The Conversation

Black voters won Alabama for the Dems. Here's what they need in return

Written by Sharon Austin, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of African American Studies, University of Florida

As a scholar of African-American and Southern politics for the last 25 years, I’ve witnessed a lot of election upsets and surprises. None has been more interesting than the Democrat Doug Jones’ election to the U.S. Senate in a Dec. 12 special election against Republican Roy Moore.

I’m not talking here about the controversy...

Some new nonprofits take off, others flop – and nobody knows why

Written by Fredrik O. Andersson, Assistant Professor, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

It's easier to appear destined for greatness on the drawing board than in real life.Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com

Wayne Gretzky’s observation that you will always miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take holds true for charitable donors. They cannot expect great things to happen, or new innovations to take root, unless they are...

An archaeological dig in Israel provides clues to how feasting became an important ritual

Written by Natalie Munro, Professor, University of Connecticut

LightField Studios/Shutterstock.com

This holiday season millions of families will come together to celebrate their respective festivals and engage in myriad rituals. These may include exchanging gifts, singing songs, giving thanks, and most importantly, preparing and consuming the holiday feast.

Archaeological evidence shows that such communally...

When cringeworthy gifts are worse than inconsiderate

Written by Deborah Y. Cohn, Associate Professor of Marketing, New York Institute of Technology

Sometimes a gift that might seem reasonable is no nicer than a stocking full of coal. Suzanne Tucker/Shutterstock.com

Ever wondered why your mom bought you that inexplicable thing? You’re not alone.

I have spent years doing consumer research related to gift giving. In my field, conventional wisdom surmises that when gifts fail to please...

What Doug Jones's win means for Mitch McConnell, Steve Bannon and the Democrats

Written by David C. Barker, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell calls for Roy Moore to step aside. He later said "let the voters decide."AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Here’s the thing about selling your soul: The devil had better deliver. It’s one thing to be damned; it’s another to be a damned loser.

This is the difficult lesson that the Republican...

Can math predict what you’ll do next?

Written by Daniel J. Denis, Associate Professor of Quantitative Psychology, The University of Montana

Big data makes it a bit easier to guess your next move.blackboard1965/shutterstock.com

Good scientists are not only able to uncover patterns in the things they study, but to use this information to predict the future.

Meteorologists study atmospheric pressure and wind speed to predict the trajectories of future storms. A biologist may predict the...

Mercury from industrialized nations is polluting the Arctic – here's how it gets there

Written by Daniel Obrist, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska. Plants on the Arctic tundra absorb mercury from the air, then transfer it to soil when they die.Paxson Woelber, CC BY

Scientists have long understood that the Arctic is affected by mercury pollution, but know less about how it happens. Remote, cold and seemingly pristine, why is such an idyllic landscape...

With FCC's net neutrality ruling, the US could lose its lead in online consumer protection

Written by Sascha Meinrath, Director of X-Lab; Palmer Chair in Telecommunications, Pennsylvania State University

Three of these smiling people undid U.S. consumer protections online.Federal Communications Commission

The internet may be an international system of interconnecting networks sharing a rough global consensus about the technical details of communicating through them – but each country manages its own internet environment independently. As the...

Alabama and #MeToo's disruptive force

Written by Ashwini Tambe, Editorial Director, Feminist Studies; Associate Professor, Department of Women's Studies, University of Maryland

A woman rallies for Doug Jones on Dec. 12. Jones defeated Republican Roy Moore who was accused of sexual misconduct.AP Photo/John Bazemore

Roy Moore’s electoral defeat in Alabama is an important victory for #MeToo.

Let’s recall that the allegations about his preying on teenagers came to light amidst a wave of #MeToo-inspired charges....

A parent's guide to ending sexual harassment and assault

Written by Merle H. Weiner, Philip H. Knight Professor of Law, University of Oregon

Teaching kids early can help.

The resignation of three members of Congress – John Conyers, Al Franken and Trent Franks – should serve as a reminder to parents to talk to their children about sexual misconduct.

As a law professor with a focus on domestic and sexual violence, I know that the law alone does not deter sexual misbehavior....