The Conversation

The misguided attacks on 'This Land Is Your Land'

Written by Will Kaufman, Professor of American Literature and Culture, University of Central Lancashire

Some of Guthrie's greatest champions have had difficulties with the song.Al Aumuller/Library of Congress

In recent years, Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” has become a rallying cry for immigrants. And in July, after President Donald Trump tweeted that four Democratic congresswomen of color needed to “go back where...

How two Islamic groups fell from power to persecution: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey's Gulenists

Written by Ahmet T. Kuru, Professor of Political Science, San Diego State University

Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s first-ever democratically elected president, died unexpectedly during a trial in June 2019. He was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, an almost century-old Islamist group that rose to power after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.

Its political tenure was short. Morsi was deposed by a coup in 2013, on the one-year...

What states that don't protect LGBTQ workers from discrimination have in common

Written by Tesa Rigel Hines, Clinical Instructor, American Politics and Public Policy, Purdue University Northwest

Some states protect LGBTQ worker from discrimination, but many others do not.Rachaphak/Shutterstock.com

Are you fully protected from employment discrimination?

For employees who identify as LGBTQ, and work in one of at least 17 states nationwide that fail to protect workers, the answer at best is uncertain. At worst, it’s “no”...

Students who plan to seek more education than needed for their career earn more money

Written by Soobin Kim, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Michigan State University

Extra education has been shown to pay off in the long run.John O'Boyle/Flickr

When it comes to career success, it pays to aim for more education than what you need for the job you want.

That is the key finding of a new study that I and several colleagues did by analyzing the salaries of high school students who expected to get more education than...

Guatemala: Corrupción, inseguridad son los primeros retos para el próximo presidente

Written by Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings

Alejandro Giammattei es un ex director de sistema penitenciario cuyo mandato se vio empañado por el asesinato de siete prisioneros en 2006 durante una redada policial. Fue acusado, pero nunca enfrento cargos relacionados con esas muertes.AP Photo/ Santiago Billy

El próximo presidente de Guatemala será Alejandro Giammattei, un...

Guatemala: Corrupción e inseguridad son los primeros retos del próximo presidente

Written by Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings

Alejandro Giammattei es un ex director de sistema penitenciario cuyo mandato se vio empañado por el asesinato de siete prisioneros en 2006 durante una redada policial. Fue acusado, pero nunca afrontó cargos relacionados con esas muertes.AP Photo/ Santiago Billy

El próximo presidente de Guatemala será Alejandro...

Cómo enseñar mejor a nuestros hijos en la era del big data

Written by Katie Headrick Taylor, Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development, University of Washington

Los niños no se definen por números. Chatchai Kritsetsakul/shutterstock.com

En la reunión de padres y maestros, me senté a un lado de la mesa frente a la maestra de mi hijo de primer grado. La maestra señaló porcentajes garabateados con tinta roja. Miré y escuché.

“Este...

Stem cells could regenerate organs – but only if the body won't reject them

Written by Tobias Deuse, Professor of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco

Lab-grown organs may not be so easy to transplant into a patient. ValentinaKru/Shutterstock.com

Many of the most common diseases, like heart failure, liver failure, Type 1 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, occur when cells or whole organs fail to do their job. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if it were possible to replace cells in these...

Ocean warming has fisheries on the move, helping some but hurting more

Written by Chris Free, Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Santa Barbara

An Atlantic cod on ice. Cod fisheries in the North Sea and Irish Sea are declining due to overfishing and climate change.Robert F. Bukaty/AP

Climate change has been steadily warming the ocean, which absorbs most of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, for 100 years. This warming is altering marine ecosystems and having a direct...

Bring on the technology bans!

Written by Kentaro Toyama, W. K. Kellogg Professor of Community Information, University of Michigan

Is there still time to reach the 'off' button?Raul Topan/Shutterstock.com

In mid-July 2019, Oakland, California, became the third U.S. city to ban municipal departments from using facial recognition technology. Meanwhile, Congress began hearings on whether and how to regulate it on a national level. In a surprising moment of bipartisan consensus,...