The Conversation

Should we celebrate Karl Marx on his 200th birthday?

Written by Barbara Foley, Distinguished Professor of English and American Studies, Rutgers University Newark

Karl Marx Monument in Chemnitz, in eastern Germany.AP Photo/Jens Meyer

Some would argue that Karl Marx, author of “Capital,” has been proven wrong on just about everything he wrote. The founder of scientific socialism was born 200 years ago on May 5.

These naysayers would point out that Soviet socialism imploded decades ago, and that...

What is full employment? An economist explains the latest jobs data

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Economist and Research Scientist, The Ohio State University

Jobs a-plenty.AP Photo/Danny Johnston

The latest jobs report has gotten a lot of analysts, policymakers and talking heads once again asking whether the U.S. is at full employment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on May 4 that the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent, which is the lowest level since December 2000. The unemployment rate...

Dead zones are a global water pollution challenge – but with sustained effort they can come back to life

Written by Donald Scavia, Professor Emeritus of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan

Blooms of algae, like this growth in 2015 in Lake St. Clair between Michigan and Ontario, promote the formation of dead zones.NASA Earth Observatory, CC BY

Scientists have identified a dead zone as large as Florida in the Gulf of Oman, which connects the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf. Around the world there are more than 400 current dead zones in...

Boycott China and avoid a trade war

Written by Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology

China hopes to make more microprocessor chips in China, which makes it a great industry to lead a boycott.AP Photo

The U.S. and China are locked in negotiations both sides say they hope will avert a painful trade war.

The Trump administration has threatened to impose a series of tariffs unless China agrees to limit what he calls “its illicit...

Unearthed mummy recalls an Iran before the ayatollahs

Written by David J. Wasserstein, Professor of History and Jewish Studies, Vanderbilt University

An Islamic revolution ran the shah out of Iran in 1979. Now, his father's mummified body has resurfaced.AP Photo

As a historian, I well know that the past has a habit of coming back. And, sometimes, it wreaks havoc on the present.

That’s the situation now confronting Iran after a mummy was discovered during construction on a building in Tehran...

Deadly highrise fire in Brazil spotlights city's housing crisis and the squatter movement it spawned

Written by Patricia Rodrigues Samora, Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning, Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas

A massive fire in historic downtown São Paulo, Brazil, on May 1 has killed at least one person, with three more suspected dead. Several neighboring buildings, including a church, were destroyed, scorched or evacuated.

The 25-story building that caught fire and later collapsed was a vacant former police headquarters now occupied by...

Sexism isn't just unfair; it makes women sick, study suggests

Written by Catherine Harnois, Professor of Sociology, Wake Forest University

A protester carries a #metoo sign at a Women's March in Seattle on Jan. 20, 2018.AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Recent social movements such as the Women’s March, #MeToo, #TimesUp, #BalanceTonPorc (#OutYourPig), and #SayHerName draw attention to the broad spectrum gender-related violence that is pervasive in the United States and around the world.

Soc...

Michigan says Flint water is safe to drink, but residents' trust in government has corroded

Written by Cedric Taylor, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Central Michigan University

Toppled road sign for a closed water distribution center in Flint, Mich.Cedric Taylor, CC BY-ND

On April 6, 2018, with little warning, the state of Michigan closed water point of distribution (POD) centers that have provided residents in Flint for the past three years with bottled water to drink, cook and bathe. This move was based on analysis...

Are North Korean media outlets signaling that the regime is getting serious about diplomacy?

Written by Meredith Shaw, Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

A North Korean newscaster reports on the Inter-Korean summit during an April 28 broadcast.Korean Central Television

North Korea’s domestic news media remains carefully choreographed and managed by the ruling Korean Workers’ Party.

Nonetheless, in the wake of major events, a judicious reading of their content can sometimes offer insights...

That distinctive springtime smell: Asparagus pee

Written by Sarah Coseo Markt, Research Scientist in Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University

One of the signature fragrances of spring comes after the consumption of asparagus.Anton G, CC BY-NC

Along with many other delights, springtime brings the beginning of the asparagus growing season. Regardless of whether you prefer the green, purple or white variety, asparagus provides a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and its consumption as...