The Conversation

Huge numbers of the formerly incarcerated are unemployed, but there are some promising solutions

Written by Kymberly Byrd, Ph.D. Candidate, Community Research and Action, Vanderbilt University

Formerly incarcerated entrepreneur Coss Marte speaks at a conference in 2015.Brad Barket/Getty Images for WIRED

People who have been incarcerated face major challenges finding work after their release. About 45% of formerly incarcerated Americans were unemployed one year after leaving prison, according to a multiyear study the Brookings...

The NRA declares bankruptcy: 5 questions answered

Written by Brian Mittendorf, Fisher Designated Professor of Accounting, The Ohio State University

Facing legal and financial challenges, the NRA wants to exit New York.Alex Wong/Getty Images

Editor’s note: Although the National Rifle Association is headquartered in Northern Virginia, it is incorporated in New York. The gun group recently announced a new “strategic plan” to restructure under bankruptcy and reincorporate in...

'Early warning' systems in schools can be dangerous in the hands of law enforcement

Written by F. Chris Curran, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, University of Florida

School police officers walk in a hallway at a middle school.Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many students are getting lower grades and inconsistently attending classes. For students in one Florida county, low grades and absenteeism may put them at risk of being labeled by law enforcement as potential...

Kratom: What science is discovering about the risks and benefits of a controversial herb

Written by Christopher R. McCurdy, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, University of Florida

Kratom is native to Southeast Asia, where people make a tea from its leaves. Christopher R. McCurdy, CC BY-SA

Kratom, a traditional Southeast Asian herbal medicine from the leaves of the tropical tree Mitragyna speciosa, has gained favor in the U.S. as a legal high over the past decade. Almost two metric tons of kratom are imported from Southeast...

Sen. Ossoff was sworn in on pioneering Atlanta rabbi's Bible – a nod to historic role of American Jews in civil rights struggle

Written by Jonathan D. Sarna, University Professor and Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University

Vice President Kamala Harris swears in Sen. Raphael Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff on Capitol Hill in Washington. Senate Television via AP

The first Jewish senator in Georgia history, Jon Ossoff, was sworn in on Jan. 20, on what his office described in a tweet as a “Hebrew scripture that belonged to historic Atlanta Rabbi Jacob...

US could face a simmering, chronic domestic terror problem, warn security experts

Written by Luis De la Calle, Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and Associate Professor in Political Science, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas

Some 25,000 National Guard troops protected Joe Biden's presidential inauguration due to fears of a far-right extremist attack.Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

After President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20, 2021 without any violent incidents, many in the United States and worldwide breathed a sigh of relief.

The respite may be brief. The ingredients...

5 ways Biden can help rural America thrive and bridge the rural-urban divide

Written by Ann Eisenberg, Associate Professor of Law, University of South Carolina

President Joe Biden talked about healing the rifts and uniting America in his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2021.Michael S. Williamson/Washington Post

It’s no secret that rural and urban people have grown apart culturally and economically in recent years. A quick glance at the media – especially social media – confirms an...

Voters are starting to act like hard-core sports fans – with dangerous repercussions for democracy

Written by Michael Devlin, Associate Professor of Communication, Texas State University

The lines between political fandom and sports fandom have blurred.Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

During Donald Trump’s presidency, the American electorate became more divided and partisan, with research suggesting that the ongoing division is less about policy and more about labels like “conservative” and “liberal.”

Essential...

Trump revived Andrew Jackson's spoils system, which would undo America's 138-year-old professional civil service

Written by Barry M. Mitnick, Professor of Business Administration and of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh

A picture of Andrew Jackson hung in the Oval Office during Trump's tenure.AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

The federal government’s core civilian workforce has long been known for its professionalism. About 2.1 million nonpartisan career officials provide essential public services in such diverse areas as agriculture, national parks, defense,...

Invasive tawny crazy ants have an intense craving for calcium – with implications for their spread in the US

Written by Ryan Reihart, Teaching Assistant and Ph.D. Candidate of Ecology, University of Dayton

Multiple queens ensure colonies have a steady output of workers.Ryan Reihart, CC BY-SA

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

In a recent study, my colleagues and I discovered micronutrients in the ground can control populations of invasive crazy ants (Nylanderia fulva).

Tawny crazy ants – named for...