The Conversation

George H.W. Bush laid the foundation for education reform

Written by Jack Schneider, Assistant Professor of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

President George H.W. Bush in 1990.Mark Reinstein/www.shutterstock.com

George H.W. Bush fulfilled his desire – articulated late in his 1988 campaign for president – to be “the education president.” It just took three decades.

It’s true that Bush passed no education bills during his one term as president.

His next three...

How where you're born influences the person you become

Written by Samuel Putnam, Professor of Psychology, Bowdoin College

In some societies, kids are taught that they're in control of their own happiness – which makes them more indulgent.Oleksii Synelnykov/Shutterstock.com

As early as the fifth century, the Greek philosopher Thucydides contrasted the self-control and stoicism of Spartans with the more indulgent and free-thinking citizens of Athens.

Today, unique...

Deepwater corals thrive at the bottom of the ocean, but can't escape human impacts

Written by Sandra Brooke, Associate Research Faculty, Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University

Deep sea corals off Florida. NOAA

When people think of coral reefs, they typically picture warm, clear waters with brightly colored corals and fishes. But other corals live in deep, dark, cold waters, often far from shore in remote locations. These varieties are just as ecologically important as their shallow water counterparts. They also are just...

US-China trade war truce: 2 reasons why it's unlikely to last

Written by Jeffrey Kucik, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Arizona

Presidents Xi and Trump don't always see eye to eye.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have agreed to a ceasefire in their increasingly painful trade war, yet their governments’ differing depictions of the deal show just how far apart they really are.

While the Trump administration emphasized trade...

1 in 4 government officials accused of sexual misconduct in the #MeToo era is still in office today

Written by Jamillah Williams, Associate Professor of Law, Georgetown University

Colorado state senator Randy Baumgardner was accused of inappropriately touching a former legislative aide.AP Photo/David Zalubowski

At least 138 government officials, in both elected and appointed positions, have been publicly reported for sexual harassment, assault, misconduct or violence against women since the 2016 election, according to an...

The big lessons of political advertising in 2018

Written by Erika Franklin Fowler, Associate Professor of Government, Wesleyan University

Screen shot of Beto O'Rourke's Facebook ad, 2018Facebook

The 2018 midterm elections are in the books, the winners have been declared and the 30-second attack ads are – finally – over.

As co-directors of the Wesleyan Media Project, which has tracked and analyzed campaign advertising since 2010, we spend a lot of time assessing trends in...

YouTube, persuasion and genetically engineered children

Written by George Estreich, Instructor, Oregon State University

In a masterfully manipulative Youtube video, He Jiankui tells the world about the first genetically edited babies.AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

On Sunday, Nov. 25, the scientist He Jiankui claimed the birth of the world’s first genetically engineered children: twins, created by IVF, their DNA altered at fertilization. Changes like these, because...

CRISPR babies raise an uncomfortable reality – abiding by scientific standards doesn't guarantee ethical research

Written by J. Benjamin Hurlbut, Associate Professor of Life Sciences, Arizona State University

What does oversight really ensure?Ousa Chea/Unsplash, CC BY

Uncertainty continues to swirl around scientist He Jiankui’s gene editing experiment in China. Using CRISPR technology, He modified a gene related to immune function in human embryos and transferred the embryos to their mother’s womb, producing twin girls.

Many questions about...

Screening the human future: YouTube, persuasion and genetically engineered children

Written by George Estreich, Instructor, Oregon State University, Oregon State University

In a masterfully manipulative Youtube video, He Jiankui tells the world about the first genetically edited babies.AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

George H.W. Bush understood that markets and the environment weren't enemies

Written by Matthew Kahn, Professor of Economics, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

President George H.W. Bush (right) fishing on the Kennebunk River in Maine, Aug. 27, 1990. AP Photo/Doug Mills

Former President George H.W. Bush, who died on Nov. 30, was admirable for many reasons, from his skillful leadership through the end of the Cold War to his personal warmth and courtesy. As an environmental economist, I believe his approach...