The Conversation

The Federal Reserve and the art of navigating a soft landing ... when economic data sends mixed signals

Written by Christopher Decker, Professor of Economics, University of Nebraska Omaha

'Surely we can avoid an economic crash? We can, but don't call me Shirley!'Paramount Pictures/Fathom Events

With inflation easing and the U.S. economy cooling, is the Federal Reserve done raising interest rates? After all, gently bringing down the trajectory of prices without crashing the economy was the central bank’s objective when it began...

Recent banking crises are rooted in a system that rewards excessive risk-taking -- as First Republic's failure shows

Written by Alexandra Digby, Adjunct Assistant professor of Economics, University of Rochester

Another U.S. bank bit the dust.AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images

First Republic Bank became the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the lender was seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and sold to JPMorgan Chase on May 1, 2023. First Republic is the latest victim of the panic that has roiled small and midsize...

Cannabis-derived products like delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC have flooded the US market – two immunologists explain the medicinal benefits and potential risks

Written by Prakash Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina

Thousands of cannabis-derived products are now on the market.skodonnell/E+ via Getty Images

These days you see signs for delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC and CBD, or cannabidiol, everywhere – at gas stations, convenience stores, vape shops and online. Many people are rightly wondering which of these compounds are legal, whether it is safe to consume...

Sudan's plunge into chaos has geopolitical implications near and far – including for US strategic goals

Written by Christopher Tounsel, Associate Professor of History, University of Washington

Jordanians being evacuated from Sudan amid fighting between two factions.AP Photo/Raad Adayleh

The sight of diplomats fleeing Sudan amid chaotic scenes reflects the gravity of the situation, but also the extent of international interest in the strife-torn nation.

Days into fighting that has left at least 400 people dead, governments from across the...

Emmett Till's accuser, Carolyn Bryant Donham, has died – here's how the 1955 murder case helped define civil rights history

Written by Davis W. Houck, Professor, Florida State University

Carolyn Bryant Donham, left, reads newspaper accounts of the Emmett Till murder trial in 1955. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Carolyn Bryant Donham, the white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making inappropriate advances toward her in 1955, has died at the age of 88 in Louisiana, according to a coroner’s report.

Nearly 68 years...

How the US military used magazines to target 'vulnerable' groups with recruiting ads

Written by Jeremiah Favara, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Gonzaga University

Ad agencies developed distinct ads for the U.S. military to reach different demographics over the years.SDI Productions via Getty Images

In his forthcoming book, “Tactical Inclusion: Difference and Vulnerability in U.S. Military Advertising,” Jeremiah Favara, a communication scholar at Gonzaga University, examines military recruitment...

SNAP work requirements don’t actually get more people working – but they do drastically limit the availability of food aid

Written by Kelsey Pukelis, Ph.D. Student in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

These benefits make it easier for millions of Americans to buy groceries.SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would cut spending, in part by expanding work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, through which nearly 43 million low-income Americans get help buying groceries....

In 'Air,' Michael Jordan's silence speaks volumes about the marketing of Black athletes

Written by A. Joseph Dial, Disco Network Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Purdue University

Jordan wears his iconic 'Air Jordan' Nike sneakers during a game in 1985.Focus on Sport/Getty Images

The film “Air,” which tells the story of Nike’s signing of Michael Jordan, isn’t actually about Michael Jordan at all.

It’s about the beauty of design and the seduction of marketing. It’s about power suits, purple...

Human activities in Asia have reduced elephant habitat by nearly two-thirds since 1700, dividing what remains into ever-smaller patches

Written by Shermin de Silva, Assistant Professor of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, University of California, San Diego

Habitat loss has driven Asian elephants, like these foraging at a garbage dump in Sri Lanka, into human areas.Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP via Getty Images

Despite their iconic status and long association with humans, Asian elephants are one of the most endangered large mammals. Believed to number between 45,000 and 50,000 individuals worldwide, they...

US-South Korea nuclear weapons deal – what you need to know

Written by Sung-Yoon Lee, Professor in Korean Studies, Tufts University

South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol is only the second leader to travel to the U.S. for a state visit during the Biden administration.AP Photo/Evan Vucci

The United States and South Korea have unveiled an agreement under which leaders in Seoul will be handed an enhanced role in planning any nuclear response to a strike in the region by North Korea.

Announced...