The Conversation

Belarus' embattled leader secretly inaugurated himself, sparking new protests and global backlash

Written by Tatsiana Kulakevich, Lecturer and Research Fellow at USF Institute on Russia, University of South Florida

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko takes the oath of office during an unannounced inauguration ceremony Sept. 23 in Minsk.Andrei Stasevich\TASS via Getty Images

As if a fraudulent election and months of mass protest weren’t enough drama for Belarus, its embattled authoritarian leader went ahead and inaugurated himself as president in a...

Kids’ perceptions of police fall as they age – for Black children the decline starts earlier and is constant

Written by Kathleen Padilla, Graduate Student of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University

Taking a peek, but probably not seeing a future career. Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images

The deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and most recently Dijon Kizzee at the hands of officers come in an age when overpolicing and underserving minority communities has, as some experts believe, resulted in a “legitimacy crisis” in American...

Science untangles the elusive power and influence of hope in our lives

Written by Richard Miller, Professor of Practice, T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamic, Arizona State University

Traditional dancers celebrate Hari Raya, the end of Ramadan. Photo by Aniq Danial for Unsplash, CC BY-ND

On Erin Gruwell’s first day as a high school English teacher, she faced a classroom of 150 “at risk” freshmen. Most of these kids, statistically, were going to fail. They were tough, their young lives already defined by...

Can you have too much Botox?

Written by Matthew J. Lin, Assistant Clinical Professor, Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Six million Botox procedures are performed every year.Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Demand for cosmetic treatments, including botox and fillers, has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons are attributing the boom to patients wanting to put their best face forward for online Zoom meetings, as well as...

How even a casual brush with the law can permanently mar a young man's life – especially if he's Black

Written by Gary Painter, Professor of Public Policy, University of Southern California

Even a minor arrest and no conviction can be devastating. Doug Berry/Photodisc via Getty Images

George Floyd’s death highlighted how even a minor alleged infraction – in his case, over a fake $20 bill – can lead to a fatal interaction with law enforcement.

As a result, a coalition of advocacy organizations, criminal justice reform...

Women equal men in computing skill, but are less confident

Written by Matthew J. Liberatore, John F. Connelly Chair in Management at the Villanova School of Business, Villanova University

Studies show women are perfectly capable of getting the job done.Dean Mitchell/E+ via Getty Images

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

The big idea

In the workplace, women are now as good as men when it comes to computing performance, but there is still a gender gap when it comes to confidence, according to our new...

Stressful times are an opportunity to teach children resilience

Written by Vanessa LoBue, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Rutgers University Newark

To protect students and communities across the U.S. from COVID-19, many districts have switched to digital learning or a hybrid of in-classroom and virtual schooling.ZEPHYR/Getty Images

Between the global COVID-19 pandemic, the associated economic downturn and widespread protests over racism, it’s difficult for everyone. Many people are...

How the airline industry recovers from COVID-19 could determine who gets organ transplants

Written by Tinglong Dai, Associate Professor of Operations Management & Business Analytics, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

The airline industry has been cancelling routes because of the traffic drop-off during the pandemic. That has an impact on organ transplants.Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

The COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the airline industry. Passenger numbers are down more than two-thirds from last year, and airlines have been canceling flights and shutting down rou...

What is charismatic Catholicism?

Written by Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

Members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization, which began in Pennsylvania in 1967, holding a meeting in FrancePhoto by Jacques Pavlovsky/Sygma via Getty Images

President Donald Trump has nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett in Milwaukee, on Aug. 24, 2018.Ra...

Not letting students choose their roommates can make college a drag

Written by Kevin Fosnacht, Associate Research Scientist, Indiana University

Assigning roommates in college doesn't lead students to have more diverse circles of friends. GCShutter/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When colleges and universities assign roommates instead of letting students pick and choose their own, the idea is often to increase the chance that students will live with someone from a different racial or ethnic...