The Conversation

What are conflicts of interest and what can be done about them?

Written by Archon Fung, Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government, Harvard Kennedy School

The phrase is often lobbed around, but what does it really mean?Frank Brennan/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Americans’ trust in government and politicians is at record lows. In a 2022 Pew Research survey, about two-thirds of respondents said that all or most people who run for office want to serve their own personal interests rather than the...

What’s a constitutional crisis? Here’s how Trump’s recent moves are challenging the Constitution’s separation of powers

Written by Jeffrey Schmitt, Professor of Law, University of Dayton

President Donald Trump's various actions that appear to overstep the power of the executive office are creating what many legal scholars call a constitutional crisis. VladSt/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

In a short few weeks, President Donald Trump has upended many core parts and functions of the U.S. government. He dismantled the U.S....

As the Kremlin eyes a thaw with the White House, Russia’s pro-war hawks aren’t too happy

Written by Adam Lenton, Assistant Professor of Politics & International Affairs, Wake Forest University

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on Feb. 23, 2025.Sergei Bobylyov/AFP via Getty Images

At face value, the Kremlin has plenty to celebrate after U.S. and Russian officials held high-level bilateral talks on the war in Ukraine for the first time since the full-scale...

The science behind airplane deicing – a mechanical engineer explains how chemistry and physics make flying a more uplifting experience

Written by Andrew Sommers, Professor of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Miami University

A worker deices an airplane at the airport in Brussels. AP Photo/Virginia Mayo

If you are a frequent flyer, you’ve probably been at the airport waiting to jet somewhere on a winter trip when the voice of an airline employee announces over the intercom that there will be a slight delay while the plane gets deiced. But how does this process...

Maple seeds’ unique spinning motion allows them to travel far even in the rain, a new study shows

Written by Andrew Dickerson, Associate Professor of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee

Winged seeds called samaras grow on maple trees. These are seeds from the Japanese maple, _Acer palmatum_.AlessandroZocc/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When wind or other disturbances detach winged maple seeds called samaras from their parent tree, they spin through the air – and can even spin when it’s raining. Impacts by high-speed...

Is a united European voice possible in the age of Trump, Putin and far-right politics? Germany’s new leader intends to find out

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

Could Friedrich Merz be the man to speak for Europe?Sean Gallup/Getty Images

“Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?”

The question was famously attributed to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and refers to the historical inability of the political entity of Europe to coordinate on a united front in the global arena.

And...

Brutalism – the architectural style that dared to summon a new world from the ashes of World War II

Written by Michael Allen, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, West Virginia University

Boston City Hall, which was completed in 1968, is considered a classic example of Brutalist architecture. Yunghi Kim/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Some viewers of “The Brutalist” are probably getting their first taste of Brutalism, the architectural style that gives the film its name.

The film, which has been nominated for 10...

More Americans of all political stripes support government benefits for low-income people − and Black Lives Matter could be a big reason why

Written by Karyn Vilbig, PhD Student in Sociology, New York University

A protester leads a Black Lives Matter rally in San Francisco on June 3, 2020.Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

For all the apparent division over Black Lives Matter, the movement may have had a widespread and positive impact on Americans’ support for policies that help the poor.

Since the Black Lives Matter movement launched in 2013, several...

Trump administration sets out to create an America its people have never experienced − one without a meaningful government

Written by Sidney Shapiro, Professor of Law, Wake Forest University

A worker removes letters from the U.S. Agency for International Development building.Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

The U.S. government is attempting to dismantle itself.

President Donald Trump has directed the executive branch to “significantly reduce the size of government.” That includes deep cuts in federal funding of scientific and...

Managers can help their Gen Z employees unlock the power of meaningful work − here’s how

Written by Kelly Kennedy, Ed.D., Director of Transformative Learning, University of Connecticut

Finding fulfilling and motivating work is a challenge for many people, but it can be especially difficult for those just starting their careers. And as Generation Z professionals – those born between 1997 and 2012 – increasingly seek personalized career paths, managers are tasked with helping employees find meaning in their roles while...