The Conversation

After 50 years of global effort to abolish torture, much work remains

Written by Christopher Justin Einolf, Associate Professor of Sociology, Northern Illinois University

A group of Spanish people have filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for torture they and others experienced under the Franco regime from 1939 to 1975.David Zorrakino/Europa Press via Getty Images

The world’s first conference on the abolition of torture drew more than 300 delegates representing over 70 countries and international...

Students could get more sleep and learn better if school started a little later

Written by Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

About 58% of middle schoolers and 73% of high schoolers do not get enough sleep.JackF via iStock / Getty Images Plus

Nearly three-quarters of high school students do not get enough sleep on school nights, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teens sleep for eight to 10 hours per...

Paying people to replant tropical forests − and letting them harvest the timber − can pay off for climate, justice and environment

Written by Jefferson S. Hall, Staff Scientist and Director, Agua Salud Project, Smithsonian Institution

Planting trees on deforested lands in Panama.Jorge Aleman/Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Tropical forest landscapes are home to millions of Indigenous peoples and small-scale farmers. Just about every square meter of land is spoken for, even if claims are not formally recognized by governments.

These local landholders hold the key to a...

100 years ago, the KKK planted bombs at a U.S. university – part of the terror group's crusade against American Catholics

Written by William Trollinger, Professor of History, University of Dayton

A KKK rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Sept. 21, 1923.Dayton Metro Library

It was Dec. 19, 1923 – 100 years ago. The first day of Christmas break at the University of Dayton, with fewer than 40 students still on campus.

At 10:30 p.m., the quiet was shattered by a series of explosions, as 12 bombs went off throughout campus. Frightened students...

100 years ago, the KKK planted bombs at a US university – part of the terror group's crusade against American Catholics

Written by William Trollinger, Professor of History, University of Dayton

A KKK rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Sept. 21, 1923.Dayton Metro Library

It was Dec. 19, 1923 – 100 years ago. The first day of Christmas break at the University of Dayton, with fewer than 40 students still on campus.

At 10:30 p.m., the quiet was shattered by a series of explosions, as 12 bombs went off throughout campus. Frightened students...

5 things to know about US aid to Ukraine

Written by Jessica Trisko Darden, Associate Professor of Political Science, Virginia Commonwealth University

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden arrive for a news conference on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong/Getty Images

From the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the U.S. government has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s war effort. The Biden administration has repeatedly...

A US ambassador working for Cuba? Charges against former diplomat Victor Manuel Rocha spotlight Havana's importance in the world of spying

Written by Calder Walton, Assistant Director, Applied History Project and Intelligence Project, Harvard Kennedy School

A U.S. Justice Department image showing Victor Manuel Rocha during a meeting with an FBI undercover employee. U.S. Department of Justice via AP

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Dec. 4, 2023, that Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. government employee, had been arrested and faced federal charges for secretly acting for decades as an agent...

Racism produces subtle brain changes that lead to increased disease risk in Black populations

Written by Negar Fani, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Emory University

Coping with everyday affronts comes at a cost and requires a certain level of emotional suppression. RyanJLane/E+ via Getty Images

The U.S. is in the midst of a racial reckoning. The COVID-19 pandemic, which took a particularly heavy toll on Black communities, turned a harsh spotlight on long-standing health disparities that the public could no...

As Russia ramps up 'traditional values' rhetoric − especially against LGBTQ+ groups − it's won Putin far-right fans abroad

Written by Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Assistant Professor of Religion and Anthropology, Northeastern University

Russian riot police detain gay rights activists during World Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in St. Petersburg in 2019.Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images

With LGBTQ+ rights continuing to expand across much of the world, Vladimir Putin’s Russia has doubled down on restricting them – and a new ruling has made the future even more...

War in Gaza: An ethicist explains why you shouldn't turn to social media for information about the conflict or to do something about it

Written by Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston

There has been a flood of images on social media about the Israel-Hamas war. NurPhoto via Getty Images

As the war between Israel and Hamas drags on, many on both sides have taken to social media to gather information and air their outrage. The impulse to do so is understandable: Political activism on social media provides people with an emotional...