Can global campuses promise the same academic freedom?Liz Lawley, CC BY-NC-SALast spring, a New York University professor was prevented from traveling to the United Arab Emirates to conduct research. The UAE government did not like his criticisms of the use of migrant labor in the Emirates.
The fact that this academic scholarship was politically...
Read more: On global campuses, academic freedom has its limits
Rouhani's hand grows stronger thanks to Iran's cooperation with Russia.ReutersThe sudden launch of Russia’s military operations in Syria late last month caught the United States and regional players by surprise.
It began with an announcement that defined the primary objective of the mission as a confrontation with the Islamic State (ISIS) in...
Read more: Russian cooperation with Iran and Iraq has broader consequences than saving Assad
Don't panic! It's only money. ReutersIt’s too easy to think China’s economy is in a downward spiral, given recent headlines in the US press, from “China’s Middle-Class Dreams in Peril” to “Is China Really Collapsing?”
The world has been awash with such pessimism. And fumbled reactions by China’s...
Read more: China's slowdown is a sign of middle-class gains, not a reason for panic
Migrants from the Middle East bound for Europe earlier this month. Fotis Piegas G/ReutersThe world is watching as refugees flood into a Europe unprepared for the new arrivals. Conflict and social unrest due in part to climate stress – including induced food shortages and social conflict – have prompted migrants to search for new homes...
Read more: We are entering a new era of migration – and not just for people
Condemned by compromise?Gary Cameron/REUTERSMost observers identify the Freedom Caucus, formerly known as the Tea Party Caucus, as the source of a palace coup resulting in the “retirement” of John Boehner, and the refusal of his hand-picked successor, Kevin McCarthy, to take possession of the gavel as speaker of the House.
The simple...
Read more: How the GOP circus act compromises American Democracy
Uneasy allies?Alexei Druzhinin/REUTERSAs a child, I would eagerly await the annual World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) “Royal Rumble” – 30 of the best wrestlers, all in one ring, fighting it out in a lengthy and often brutal (and yes, scripted) affair over the course of hours to be the last man standing.
The most entertaining...
Read more: A 'Royal Rumble' in Syria means yet more chaos for civilians
When does disciplining kids work?Asim Bharwani, CC BY-NC-NDDisciplining works if it is not over the top and children understand the point of it.
Highlights magazine’s annual State of Kids survey found that a majority of children appreciated being disciplined and believed that it helped them behave better.
What children disagreed with were the...
Read more: Why disciplining kids can be so tricky for parents and teachers
Growing numbers of US students are going abroad to study.British Council Russia, CC BY-NC-SAThe Conversation’s international teams are collaborating on a series of articles about the Globalisation of Higher Education, examining how universities are changing in an increasingly globalised world. This is the third article in the series. Read...
Read more: US losing its dominance in global higher education market
The Supreme Court will decide a case that will have a big effect on distributed energy technology, including batteries. TeslaOn April 30, Tesla’s Elon Musk took the stage in California to introduce the company’s Powerwall battery energy storage system, which he hopes will revolutionize the dormant market for household and utility-scale...
Nobels go to only three scientists max, while some papers have as many authors as members of this audience.© Nobel Media AB, Alexander Mahmoud
China Daily’s front page on the morning of Tu Youyou’s Nobel win.
The headline on the first page of China Daily on October 6 was striking: China wins first Nobel prize in medicine. Actually, D...
Read more: Swinging between extremes in giving scientific credit where credit is due
