University of Southern California

Listening to music from a device creates a protective bubble that can counteract a lack of personal space at school or home.Pierre Michel Jean/AFP via Getty Images

For four years, we’ve been teaching a class on music and the mind. We’ve asked the students at the start of each semester to complete a short, informal survey on their music...

Hopes that Biden will quit his reelection campaign ignore the differences – and lessons – of LBJ and 1968’s Democratic catastrophe

Written by Philip Klinkner, James S. Sherman Professor of Government, Hamilton College

The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was not a peaceful event.Bettmann/Getty Images

It’s just over six months until Election Day. The president faces a tough fight for reelection. His approval rating has cratered below 40% in the polls, his party is divided over a foreign war, and a bipartisan chorus declares that he’s no...

What the numbers say about diversity on corporate boards

Written by Richie Zweigenhaft, Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, Guilford College

Corporate diversity efforts have resulted in more women and minorities sitting on boards. Getty Images

Through the decades, corporate boards have been mostly white and mostly male.

That started changing in the early 1970s. Fueled by the historic gains of the Civil Rights Movement that broke down racial and gender barriers, a variety of social...

Leprosy cases are rising in the US – what is the ancient disease and why is it spreading now?

Written by Robert A. Schwartz, Professor and Head of Dermatology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University

Leprosy can be caused by two different bacteria, one of which was only identified in 2008.Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

The word “leprosy” conjures images of biblical plagues, but the disease is still with us today. Caused by infectious bacteria, some 200,000 new cases are reported each year, according to the World...