The Conversation

What should journalists do when the facts don’t matter?

Written by Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine

Donald Trump addresses the crowd after being declared the winner during an election night party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Most people agree that actual facts matter – in such activities as debate, discussion and reporting. Once facts are gathered, verified...

What’s the ‘standard deduction’? An accounting expert explains how it simplifies tax filing and saves most Americans money

Written by Ryan Polk, Assistant Professor of Accountancy, Clemson University

President Donald Trump shakes hands with House Speaker Paul Ryan, as Vice President Mike Pence looks on, after the passage of a tax reform package on Dec. 20, 2017.AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Filing taxes can be daunting, but understanding your options for reducing your taxable income can help make it easier and save you money.

U.S. taxpayers have two main...

Trump’s plans to extend tax cuts and slash red tape will likely spur economic growth − but there’s a cost

Written by John W. Diamond, Director of the Center for Public Finance at the Baker Institute, Rice University

President Donald Trump holds up the 2017 tax law after signing it in the Oval Office of the White House in December 2017.AP Photo/Evan Vucci

The economy was one of their top issues as voters went to the polls this year. So what does Donald Trump’s return to the White House – as well as Republican gains in Congress – mean for the...

Disaster survivors want to rebuild safer, more sustainable homes, but cost misperceptions often stand in the way

Written by Susan Ostermann, Assistant Professor of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

As Florida and the Southeast begin recovering from 2024’s destructive hurricanes, many people are asking: How can we rebuild sustainably and in a way that avoids the same damage, costs and trauma in future storms?

There are proven ways to strengthen homes that pay off in the long run, such as installing hurricane straps to tie down roofs in...

Strength training early in life can set up kids and adolescents for a lifetime of health and well-being

Written by Zachary Gillen, Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology, Mississippi State University

An age-appropriate strength training program can have significant benefits for children and adolescents.The Good Brigade/DigitalVision via Getty Images

“Aren’t they a little young for that?”

This is a question I used to hear regularly from parents when I’d recommend strength training for the kids I worked with, whose ages...

10 states had abortion measures on the ballot – where they passed, where they failed, and what it all means

Written by Katherine Drabiak, Professor of Health Law, Public Health Law and Medical Ethics, University of South Florida

When all the votes were tallied, Colorado voters approved a ballot measure establishing a right to abortion.Chet Strange/AP Photo

Voters in 10 states decided on measures relating to abortion on Nov. 5, 2024, many of which sought to expand access to abortion or expressly recognize a right to abortion in the state’s constitution.

Seven of the...

Compassion amid chaos − how one of America’s greatest poets became a lifeline for wounded soldiers

Written by Richard Gunderman, Chancellor's Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University

With over 40 armed conflicts now taking place around the world, the costs of warfare are immense and continue to mount with each passing day.

Russia’s war on Ukraine is estimated to have resulted in more than 600,000 Russian casualties, with estimates of total dead and injured on both sides as high as 1 million. The war between Israel and...

The election is over − but what is a ‘lame duck’ anyway?

Written by Jordan Cash, Assistant Professor of Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy, Michigan State University

The term 'lame duck' has been around for hundreds of years, often referring to a person whose ability to exercise authority is limited for some reason.Planet Flem/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

The 2024 election has finally ended. What happens now?

There’s a 2½-month period between Election Day and Inauguration Day. It’s...

Is AI dominance inevitable? A technology ethicist says no, actually

Written by Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston

AI is powerful technology, but that doesn't mean we should adopt it unquestioningly.SIphotography/iStock via Getty Images

Anyone following the rhetoric around artificial intelligence in recent years has heard one version or another of the claim that AI is inevitable. Common themes are that AI is already here, it is indispensable, and people who...

New Apostolic Reformation evangelicals see Trump as God’s warrior in their battle to win America from satanic forces and Christianize it

Written by Art Jipson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Dayton

President-elect Donald Trump, joined by Melania Trump and Barron Trump, on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.AP Photo/Alex Brandon

A growing movement believes President-elect Donald Trump is fighting a spiritual war against demonic forces within the United States. Trump himself stated in his acceptance speech on Nov. 6, 2024, that the reason...