The Conversation

Ukraine war follows after decades of warnings that NATO expansion into Eastern Europe could provoke Russia

Written by Ronald Suny, Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan

On Feb. 24, Russian tanks moving into Ukraine. Sergei MalSergei Malgavko\TASS via Getty Images)

As fighting rages across Ukraine, two versions of reality that underlie the conflict stare across a deep divide, neither conceding any truth to the other.

The more widespread and familiar view in the West, particularly in the United States, is that...

Ukraine war follows decades of warnings that NATO expansion into Eastern Europe could provoke Russia

Written by Ronald Suny, Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan

On Feb. 24, Russian tanks moving into Ukraine. Sergei Malgavko\TASS via Getty Images)

As fighting rages across Ukraine, two versions of reality that underlie the conflict stare across a deep divide, neither conceding any truth to the other.

The more widespread and familiar view in the West, particularly in the United States, is that Russia is and...

Is it possible to listen to too much music each day?

Written by Rami Toubia Stucky, Doctoral Candidate in Critical & Comparative Studies, University of Virginia

Listening to music can be a joyful experience.Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Is it possible to listen to too much music each day? – Emma, age 16, Springville, Utah

I...

How Mexico's lucrative avocado industry found itself smack in the middle of gangland

Written by Jeffrey Miller, Associate Professor of Hospitality Management, Colorado State University

Thanks to the high prices they command, avocados are sometimes referred to as 'green gold.'Jose Castanares/AFP via Getty Images

To the relief of avocado lovers from coast to coast, the recent drama between the United States and Mexico was fleeting.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture banned imports of the fleshy fruit from Mexico on Feb. 11, 2022,...

Affordable housing – in pandemic times, what works and what doesn't?

Written by Emily Hamilton, Senior Research Fellow, George Mason University

High-density housing became popular as the population of Silicon Valley exploded, making affordable housing scarce.Bob Sacha/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images

Two years of pandemic disruptions have put a spotlight on shortcomings in the U.S. housing market. Some of these shortcomings have their origins in federal and local policy decisions made...

Transformational change is coming to how people live on Earth, UN climate adaptation report warns: Which path will humanity choose?

Written by Edward R. Carr, Professor and Director, International Development, Community, and Environment, Clark University

Weather and climate extremes are already here, and communities will have to adapt.Michael Hall via Getty Images

Governments have delayed action on climate change for too long, and incremental changes in energy and food production will no longer be enough to create a climate-resilient future, a new analysis from scientists around the world warns.

The...

Putin's claim to rid Ukraine of Nazis is especially absurd given its history

Written by Jeffrey Veidlinger, Professor of History and Judaic Studies, University of Michigan

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed the war on Ukraine is a 'peacekeeping mission.'Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin justifies his war on Ukraine as a peacekeeping mission, a “denazification” of the country.

In his address to the Russian people on Feb. 24, 2022, Putin said the...

Targeting Putin’s inner circle and keeping Europe on board: Why Biden’s sanctions may actually work to make Russia pay for invading Ukraine

Written by David Cortright, Professor Emeritus, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame

The ruble crashed to a record low after Putin invaded Ukraine and the West announced new sanctions. Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

The Biden administration is delivering on its vow to impose “severe sanctions” against Russia for its military aggression against Ukraine.

The new sanctions announced on Feb. 24, 2022, will cut off...

US-EU sanctions will pummel the Russian economy – two experts explain why they are likely to stick and sting

Written by David Cortright, Professor Emeritus, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame

Russians in Moscow and elsewhere flocked to ATMs to withdraw cash, fearful that the ruble will plunge further due to Western sanctions. AP Photo/Victor Berzkin

The Biden administration, in extraordinary and rapid cooperation with allies over a period of three days, has doubled down on its vow to impose “severe sanctions” against Russia...

A new Cold War emerging as Russia launches full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Written by Jaro Bilocerkowycz, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Dayton

Soldiers with the 92nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces conduct drills in northeastern Ukraine on Jan. 31, 2022. Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

In a very real sense, the Russian full-scale invasion places Ukraine at the center of a geopolitical struggle reminiscent of the Cold War days when...