The Conversation

How the Volkswagen Beetle sparked America's art car movement

Written by John A. Heitmann, Professor Emeritus of History, University of Dayton

A 'back-to-back' Beetle rolls along the road at the 2006 Houston Art Car Parade. D.L./flickr, CC BY-SA

With a mariachi band playing along, the last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line of a Mexican factory on July 10.

Originally created in Germany at the behest of Adolf Hitler, the Beetle ended up being exported around the world, and every...

Justice Stevens, Babe Ruth and the best law clerk assignment ever

Written by Merritt McAlister, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Florida

U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens winds up to throw out the first pitch before the start of the Chicago Cubs game on Sept. 14, 2005.AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

When I saw Justice John Paul Stevens this May at a gathering of his former law clerks to celebrate his 99th birthday, we discussed what he told me was the “easiest”...

Voices from an age of uncertain work – Americans miss stability and a shared sense of purpose in their jobs

Written by David L. Blustein, Professor of Counseling Psychology, Boston College

Work isn't as stable as it once was.fizkes/Shutterstock.com

On the surface, the well-being of the American worker seems rosy. Unemployment in the U.S. hovers near a 50-year low, and employers describe growing shortages of workers in a wide array of fields.

But looking beyond the numbers tells a different story. My new book, “The Importance of...

Trump wasn't the first president to confront the Supreme Court – and back down

Written by Bethany Berger, Wallace Stevens Professor of Law, University of Connecticut

A key presidential election is approaching. The U.S. Supreme Court hears a case with powerful political implications. The court rules, but the populist president doesn’t care. Our national commitments – to the Constitution, to morality, to the rule of law – seem at risk. Then, the president backs down. The nation survives.

This...

Robert Hooke: The 'English Leonardo' who was a 17th-century scientific superstar

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

No contemporary portrait of Robert Hooke seems to have survived. This 2004 oil painting is based on descriptions during his lifetime.Rita Greer, CC BY

Considering his accomplishments, it’s a surprise that Robert Hooke isn’t more renowned. As a physician, I especially esteem him as the person who identified biology’s most essential...

5 things parents need to know about 'summer loss'

Written by Abel J. Koury, Senior Research Associate, The Ohio State University

Research is mixed about whether children lose learning during summer break.Monkey Business Images/www.shutterstock.com

When it comes to news articles about the impact that summer has on student learning, the news is often bad.

For instance, The Economist proclaimed in 2018: “Long summer holidays are bad for children, especially the poor.”...

Counting 11 million undocumented immigrants is easier than Trump thinks

Written by Jennifer Van Hook, Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography, Pennsylvania State University

It is now clear that there will be no question about citizenship on the 2020 U.S. Census.

After the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration, President Trump vowed to find a way to include the question. But with no legal path forward and time running out, the administration ultimately backed down.

Opponents of the citizenship question...

How immigrants give American companies a powerful boost against Chinese rivals

Written by Benjamin A.T. Graham, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

The ongoing trade war is the most visible front in America’s struggle with China for global influence. Oddly, it may be immigration policy, as much as tariffs and trade deals, that determines which country prevails.

That’s because American competitiveness in foreign markets is a key battlefield in the struggle. And while the U.S. has...

Can protecting land promote employment? In New England, the answer is yes

Written by Katharine Sims, Associate Professor of Economics, Amherst College

In New England, where most land is privately owned, research shows that land conservation promotes economic growth. Harvard Forest/Ryan Burton, CC BY-ND

Protecting land from development provides numerous ecological and social benefits, but many people debate whether it hurts or helps local economies. Some worry that land protection will inhibit...

The Bible says to welcome refugees

Written by Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

A new Trump ruling will prohibit virtually all Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the United States.AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

The Trump administration will stop accepting asylum applications from migrants who could have claimed asylum in a different country before entering the U.S., it announced on July 15.

The new interim immigration...