The Conversation

Female presidents don't always help women while in office, study in Latin America finds

Written by Merike Blofield, Associate Professor, University of Miami

When Michelle Bachelet steps down as Chile’s president on March 11, she will bring to a close not just her own administration but also an era of female leadership in Latin America.

Between 2006 and 2018, four women served as presidents in the region. On the political left, Bachelet and Argentina’s Cristina Fernández both...

Why it's so important for kids to see diverse TV and movie characters

Written by Julie Dobrow, Senior lecturer, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University

Television continues to be the main source of media consumption for kids.Arthimedes/Shutterstock.com

The hype surrounding “Black Panther” has been as hyperbolic as any feat its characters might perform, with the film being praised for its layered story and what’s been described as its “Afrofuturist” cast. And...

Purdue-Kaplan deal blurs lines between for-profit and public colleges

Written by Kevin Kinser, Professor of Education Policy Studies, Pennsylvania State University

Purdue Global is the name of a new online education venture that involves Purdue and Kaplan universities.Shutterstock.com

As far as universities go, Kaplan and Purdue could not have been more different.

Kaplan University, which operated under parent company Graham Holdings, a $3.2 billion corporation, was part of the troubled for-profit college...

If polls say people want gun control, why doesn't Congress just pass it?

Written by Harry L. Wilson, Professor of Public Affairs, Roanoke College

Protesters at the Vermont Statehouse on Feb. 20, 2018. AP/Wilson Ring

Why doesn’t the government do what the people want?

After the recent deadly shooting at a Florida high school, many Americans are asking that question about the federal government’s firearms policy. Recent polls show that a majority of Americans support stronger gun...

West Virginia teachers win raise – but nation's rural teachers are still underpaid

Written by Erin McHenry-Sorber, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, West Virginia University

A teacher holds a sign at a teacher rally at the West Virginia Capitol.Tyler Evert/Ap

The longest teacher strike in West Virginia history came to an end when Gov. Jim Justice announced a deal on March 6 to grant the teachers 5 percent more in pay, but issues of pay disparities for rural teachers still persist.

If those issues are not resolved, we...

Why are we so sleep deprived, and why does it matter?

Written by Michael S. Jaffee, Vice chair, Department of Neurology, University of Florida

As many as 70 million Americans may not be getting enough sleep. Men get fewer hours of sleep than women.Akos Nagy/Shutterstock.com

As we prepare to “spring forward” for daylight saving time on March 11, many of us dread the loss of the hour’s sleep we incur by moving our clocks forward. For millions, the loss will be an added...

Using blockchain to secure the 'internet of things'

Written by Nir Kshetri, Professor of Management, University of North Carolina – Greensboro

What's the best way to secure a world of connected objects?Wilgengebroed, CC BY-SA

The world is full of connected devices – and more are coming. In 2017, there were an estimated 8.4 billion internet-enabled thermostats, cameras, streetlights and other electronics. By 2020 that number could exceed 20 billion, and by 2030 there could be 500...

The dark side of daylight saving time

Written by David Wagner, Professor of Management, University of Oregon

A New York engineer is wheeled away in December 2013, after a train he was driving crashed. Lack of sleep could have been a factor.AP Photo/Robert Stolarik

A train hurtled around a corner at 82 mph, eventually coming off the rails and killing four passengers.

Decades earlier, faulty decision-making resulted in the deaths of the seven-person crew of...

Uneasy US-Mexico relationship will survive ambassador's resignation — but just barely

Written by Pamela K. Starr, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

After two years on the job, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson has announced that she will retire on May 5, 2018 — the latest in a growing list of career diplomats to step down under Donald Trump.

Jacobson has worked in Latin America diplomacy for three decades, including in the Obama administration’s effort to reopen the U.S....

While Mexico plays politics with its water, some cities flood and others go dry

Written by Veronica Herrera, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut

Flooding is a common hazard in Nezahualcoyotl, a Mexican city just outside the nation's capital.AP Photos/Eduardo Verdugo

When Cape Town acknowledged in February that it would run out of water within months, South Africa suddenly became the global poster child for bad water management. Newspapers revealed that the federal government had been slow to...