The Conversation

US unemployment data fail to capture COVID-19's full impact – here's how to fix it fast

Written by Julia Lane, Professor of Economics, New York University

Unemployed airline workers call for an extension of federal benefits.Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed dangerous weaknesses in America’s aging public data system. In one of the greatest jobs crises in the past 100 years, the labor force measures of employment and unemployment are too slow, not local and too often...

Why the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' is still pushed by anti-Semites more than a century after hoax first circulated

Written by Stephen Whitfield, Professor of American Civilization, Brandeis University

Mary Ann Mendoza was pulled as a speaker at the RNC after tweeting a link to an anti-Semitic thread.AP Photo/Evan Vucci

An anti-Semitic hoax more than a century old reared its ugly head again as the Republican National Convention was underway last week.

Mary Ann Mendoza, a member of the advisory board of President Trump’s reelection campaign,...

Looser standards for showerheads could send a lot of water and money down the drain

Written by Robert Glennon, Regents Professor and Morris K. Udall Professor of Law & Public Policy, University of Arizona

Most Americans take water for granted, but many areas are struggling with water shortages.slobo/Getty Images

For more than 25 years, Congress has directed U.S. government agencies to set energy and water efficiency standards for many new products. These measures conserve resources and save consumers a lot of money. Until recently, they had...

With Kamala Harris, Americans yet again have trouble understanding what multiracial means

Written by Jennifer Ho, Professor. Asian American Studies, University of Colorado Boulder

Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee.Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images

News that Sen. Kamala Harris was Joe Biden’s choice for the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee drove speculation and argumentation about her identity. The big question appeared to be, “Is Kamala Harris truly African American?”

There were...

How to use precision medicine to personalize COVID-19 treatment according to the patient's genes

Written by Colin Allen, Distinguished Professor of History & Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh

A humorous message about actor Tom Hanks at the closed Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix amid the coronavirus pandemic. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, were among the earliest celebrities to catch the novel coronavirus. In an interview at the beginning of July, Hanks described how differently COVID-19 had affected each of them...

Las abejas no pueden mantener la 'sana distancia', pero así evitan enfermarse en plena pandemia

Written by Rachael Bonoan, Assistant Professor, Providence College

En la colmena, todas las abejas colaboran para mantener la salud pública – una lección para los seres humanos en la pandemia.Rachael Bonoan, CC BY-ND

Dado que muchos países luchan por controlar la transmisión de COVID-19, un desafío es frenar la propagación entre las personas que viven en lugares...

Will the new 15-minute COVID-19 test solve US testing problems?

Written by Zoë McLaren, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Easy, fast coronavirus testing is critical to controlling the virus.AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

On Aug. 26, the Food and Drug Administration granted an Emergency Use Authorization to a new rapid antigen test for COVID-19 called the BinaxNOW test.

I study public health policy to combat infectious disease epidemics. Testing is one of the most powerful...

If Trump refuses to accept defeat in November, the republic will survive intact, as it has 5 out of 6 times in the past

Written by Alexander Cohen, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Clarkson University

Trump has refused to say he will accept the outcome of the upcoming election.Alex Wong/Getty Images

During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump refused to promise to accept the results of the election. Likewise, in 2020, his continued assault on the reliability and legitimacy of mail-in voting has laid the groundwork for chall...

Can a college course teach students to 'unlearn' racism?

Written by Jennifer E. Cross, Professor of Sociology, Colorado State University

Can a college course help students understand people of different races?AP Photo/Gerry Broome

Many Americans are asking how they can be more sensitive to members of different racial groups, a desire fueling sales of books like “How to be an Anti-racist” and the presence of “Hate has no home here” signs in front yards. But...

Race and class can color teachers’ digital expectations for their students – with white students getting more encouragement

Written by Matt Rafalow, Sociologist and Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley

Is he learning something?Pollyana Ventura/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Schools that rely on remote learning during the pandemic are trying to ensure that all kids have the devices and internet bandwidth they need. While important, it takes more than everyone having comparable equipment and working WiFi for all children to get an equal shot.

In my new...