The Conversation

From Trump to Trudeau, the escalator is a favorite symbol of political campaigns

Written by Peter Erickson, Assistant Professor of German, Colorado State University

Donald Trump rides an escalator to announce his candidacy for the U.S. presidency at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, in New York City.Christopher Gregory/Getty Images

In June 2015 Donald Trump rode an escalator into the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City to announce his candidacy for president – an escalator ride that quickly became famous.

Po...

5 reasons not to underestimate far-right extremists

Written by Alexander Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark

Members of the Proud Boys right-wing extremist group arrive at a pro-Donald Trump rally in Oregon in September 2020.AP Photo/Andrew Selsky

Far-right extremists have been in the news, with an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor and rallies like the one the Proud Boys held in Portland in September.

With a hotly contested election underway...

Why there's so much legal uncertainty about resolving a disputed presidential election

Written by Richard Pildes, Professor of Constitutional Law, New York University

What will judges do? And when will they do it?Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As I’ve Zoom-traveled the country speaking about legal issues involving the election, I have found myself, as well as audiences, bewildered and frustrated by one underlying question: Why is there so much legal uncertainty about so many critical questions...

Most surprising thing about a new report showing climate change imperils the US financial system is that the report even exists

Written by Jeffrey Dukes, Director of the Purdue Climate Change Research Center, Purdue University

Burnt orange skies in the middle of the day usually aren't a good sign. AP Photo/Tony Avelar

Burnt orange daytime skies signal that the consequences of climate change are already here. But while we tend to focus on the death and destruction resulting from the growing frequency and severity of wildfires and other disasters, we often pay less heed to...

Studies link COVID-19 deaths to air pollution, raising questions about EPA's 'acceptable risk'

Written by Michael Petroni, PhD Candidate and Research Fellow, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

By the end of October, more than 228,000 Americans who got COVID-19 had died.Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The pandemic is putting America’s air pollution standards to the test as the COVID-19 death toll rises.

The U.S. government sets limits on hazardous air pollutants to try to protect public health, but it can be difficult to determine where to...

Why scientists and public health officials need to address vaccine mistrust instead of dismissing it

Written by Sterling M. McPherson, Associate Professor, Director and Assistant Dean for Research, Washington State University

A lab technician sorts blood samples inside a lab for a COVID-19 vaccine study at the Research Centers of America in Hollywood, Fla., on Aug. 13, 2020.Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Recent polls indicate that more than a third of the country has concerns about a vaccine that in all likelihood will be the only reliable way to end to the...

The Black Church has been getting 'souls to the polls' for more than 60 years

Written by David D. Daniels III, Professor of Church History, McCormick Theological Seminary

Volunteers outside the Christian Cultural Center in New York register new voters as part of the 'Souls to the Polls' initiative.AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

At Black churches up and down the U.S., religious slogans have been supplanted with another message in the run up to Nov. 3: Vote!

The landscape of the 2020 general election has been dotted with...

Is tax avoidance ethical? Asking for a friend

Written by Erin Bass, Associate Professor of Management, University of Nebraska Omaha

Smart or unethical? What does philosophy say about avoiding taxes?SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Personal taxes featured heavily in the final presidential debate before the Nov. 3 election.

While Joe Biden boasted of releasing “22 years of tax returns,” President Donald Trump addressed reports that he paid as little as $750 in annual...

Ransomware can interfere with elections and fuel disinformation – basic cybersecurity precautions are key to minimizing the damage

Written by Richard Forno, Senior Lecturer, Cybersecurity & internet researcher, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Ransomware attacks often strike local government computer systems, which poses a challenge for protecting elections.PRImageFactory/iStock via Getty Images

Government computer systems in Hall County, Georgia, including a voter signature database, were hit by a ransomware attack earlier this fall in the first known ransomware attack on election...

The US economy's record swings: 4 essential reads

Written by Bryan Keogh, Senior Editor, Economy + Business

Back in the swing of things.AP Photo/Michael Probst

The U.S. economy rebounded from its unprecedented coronavirus plunge in the spring with a record surge over the summer, giving the president some good news just days before Election Day.

Gross domestic product climbed 33% in the third quarter, from July through September, according to the Commerce...