The Conversation

Beverly Cleary refused to teach kids how to be good -- and generations of young readers fell in love with her rebel Ramona

Written by Kristin Girten, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Arts and Humanities/Associate Professor of English, University of Nebraska Omaha

Beverly Cleary's beloved characters, including Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins, have enthralled readers for decades.AP Photo/Anthony McCartney

There’s nothing like being reasoned with by a 4-year-old girl.

“‘Stop it,’ ordered Beezus. ‘Stop it this instant! You can’t eat one bite and then throw the rest...

White supremacy is the root of all race-related violence in the US

Written by Jennifer Ho, Professor of Asian American Studies, University of Colorado Boulder

As fears of anti-Asian violence grow, police seek to be more visible to deter attacks.AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Amid the disturbing rise in attacks on Asian Americans since March 2020 is a troubling category of these assaults: Black people are also attacking Asian Americans.

White people are the main perpetrators of anti-Asian racism. But in February...

Power imbalances are at the root of sexual harassment – but statements like Andrew Cuomo’s don't acknowledge that inconvenient fact

Written by Charlotte Alexander, Associate Professor of Law and Analytics, Georgia State University

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo faces an investigation over an alleged pattern of sexually harassing and intimidating women employees.Brendan McDermid/Pool/AFP/via Getty Images

In recent weeks, multiple women have reported demeaning and sexualized workplace behavior by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. In response, Cuomo has issued a combination of denials, de...

Las sirenas no existen pero, ¿por qué nos fascinan tanto sus historias?

Written by Peter Goggin, Associate Professor of English, Arizona State University

No dejes que historias intrigantes te engañen sobre sirenas y otras criaturas divertidas pero inventadas, como Pie Grande o el monstruo del lago Ness.AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez

Las sirenas, criaturas submarinas que son mitad peces y mitad humanos, no existen excepto en la imaginación de las personas. Los científicos que...

Building trust among parents and teachers is key to reopening schools

Written by Sherman Dorn, Professor of Education, Arizona State University

Schools that build trust with their communities can reduce fears surrounding reopening. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A New York City mother said she kept her son in remote schooling during the pandemic because she believes city education officials “lie a lot.”

“These buildings are old and don’t have proper ventilation,”...

Here's how to help your kids break out of their pandemic bubble and transition back to being with others

Written by Dominique A. Phillips, Ph.D. Student in Clinical Psychology, University of Miami

Whether just comfortable at home or nervous about leaving, kids may need extra support to get back out there.Imgorthand/E+ via Getty Images

Pilar’s parents took all the recommended precautions to shield her from the dangers of COVID-19. They stayed at home, away from family, friends and group activities. Pilar had remained in virtual...

There's a surprising ending to all the 2020 election conflicts over absentee ballot deadlines

Written by Richard Pildes, Professor of Constitutional Law, New York University

One billboard outside Bloomington, Minnesota: A sign warns voters about a recent federal court ruling about absentee ballot deadlines.Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

One of the most heavily contested voting-policy issues in the 2020 election, in both the courts and the political arena, was the deadline for returning absentee ballots.

Going into the...

No, the COVID-19 vaccine is not linked to the mark of the beast – but a first-century Roman tyrant probably is

Written by Eric M. Vanden Eykel, Associate Professor of Religion, Ferrum College

A medieval tapestry, which shows John, the Dragon and the Beast of the Sea.Kimon Berlin, user:Gribeco, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

The mass rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has led to concerns from some people that can be described as rational: What are the side effects? How effective will the shot be? And then there are those who are worried that...

Vaccine guilt is good – as long it doesn’t stop you from getting a shot

Written by Elizabeth Lanphier, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics and Ethics Center Faculty, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati

For some, a shot has been accompanied by pangs of guilt.AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Over 100 million Americans have now received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. If you are one of them, you might feel lucky, relieved and possibly a little guilty.

Vaccine guilt – a feeling associated with getting immunized before others – is a phenomenon...

Embrace the unexpected: To teach AI how to handle new situations, change the rules of the game

Written by Mayank Kejriwal, Research Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Southern California

Most of today's AI's come to a grinding halt when they encounter unexpected conditions, like a change in the rules of a game.LightFieldStudios/iStock via Getty Images

My colleagues and I changed a digital version of Monopoly so that instead of getting US$200 each time a player passes Go, the player is charged a wealth tax. We didn’t do this...