The Conversation

For many NBA players, finding a better high school was critical to success

Written by Rob Book, PhD Candidate, Lecturer, University of Southern Denmark

When University of Southern California freshman Kevin Porter, Jr., became a first-round NBA draft pick on June 20, he spoke about the hardships he’d faced.

“I been battling through adversity all my life. Still am,” Porter told ESPN after he became the final first-round draft pick.

Porter explained how he wore No. 4 jersey at USC to...

Risk of shooting war with Iran grows after decades of economic warfare by the US

Written by David Cortright, Director of Policy Studies, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame

Iranian officials show off the U.S. drone they shot out of the sky.Meghdad Madadi/Tasnim News Agency

Many are worried about the risk of war between the U.S. and Iran. But the truth is, the U.S. has been fighting with Iran for decades in an economic war waged via sanctions.

Concerns about a war of guns, warplanes and missiles grew after Iran shot...

Bacteria live on our eyeballs -- and understanding their role could help treat common eye diseases

Written by Tony St. Leger, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh

The eye has a collection of microbes living on the surface that keep it healthy. photoJS/Shutterstock.com

You may be familiar with the idea that your gut and skin are home to a collection of microbes – fungi, bacteria and viruses – that are vital for keeping you healthy. But did you know that your eyes also host a unique menagerie of...

Corruption triumphs in Guatemala's presidential election

Written by Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings

The two winners in Guatemala’s June 16 presidential vote – former first lady Sandra Torres and former prison director Alejandro Giammattei – will face off in a second round of voting in August.

But already one election loser is clear: Guatemala in its decade-long fight to root out massive government corruption.

Both Torres, who...

Is cutting Central American aid going to help stop the flow of migrants?

Written by Carmen Monico, Assistant Professor of Human Service Studies, Elon University

Some USAID programs seek to help raise living standards for families like this one in Western Honduras.USAID-ACCESO/Fintrac Inc., CC BY-SA

President Donald Trump has long made blocking the thousands of Central Americans who head to the southern U.S. border, most of them seeking asylum, from entering and staying in the country a top priority.

His...

7 ways to build your child's vocabulary

Written by David Dickinson, Professor of Teaching & Learning, Vanderbilt University

The size of a child's vocabulary during the early years helps shape language skills later in life.Monkey Business Images/www.shutterstock.com

If you want your child to have a rich and fulfilling life, one of the best things you can do is help build your child’s vocabulary. Research shows strong language ability is associated with a number of p...

Israel could strike first as tensions with Iran flare

Written by Doreen Horschig, PhD Candidate in Security Studies, University of Central Florida

Israel has a powerful air force — and it's not afraid to strike neighbors it perceives as a national security threat.AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

Iran shot down a U.S. drone on June 19, further escalating tensions between Iran and its adversaries.

Relations with Iran have been worsening for months. In early May, one year after the United States...

Maryland 'Peace Cross' ruling: The Supreme Court rules that a cross stands for more than Christianity

Written by Corey D. B. Walker, Visiting Professor, University of Richmond

The 40-foot Peace Cross in Maryland dedicated to World War I soldiers.Maryland GovPics/Flickr, CC BY

The Supreme Court ruled on June 20 that a war memorial in Maryland in the shape of a Christian cross can stay on public land. The Bladensburg Peace Cross is a 40-foot cross erected as a memorial for those who died in service during World War I.

In a...

Why Federal Reserve independence matters

Written by Michael Klein, Professor of International Economic Affairs, Fletcher School, Tufts University

Should you care if the Federal Reserve loses its independence?

It’s become a growing risk in recent years as President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked the U.S. central bank over interest rate policy and tried to appoint his political allies to its board. Most recently, he reportedly has explored removing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whom...

Is burning trash a good way to handle it? Waste incineration in 5 charts

Written by Ana Baptista, Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management, The New School

The Wheelabrator Waste to Energy Plant in Saugus, Massachusetts, has been burning trash to generate electricity since 1975.Fletcher6/Wikimedia, CC BY

Burning trash has a long history in the United States, and municipal solid waste incinerators have sparked resistance in many places. As an environmental justice scholar who works directly with...