The Conversation

Sunzi, 'shì' and strategy: How to read 'Art of War' the way its author intended

Written by Scott D. McDonald, Non-resident Fellow, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; PhD Candidate, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

A copy of the 'Art of War' from a collection at the University of California, Riverside. vlasta2/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

In the mid-1990s, I picked up the military classic “Art of War” hoping to find insight into my new career as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

I was not the only one looking for insights from the sage Sunzi,...

Gay men can now donate blood after FDA changes decades-old rule – a health policy researcher explains the benefits

Written by Ayako Miyashita, Adjunct Professor of Public Policy and Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles

Allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood would help alleviate chronic blood supply shortages in the U.S.Petri Oeschger/Moment via Getty Images

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on May 11, 2023, that it has officially dropped restrictions that prohibit gay and bisexual men from donating blood under many circumstances on May 11,...

EPA’s crackdown on power plant emissions is a big first step – but without strong certification, it will be hard to ensure captured carbon stays put

Written by Stephanie Arcusa, Postdoctoral Researcher in Carbon Sequestration, Arizona State University

Power plants contribute a quarter of the United States' climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.Howard C via Getty images

The U.S. government is planning to crack down on power plants’ greenhouse gas emissions, and, as a result, a lot of money is about to pour into technology that can capture carbon dioxide from smokestacks and lock it away.

T...

International Criminal Court is using digital evidence to investigate Putin – but how can it tell if a video or photo is real or fake?

Written by Ronald Niezen, Professor of Practice, Departments of Sociology and of Political Science / International Relations, University of San Diego

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was reminiscent of wars long past, where a country invades another with little provocation.

But there are many parts of this conflict that are uniquely modern – including...

The Nation of Islam: A brief history

Written by Joseph R. Stuart, Postdoctoral Fellow, Brigham Young University

Malcolm X helped lead the Nation of Islam until 1964.Truman Moore/Getty Images

May 2023 marks 98 years since the birth of civil rights leader Malcolm X, formerly Malcolm Little.

Malcolm X was a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, or NOI, and helped to lead the organization until he left in 1964 – the year before his assassination.

The NOI,...

COVID-19's total cost to the economy in US will reach $14 trillion by end of 2023 – new research

Written by Jakub Hlávka, Research Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management; Schaeffer Center Fellow, University of Southern California

Once guests trickled back into hotels, they were urged to socially distance.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

The economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. will reach US$14 trillion by the end of 2023, our team of economists, public policy researchers and other experts...

Want more good ideas from your workers? Try giving them a reward – and a choice

Written by Aichia Chuang, Professor of Organizational Behavior, University of North Carolina – Greensboro

Penny for your thoughts?Randy Faris/The Image Bank via Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

Companies can increase not only the volume but also the quality of employee suggestions and ideas by offering rewards and a choice, according to a study we published in 2022.

We conducted the study on...

US has a long history of state lawmakers silencing elected Black officials and taking power from their constituents

Written by Rodney Coates, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Miami University

Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones raises a fist to the legislative gallery, as fellow Rep. Justin Pearson, left, looks on.Seth Herald/Getty Images

Mississippi legislators have enacted a law that would create a new judicial system covering the state’s capital city, Jackson, in place of the current county court system.

Set to take effect July 1, 2023,...

A brief history of debt ceiling crises and the political chaos they've unleashed

Written by Raymond Scheppach, Professor of Public Policy, University of Virginia

With the House GOP and President Joe Biden locked in a struggle over the debt limit, it's dark times in the U.S. Capitol.Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images

There have been numerous fiscal crises in the United States where Congress has either failed to pass a budget on time or there were doubts that the federal debt ceiling would be...

Meditative mothering? How Buddhism honors both compassionate caregiving and celibate monks and nuns

Written by Liz Wilson, Professor of Comparative Religion, Miami University

Buddhism prizes both compassion and undivided focus – which can be hard to combine.Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Buddhist saints are often described as maternally compassionate, with the endless patience of a mother who feeds, cleans and cares for children around the clock. In fact, the Theravada branch of Buddhism holds...