The Conversation

Race of mass shooters influences how the media cover their crimes, new study shows

Written by Laura Frizzell, PhD Student in Sociology, The Ohio State University

If a news report mentions a shooter's tough childhood, chances are he's white.ASAG Studio

On Jan. 24, 2014, police found Josh Boren, a 34-year-old man and former police officer, dead in his home next to the bodies of his wife and their three children. The shots were fired execution-style on Boren’s kneeling victims, before he turned the gun...

Who chooses abortion? More women than you might think

Written by Luu D. Ireland, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School

The abortion debate is at the center of U.S. political dialogue. As of June 2018, 49 percent of Americans consider themselves pro-choice, while 45 percent consider themselves pro-life. Voices from both sides flood social media feeds, while newspapers, radio and television programs frequently cover the topic.

Since 2011, politicians have enacted 400...

Apartments rarely come with access to charging stations. But electric vehicles need them

Written by Lucas Davis, Professor at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley

Most garages can double as EV charging stations.Shutterstock.com/riopatuca

Americans have now purchased more than 800,000 electric vehicles, counting both plug-in hybrids and all-electric models. That may sound like a lot of EVs, and it is a big jump from the less than 5,000 that were on the road in 2010. But this is still less than 1 percent of...

What is a 'poison pill'?

Written by Yannick Thams, Assistant Professor of Strategy and International Business, Suffolk University

Papa John’s recently forced founder and former Chairman John Schnatter to resign over allegations he made a racial slur. Now the pizza chain is battling to keep him from clawing his way back into the company.

To do so, Papa John’s says it’s taking advantage of a corporate strategy often used to fend off hostile takeover attempts:...

Families at the border are reunited briefly, if at all

Written by Marcia Zug, Professor of Family Law, University of South Carolina

A mother and daughter reunited after their separation in late May.AP Photo/Eric Gay

Some, but not all, immigrant families have been reunited after a court gave the U.S. government a deadline to reverse its separation of children from adults at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Those separations happened between May and June. President Donald Trump signed an...

With hacking of US utilities, Russia could move from cyberespionage toward cyberwar

Written by Frank J. Cilluffo, Director, Center for Cyber and Homeland Security, George Washington University

What constitutes cyberwar?manusapon kasosod/Shutterstock.com

Even before the revelation on July 23 that Russian government hackers had penetrated the computer systems of U.S. electric utilities and could have caused blackouts, government agencies and electricity industry leaders were working to protect U.S. customers and society as a whole. These...

Is Trump winning his trade war with Europe?

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

There appears to be a cease-fire in the trade war brewing between the U.S. and the European Union.

After a meeting at the White House between U.S. President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the two leaders declared a temporary truce to escalating trade tensions and agreed to begin negotiations to eliminate tariffs and...

El programa mexicano que intenta reducir la pobreza de mujeres beneficia más a sus maridos

Written by Nora Haenn, Associate Professor of Anthropology and International Studies, North Carolina State University

Los programas de empoderamiento económico dirigidos a las mujeres pueden tener un efecto imprevisto: ayudar a los hombres.

Un número creciente de programas de desarrollo económico en todo el mundo proporcionan dinero en efectivo específicamente para mujeres de las comunidades pobres. En teoría, darles acceso al...

Don't lose sleep over it: Even if you don't get enough shut-eye, most fixes are easy

Written by Brandon Peters-Mathews, Clinical Faculty Affiliate, Stanford University

Millions of Americans are sleep-deprived, but stressing over it won't help.Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock.com

The serious consequences of sleep deprivation perennially capture society’s attention. And, as kids head back to school, sleep and a lack of it are of particular concern.

Compared to historical norms, how have our contemporary...

Haiti’s deadly riots fueled by anger over decades of austerity and foreign interference

Written by Vincent Joos, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Florida State University

Protesters have set up road blocks to disrupt traffic and commerce along key streets in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital.AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery

At least seven people are dead and Haitian Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant has resigned after weeks of violent protests in Haiti that were sparked by a sudden increase of fuel prices.

Demonstrations...