The Conversation

How 'Karen' went from a popular baby name to a stand-in for white entitlement

Written by Robin Queen, Professor of Linguistics, English Language and Literatures and Germanic Languages and Literatures, University of Michigan

Watch out, Karen coming through.Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

When I read about Amy Cooper, the woman in Central Park who called the police on a black birder because he’d asked her to leash her out-of-control dog, I was horrified.

But, as a sociolinguist who studies and writes about language and discrimination, I was also struck by the name...

Why soldiers might disobey the president's orders to occupy US cities

Written by Marcus Hedahl, Associate Professor of Philosophy, United States Naval Academy

Members of the military wearing U.S. Army Special Forces insignia block protesters near Lafayette Park and the White House on June 3, 2020.Drew Angerer/Getty Images

President Donald Trump has announced he was considering sending the federal military into the streets of numerous American cities – above and beyond those sent to Washington, D.C....

Who killed Sweden's prime minister? 1986 assassination of Olof Palme is finally solved – maybe

Written by Andrew Nestingen, Professor, Department of Scandinavian Studies, University of Washington

The murder weapon in the Palme case was never found.zbruch via Getty Images

It took 34 years, 10,000 interviews and 134 murder confessions, but the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme has now been solved.

Palme was shot on the Stockholm street Sveavägen – roughly, “Mother Sweden Way” – in February 1986,...

During Floyd protests, media industry reckons with long history of collaboration with law enforcement

Written by Carol A. Stabile, Professor, University of Oregon

Actors Dennis Franz and Jimmy Smits on the set of 'NYPD Blue.'Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

In a recent interview, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was asked why it’s so difficult to prosecute cases against police officers.

“Just think about all the cop shows you may have watched in your life,” he replied....

Neighborhood-based friendships making a comeback for kids in the age of coronavirus

Written by Julie Wargo Aikins, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University

A new social world for children may be right outside their front door.Martin Novak/Movement via Getty Images

As the weather has warmed in my Midwestern town, my neighborhood is full of children on bicycles pretending to be riding through the Wild West. I can’t walk down the sidewalk without stepping on chalk drawings or hopscotch boards....

Is it safe to stay in a hotel, cabin or rental home yet?

Written by Elizabeth Marder, Instructor, Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis

Grandparents are eager to spend time with their grandchildren, and many are also eager to travel. There are many things to consider to ensure safety when going to hotels and overnight accommodations. FG Trade/Getty Images

After nearly three months of quarantine, millions of Americans are ready to travel – an overnight trip, a weekend getaway,...

Adding women to corporate boards improves decisions about medical product safety

Written by Corinne Post, Professor of Management, Lehigh University

Corporate boards with women on them are more likely to recall dangerous products.Image Source/Getty Images

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

The big idea

Medical supply companies with boards that included at least two women recalled life-threatening products almost a month sooner than those with all-male boards, accor...

Going online due to COVID-19 this fall could hurt colleges' future

Written by Christopher Newfield, Distinguished Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara

California State University schools have ruled out in-person classes for this fall.FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

When the California State University system decided to conduct all of its classes online this coming fall, administrators said it was to avoid the health risks associated with COVID-19. Many other colleges are making similar...

Globalization really started 1,000 years ago

Written by Valerie Hansen, Professor of History, Yale University

'The Meeting of Two Worlds,' a sculpture at L'Anse aux Meadows, commemorates the meeting of Vikings and Native Americans around the year 1000.D. Gordon E. Robertson/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Viking ships touched down on the Canadian island of Newfoundland around the year 1000, at what is now the archaeological site known as L'Anse aux Meadows.

For...

Globalization really started 1,000 years ago

Written by Valerie Hansen, Professor of History, Yale University

'The Meeting of Two Worlds,' a sculpture at L'Anse aux Meadows, commemorates the meeting of Vikings and Native Americans around the year 1000.D. Gordon E. Robertson/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Viking ships touched down on the Canadian island of Newfoundland around the year 1000, at what is now the archaeological site known as L'Anse aux Meadows.

For...