The Conversation

Female scientists set back by the pandemic may never make up lost time

Written by Kristina Lerman, Research Professor of Computer Science, University of Southern California

Economist Esther Duflo sits with a tableful of men just after winning a Nobel Prize in 2019. She was the second female in history to win the economics prize for her research in global poverty.Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images

During the COVID-19 quarantines, scientists, like most professionals, took their work home.

Women researchers,...

Emotion is a big part of how you assess risk – and why it's so hard to be objective about pandemic precautions

Written by Sheldon H. Jacobson, Professor of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

It can be hard to see eye to eye when people don't see risk the same way.Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images

People tend to overestimate or underestimate risk. The pandemic brings this into stark relief. Picture someone wearing an N95 mask while walking their dog through a deserted park. Contrast that with someone entering a crowded bar maskless in an...

How gay men justify their racism on Grindr

Written by Christopher T. Conner, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Missouri-Columbia

Grindr allows for anonymity in a way that other dating apps do not.Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images

On gay dating apps like Grindr, many users have profiles that contain phrases like “I don’t date Black men,” or that claim they are “not attracted to Latinos.” Other times they’ll list races acceptable to them:...

Amid calls to #TaxTheChurches – what and how much do US religious organizations not pay the taxman?

Written by Ryan Cragun, Professor of Sociology, University of Tampa

Megachurches can be megarich.Allan Baxter/Getty Images

The hashtag #TaxTheChurches began trending on Twitter in mid-July.

The spark was allegations about the wealth of celebrity pastor Joel Osteen. But it wasn’t the first time that “tax the churches” has circulated. In fact it is slogan that long predates social media – Frank...

Orwell's ideas remain relevant 75 years after 'Animal Farm' was published

Written by Mark Satta, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Wayne State University

George Orwell's writings have left a lasting imprint on American thought and culture.ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images

Seventy-five years ago, in August 1946, George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” was published in the United States. It was a huge success, with over a half-million copies sold in its first year. “Animal...

How Native students fought back against abuse and assimilation at US boarding schools

Written by Sarah Klotz, Assistant Professor of English, College of the Holy Cross

Native American students at the Carlisle Indian School, circa 1899.Library of Congress/Corbis Historical Collection/VCG via Getty Images

As Indigenous community members and archaeologists continue to discover unmarked graves of Indigenous children at the sites of Canadian residential schools, the United States is reckoning with its own history of...

How stigma, anxiety and other psychological factors can contribute to food insecurity

Written by Cassandra M. Johnson, Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Foods, Texas State University

Eating right can be an emotional issue, as well as a question of economics.Dejan/Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

Finding out if someone has feelings of stress, anxiety or stigma that are related to what they can eat may help make it easier to know if they are experiencing food insecurity....

What does full FDA approval of a vaccine do if it's already authorized for emergency use?

Written by Jennifer Girotto, Associate Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut

Full FDA approval of the COVID-19 vaccines may help people feel more secure in its safety and effectiveness.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Thirty percent of unvaccinated American adults say they’re waiting for the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use to be officially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug...

Will NIMBYs sink new clean energy projects? The evidence says no – if developers listen to local concerns

Written by Sanya Carley, Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University

As Congress debates billions of dollars in new infrastructure investments, advocates are touting the social and economic benefits of building new high-voltage transmission lines, clean energy plants and electric vehicle charging stations, along with fixing aging roads and bridges. But when it’s time to break ground, will people accept these...

Millions of kids get suspended or expelled each year – but it doesn't address the root of the behavior

Written by Alysse Loomis, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of Utah

Kids who've had traumatic experiences are more likely to act out at school.LumiNola/E+ Collection via Getty Images

Each school year, nearly 3 million K-12 students get suspended and over 100,000 get expelled from school. The offenses range from simply not following directions, to hitting or kicking, to more serious behaviors like getting caught...