The Conversation

A radical proposal to abolish state government and strengthen American democracy

Written by Stephen Legomsky, John S. Lehmann University Professor Emeritus, Washington University in St. Louis

Abolish all the states? Zoonar/Getty Images Plus

Get rid of states? Legal scholar Stephen Legomsky, who taught for 34 years at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, has just published a book, “Reimagining the American Union,” that proposes a radical idea: Abolish state government. The Conversation’s politics and...

The use of federal troops to quell Los Angeles protests recalls militarized law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement

Written by Justin Randolph, Assistant Professor of U.S. History, Texas A&M University

The National Guard and protesters stand off outside of a downtown jail in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

President Donald Trump activated 4,000 National Guard troops on June 10, 2025, to quell protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids – without the normal request from the state. He has also sent to Los Angeles hund...

Companies haven’t stopped hiring, but they’re more cautious, according to the 2025 College Hiring Outlook Report

Written by Murugan Anandarajan, Professor of Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems, Drexel University

Recent college grads face a tough job market in 2025, but employers are still hiring.sturti/E+ via Getty Images

Every year, I tell my students in my business analytics class the same thing: “Don’t just apply for a job. Audition for it.”

This advice seems particularly relevant this year. In today’s turbulent economy, companies...

When developing countries band together, lifesaving drugs become cheaper and easier to buy − with trade-offs

Written by Lucy Xiaolu Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Resource Economics, UMass Amherst

Pooling procurement of drugs could increase the availability of essential treatments around the globe.narvo vexar/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Procuring lifesaving drugs is a daunting challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. Essential treatments are often neither available nor affordable in these nations, even decades after the drugs...

Nostalgic foods and scents like fresh-cut grass and hamburgers grilling bring comfort, connection and well-being

Written by Chelsea Reid, Associate Professor of Psychology, College of Charleston

The foods and scents we associate with our childhoods can provide a meaningful source of comfort and connection.zeljkosantrac/E+ via Getty Images

Walking around my neighborhood in the evening, I am hit by the smells of summer: fresh-cut grass, hamburgers grilling and a hint of swimming pool chlorine. These are also the smells of summers from my...

The hidden bias in college admissions tests: How standardized exams can favor privilege over potential

Written by Zarrina Talan Azizova, Associate Professor of Education, Health and Behavior, University of North Dakota

At first glance, calls from members of Congress to restore academic merit in college admissions might sound like a neutral policy.

In our view, these campaigns often cherry-pick evidence and mask a coordinated effort that targets access and diversity in American colleges.

As scholars who study access to higher education, we have found that when...

What’s the right way to mark Juneteenth? The newest US holiday is confusing Americans

Written by Timothy Welbeck, Director of the Center for Anti-Racism, Temple University

Martha Yates Jones and Pinkie Yates sit in a decorated buggy for Juneteenth 1908 in front of Houston's Antioch Baptist Church.African American Library at The Gregory School, Houston Public Library

The United States’ newest federal holiday, celebrated annually on June 19, has quickly become its most puzzling one. Four years after President Joe...

Iran-Israel ‘threshold war’ has rewritten nuclear escalation rules

Written by Farah N. Jan, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Pennsylvania

Smoke rises from locations targeted in Tehran amid the third day of Israel's waves of strikes against Iran, on June 15, 2025.Photo by Khoshiran/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s conflict with Iran represents far more than another Middle Eastern crisis – it marks the emergence of a dangerous new chapter in nuclear...

Most Americans believe misinformation is a problem — federal research cuts will only make the problem worse

Written by H. Colleen Sinclair, Associate Research Professor of Social Psychology, Louisiana State University

Americans say the government and social media companies need to do something about misinformation and disinformation.Boris Zhitkov/Getty Images

Research on misinformation and disinformation has become the latest casualty of the Trump administration’s restructuring of federal research priorities.

Following President Donald Trump’s...

Sleep loss rewires the brain for cravings and weight gain – a neurologist explains the science behind the cycle

Written by Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

Getting enough sleep is one of the most effective ways to restore metabolic balance in the brain and body.SimpleImages/Moment via Getty Images

You stayed up too late scrolling through your phone, answering emails or watching just one more episode. The next morning, you feel groggy and irritable. That sugary pastry or greasy breakfast sandwich...