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Turkish attack on Syria endangers a remarkable democratic experiment by the Kurds

  • Written by James L. Gelvin, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of California, Los Angeles
Kurdish fighters in Syria say the U.S. is abandoning its allies and potentially empowering the Islamic State by withdrawing from northeastern Syria and allowing a Turkish assault, Oct. 7, 2019.AP Photo

Turkey’s attack on Kurdish-run territory in northern Syria will likely snuff out a radical experiment in self-government that is unlike...

Read more: Turkish attack on Syria endangers a remarkable democratic experiment by the Kurds

US will send migrants to El Salvador, a country that can't protect its own people

  • Written by Mneesha Gellman, Associate Professor of Political Science, Emerson College

The Trump administration is continuing its efforts to keep Central American asylum seekers away from the United States’ border.

On Sept. 20 the U.S. signed an agreement with El Salvador to accept asylum seekers sent out of the United States. U.S. officials have avoided specifics in discussing the deal and implied that only Salvadoran...

Read more: US will send migrants to El Salvador, a country that can't protect its own people

Why more places are abandoning Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples' Day

  • Written by Malinda Maynor Lowery, Professor of History and Director, Center for the Study of the American South, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Marchers celebrate the first Indigenous Peoples Day in Berkeley, Calif. on Oct. 10, 1992.AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

Increasingly, Columbus Day is giving people pause.

More and more towns and cities across the country are electing to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an alternative to – or in addition to – the day intended to honor...

Read more: Why more places are abandoning Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples' Day

Could helmetless tackling training reduce football head injuries?

  • Written by Erik Swartz, Profesor, Kinesiology , University of Massachusetts Lowell
A young football player holds his mouth guard.Suzanne Tucker/Shutterstock.com

With football season well underway, there already have been instances of helmet-to-helmet hits, concussions and yet another round of conversations about strategies to reduce head impact exposure in players.

This is an urgent matter for all football players, but...

Read more: Could helmetless tackling training reduce football head injuries?

Why ending the secrecy of 'confession' is so controversial for the Catholic Church

  • Written by Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
In Catholic understanding, Jesus gave his disciples the power to forgive sins.Hernán Piñera, CC BY-SA

Following sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, there is a worldwide push to end the guarantee of secrecy of confession – called “the seal of the confessional.”

On Sept. 11, 2019, two Australian states,...

Read more: Why ending the secrecy of 'confession' is so controversial for the Catholic Church

Panama celebrates its black Christ, part of protest against colonialism and slavery

  • Written by S. Kyle Johnson, Doctoral Student in Systematic Theology, Boston College
The life-sized wooden statue of the Black Christ in St. Philip Church in Panama.Dan Lundberg/Flickr, CC BY-SA

Panama’s “Festival del Cristo Negro,” the festival of the “Black Christ,” is an important religious holiday for local Catholics. It honors a dark, life-sized wooden statue of Jesus, “Cristo Negro”...

Read more: Panama celebrates its black Christ, part of protest against colonialism and slavery

Conservation policies threaten indigenous reindeer herders in Mongolia

  • Written by Nancy Langston, Distinguished Professor of Environmental History, Michigan Technological University
Rules put into place to protect endangered species have harmed people who depend on nature.Nancy Langston, CC BY-SA

Deep in the sub-Arctic boreal forest of far northern Mongolia lives an indigenous tribe who are among the world’s smallest ethnic minorities and last reindeer herding nomads. The Tsaatan, as they’re known, have been...

Read more: Conservation policies threaten indigenous reindeer herders in Mongolia

Computer science now counts as math credit in most states – is this a good idea?

  • Written by Chris Orban, Assistant Professor of Physics, The Ohio State University
Forty-seven states let computer science count in place of math or science classes required for high school graduation.Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

In 2013, a who’s who of the tech world came together to launch a newnonprofit called Code.org. The purpose of the organization was to get more computer science into schools.

Billionaires...

Read more: Computer science now counts as math credit in most states – is this a good idea?

The Latin American left isn't dead yet

  • Written by Santiago Anria, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Latin American Studies, Dickinson College

Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay will all hold presidential elections in October. And, for now, leftists are strong contenders in all three countries.

This is a somewhat unexpected development. Beginning in 2015, conservatives toppled major leftist strongholds, including in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. The socially progressive Latin American left...

Read more: The Latin American left isn't dead yet

For Russia, talk of Trump impeachment is the gift that keeps on giving

  • Written by Cynthia Hooper, Associate Professor of History, College of the Holy Cross

The Russians are calling it “Ukrainegate.”

“I never thought I’d say it, but CNN is right,” remarked one pundit on Russia 1, the county’s most-watched television station. “The person who wins in this situation is Putin.”

Commentary in Russian media about the impeachment investigation of U.S. President...

Read more: For Russia, talk of Trump impeachment is the gift that keeps on giving

More Articles ...

  1. Hurricane Michael recovery efforts point to the power of local generosity after overlooked disasters
  2. 6 ways to establish a productive homework routine
  3. Games blamed for moral decline and addiction throughout history
  4. Fast evolution explains the tiny stature of extinct 'Hobbit' from Flores Island
  5. Nobel Prize in Physics for two breakthroughs: Evidence for the Big Bang and a way to find exoplanets
  6. Workplace sex discrimination claims are common – but they're not making it into court
  7. Cómo los huracanes fuertes benefician a los peces caribeños
  8. Investigations usually hurt a president's public reputation – but Trump isn't usual
  9. Fundamentalism turns 100, a landmark for the Christian Right
  10. Discovery of how cells sense oxygen levels earns Nobel Prize
  11. Colt ends public sales of the AR-15, but gun-control advocates shouldn't celebrate
  12. Government restrictions on labeling products as 'meat' aren't likely to help anyone
  13. More mental health care won't stop the gun epidemic, new study suggests
  14. Strong family ties during teen years can help ward off depression in later life
  15. Growing the big one – 6 tips for your own prize-winning tomatoes
  16. Curious Kids: How deep is the ocean?
  17. Latin America shuts out desperate Venezuelans but Colombia's border remains open – for now
  18. The Supreme Court and refugees at the southern border: 5 questions answered
  19. How birth control pill prescriptions by a pharmacist could broaden access and keep costs down
  20. Trump’s America shines bright for Europe's radical New Right
  21. What's so wrong about lying in a job interview
  22. How the US could afford 'Medicare for all'
  23. Mining powers modern life, but can leave scarred lands and polluted waters behind
  24. People are increasingly interrupted at work, but it's not all bad
  25. New England power line corridors harbor rare bees and other wild things
  26. America now solves problems with troops, not diplomats
  27. 3 questions about vodka, answered
  28. Curious Kids: How do my eyes adjust to the dark and how long does it take?
  29. This year at the Supreme Court: Gay rights, gun rights and Native rights
  30. Trump's bad Nixon imitation may cost him the presidency
  31. What moons in other solar systems reveal about planets like Neptune and Jupiter
  32. Gandhi's 150th birthday: A little-remembered philosopher translated the Mahatma's ideas of nonviolence for Americans
  33. 3 reasons Forever 21’s bankruptcy doesn’t spell the end of brick-and-mortar retailing
  34. Untangling tattoos' influence on immune response
  35. South America's second-largest forest is also burning – and 'environmentally friendly' charcoal is subsidizing its destruction
  36. How a 1905 debate about 'tainted' Rockefeller money is a reminder of ethical dilemmas today
  37. Cultural studies key to national security
  38. Harvard can use race as an admissions factor, at least for now
  39. The Beatles' revolutionary use of recording technology in 'Abbey Road'
  40. Misinformation, evasion and the informational problem of live TV interviews
  41. A brief history of television interviews -- and why live TV helps those who lie and want to hide
  42. Ukraine's President Zelenskiy may come to regret his discussion with President Trump
  43. More frequent and intense tropical storms mean less recovery time for the world's coastlines
  44. Low blood pressure could be a culprit in dementia, studies suggest
  45. A father-physician tests if a little peanut a day keeps allergy away
  46. Could President Trump be impeached and convicted – but also reelected?
  47. The Electoral College will never make everyone happy
  48. What Gandhi believed is the purpose of a corporation
  49. Leave 'em laughing instead of crying: Climate humor can break down barriers and find common ground
  50. For male students, technical education in high school boosts earnings after graduation