The Conversation

Decades on, Delbert Africa’s surrender still provides powerful image of US racism and Black victimhood

Written by Nicole Maurantonio, Associate Provost of Academic Affairs | Professor of Rhetoric & Communication Studies, University of Richmond

Delbert Africa surrenders to Philadelphia police shortly before they brutally arrest him. Jim Domke/Philadelphia Inquirer

Forty-six years ago, on Aug. 8, 1978, Philadelphia police surrounded the house occupied by the controversial MOVE organization in Powelton Village with the intent to evict the predominantly Black group.

The result was a shootout...

From Michael Brown to Sonya Massey, a decade of police antiblack violence causes grief, worry and coping for Black parents

Written by Seanna Leath, Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis

Demonstrators protest the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in August 2014. Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images

A decade ago, Michael Brown Jr., an unarmed Black 18-year-old, was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

The fatal incident began when the officer, Darren Wilson, saw Brown...

Good flooding? Scientists use rice cultivation to preserve soil in Florida’s Everglades Agricultural Area

Written by Jehangir Bhadha, Associate Professor of Soil, Water and Nutrient Management, University of Florida

Growing rice can slow soil loss and the lowering of surface elevation.Frank Bienewald/Getty Images

Each summer, nearly 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares) of rice is cultivated in the Florida Everglades Agricultural Area, a roughly 1,100-square-mile (2,800-square-kilometer) area south of Lake Okeechobee.

Farming here requires a delicate touch. The area...

From a pig as political candidate to a breakout speech for Obama − Democratic National Convention often leaves its mark on history

Written by Shannon Bow O'Brien, Associate Professor of Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin

The logo for the Democratic National Convention is displayed at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., ahead of the Aug. 19-22, 2024, event. Scott Olson/Getty Images

If the Yippies – a group of young activists known for political dissent – had their way, Americans would have elected a 145-pound pig named Pigasus as president in 1968.

The...

Members of Congress undermine the country – and their own legitimacy – with antidemocratic rhetoric

Written by Christopher Miller, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond

Some members of Congress use social media to disparage the system they're part of. traffuc_analyzer/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

Blame was cast far and wide after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Obviously, the shooter was to blame, but depending on your perspective, you also blamed Democrats, Republicans or...

How charities with thrift shops can get better stuff from their donors instead of junk

Written by Chao Wu, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management, Wayne State University

Hauling used goods around isn't worth the trouble when nobody can use them.Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, CC BY-ND

Telling donors that their neighbors have provided high-quality furniture, clothing and other goods can cut the number of worthless items charities receive in half.

That’s what my colleagues Sindy De La Torre Pacheco, Mahyar...

Islamic State’s genocide was not limited to killing and enslaving Yazidis, Christians and other communities − it also erased their heritage

Written by Alda Benjamen, Assistant Professor of Middle East History, University of Dayton

Iraqi Yazidi women cry as they hold pictures of victims and missing relatives during a ceremony in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, marking the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide. Ismael Adnan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

August 2024 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Islamic State group’s genocide, in which thousands of...

How to get your kids ready to go back to school without stress − 5 tips from an experienced school counselor

Written by Shannon Pickett, Professor of Psychology and Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Purdue University

Having backpacks ready to go the night before can help students get their school day off to a good start.Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/DigitalVision via Getty Images

The shift from summer vacation to going back to school can be tough for children and their families. Beyond adjusting to new routines, the transition requires handling a mix of emotions. While...

Qatari mediation was already producing diminishing returns – assassination of Hamas negotiator further erodes Gulf state’s role

Written by Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute, Rice University

Then-Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, left, and slain Hamas negotiator Ismail Haniyehin 2012. AP Photo/Mohammed Salem

When the longtime political chief of Hamas was assassinated in late July 2024, it didn’t just leave the entire Middle East on edge. It also created a political headache in Qatar.

That’s because the...

White men who have been mistreated at work are more likely to notice and report harassment − new research

Written by Erin A. Cech, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Michigan

About 1 in 3 white men were bullied, intimidated or otherwise harassed in a two-year period.Nuthawut Somsuk/iStock via Getty Images Plus

White men who have personally experienced mistreatment at work, such as bullying, are more likely to realize that their organization does not always operate fairly. And that makes them more likely to recognize...