The Conversation

Silicon Valley, from 'heart’s delight' to toxic wasteland

Written by Andrew L. Russell, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences; Professor of History, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Once lauded for their vision and promise, Silicon Valley giants have made life so hard for locals that residents regularly protest the companies, including their amenities like charter buses to save workers from the region's terrible traffic.AP Photo/Richard Jacobsen

There was a time when California’s Santa Clara Valley, bucolic home to...

A long fuse: 'The Population Bomb' is still ticking 50 years after its publication

Written by Derek Hoff, Associate Professor, Lecturer in Business and Humanities, University of Utah

Slums like this one in Rio de Janeiro embody the problems Paul Ehrlich warned of in 'The Population Bomb.'dany13, CC BY

“The battle to feed all of humanity is over,” Stanford biologist and ecologist Paul Erhlich declared on the first page of his 1968 best-seller, “The Population Bomb.” Because the “stork had passed the...

AT T-Time Warner, net neutrality and how to make sense of the media merger frenzy

Written by Amanda Lotz, Fellow, Peabody Media Center; Professor of Media Studies, University of Michigan

Last month, the Department of Justice lost its suit to prevent AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner.

The agency had brought the case out of concern that the acquisition would reduce competition and in turn result in higher prices for consumers as well as less innovation.

The fact that the deal has gone ahead regardless has encouraged a still...

Russia is top on NATO's agenda and Trump is the wild card

Written by Garret Martin, Professorial Lecturer, American University School of International Service

In ordinary times, NATO summits are generally staid and well-prepared events that celebrate the achievements of this nearly 70-year-old political and military alliance of North American and European countries.

The 2018 NATO summit in Brussels will likely include more drama.

The alliance, founded after World War II, collectively provides military...

Which 3-letter agency is enforcing US immigration laws at the border?

Written by Tanya Golash-Boza, Professor, University of California, Merced

Protesters hold up signs outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

You may have heard the “Abolish ICE” slogan chanted or seen it on signs at rallies against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

This slogan has become popular after it was reported that children were being separated fro...

Green-baiting lawmakers are accusing environmentalists of doubling as ‘foreign agents’

Written by James A. Holtkamp, Adjunct Professor, College of Law, University of Utah

Some U.S. nonprofits are praising China's anti-pollution efforts.AP Photo/Andy Wong

Two congressional committees led by prominent Republicans are looking into whether some U.S. environmental groups are acting on behalf of foreign countries.

As an environmental lawyer and professor with ample international experience, this probe troubles me....

Mourning death by suicide: How you can provide support for the bereaved

Written by Lekeisha Sumner, Clinical Professor, Psychiatry & Bio-behavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles

Knowing what to say to someone who has lost a loved one by suicide can help survivors.Monkey Business Images/www.shutterstock.com

Recent headlines of celebrities and their loved ones who have died by suicide – Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, and Tina Turner’s son Craig Turner – have made this leading cause of death a topic of...

Rock 'n' roll is noise pollution – with ecological implications that can spread through a food web

Written by Brandon Barton, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University

Not interested in your new favorite band.TJ Gehling, CC BY-NC-ND

Despite being one of the best-selling albums of all time, ideology from AC/DC’s “Back in Black” album has gone unchallenged for nearly 40 years. The album’s closing track posited a testable hypothesis, asserting with rock-star confidence that “Rock...

To improve digital well-being, put your phone down and talk to people

Written by Kostadin Kushlev, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Georgetown University

They're missing out.puhhha/Shutterstock.com

Apple and Google recently announced features in their forthcoming mobile operating systems designed to “reduce interruptions and manage screen time.” Android and iOS users alike will soon be able to guard their sleep against digital temptations, easily activate “Do Not Disturb”...

Supreme Court polarization is not inevitable — just look at Europe

Written by David Orentlicher, Professor of Law and Co-Director, Health Law Program, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

United States President Donald Trump has nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. His choice solidifies a conservative majority on the nation’s nine-member highest court.

Trump’s conservative bench could overrule Roe v. Wade, eliminating women’s constitutional right to abortion. It also...