The Conversation

Why all civilian lives matter equally, according to a military ethicist

Written by Jessica Wolfendale, Professor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University

The scene in the Bureij refugee camp following an Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Nov. 14, 2023.AP Photo/Adel Hana

Some commentators have criticized Israel for causing what is claimed to be disproportionate harm to civilians in its military response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Others have defended Israel’s actions, claiming...

How the keffiyeh – a practical garment used for protection against the desert sun – became a symbol of Palestinian identity

Written by Armin Langer, Assistant Professor of European Studies, University of Florida

Two people use a Palestinian keffiyeh to show their support during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Washington on Nov. 4, 2023.AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades

After Israel declared war on Hamas following the militant group’s surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and hostilities resumed in the region, some Palestinians have been urging...

Colonized countries rarely ask for redress over past wrongs − the reasons can be complex

Written by Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations/Associate Professor of International Relations, Boston University

Indian visitors look at a painting depicting the Amritsar Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh.Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images)

The king of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, apologized in July 2023 for his ancestors’ role in the colonial slave trade.

He is not alone in expressing remorse for past wrongs. In 2021, France returned 26 works of art...

Who is still getting HIV in America? Medication is only half the fight – homing in on disparities can help get care to those who need it most

Written by Angel Algarin, Assistant Professor of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Arizona State University

Access to life-saving HIV prevention medications varies by race and other sociodemographic factors.David Talukdar/Moment via Getty Images

As the globe marks another World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, it’s crucial to both acknowledge the significant strides made in the global battle against HIV and recognize the persistent challenges that remain. While...

These programs make college possible for students with developmental disabilities

Written by Neil Edwin Duchac II, Associate Professor of Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University

Employment prospects are greatly enhanced for students with developmental delays if they acquired postsecondary education.Drs Producoes via Getty Images

For students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, opportunities to attend college may appear few and far between. But this is changing, thanks to inclusive postsecondary education &ndas...

Edward Blum's crusade against affirmative action has used the legal strategy developed by civil rights activists

Written by Julian Maxwell Hayter, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond

Edward Blum stands in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 20, 2022. Shuran Huang for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Few people have been more associated with rolling back modern-day civil rights laws than Edward Blum, the former stockbroker who has successfully challenged many affirmative action and voting rights laws.

Blum has no formal...

Massive planet too big for its own sun pushes astronomers to rethink exoplanet formation

Written by Suvrath Mahadevan, Verne M. Willaman Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Penn State

LHS 3154b, a newly discovered massive planet that should be too big to exist. The Pennsylvania State University

Imagine you’re a farmer searching for eggs in the chicken coop – but instead of a chicken egg, you find an ostrich egg, much larger than anything a chicken could lay.

That’s a little how our team of astronomers felt when we d...

Russian attempt to control narrative in Ukraine employs age-old tactic of 'othering' the enemy

Written by Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, Associate Professor of Critical Cultural & International Studies, Colorado State University

Vigil lanterns at the Bitter Memory of Childhood monument commemorating the Ukrainian famineKirill Chubotin / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Controlling the narrative has long been crucial to Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine.

In the worldview he promulgates, the U.S. is an “empire of lies,” the...

OpenAI is a nonprofit-corporate hybrid: A management expert explains how this model works − and how it fueled the tumult around CEO Sam Altman's short-lived ouster

Written by Alnoor Ebrahim, Professor of Management, Tufts University

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had a tumultuous November.omohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

The board of OpenAI, creator of the popular ChatGPT and DALL-E artificial intelligence tools, fired Sam Altman, its chief executive officer, in late November 2023.

Chaos ensued as investors and employees rebelled. By the time the mayhem had subsided five days later, Altman...

As plastic production grows, treaty negotiations to reduce plastic waste are stuck in low gear

Written by Sarah J. Morath, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for International Affairs, Wake Forest University

Plastic litters a beach in Manila, Philippines. Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Plastic pollution has spread to Earth’s farthest reaches, with widespread effects on wildlife, the environment and human health. To curb this problem, U.N. member countries are negotiating a global treaty to reduce plastic pollution, which they aim to complete by the end...