The Conversation

Ukraine is taking a beating in the impeachment hearings – here's what's at stake

Written by Lena Surzhko-Harned, Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University

In Ukraine, President Zelenskiy has a new nickname - Monica.AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky

Is Ukraine a cesspool of corruption – or a helpless victim of Russian aggression?

Both of these simplistic narratives have been expressed during the ongoing impeachment hearings. As a political scientist who studies Ukrainian politics, I know both are damaging...

An economist's guide to watching the Atlanta 2020 presidential debate: 3 essential reads

Written by Bryan Keogh, Senior Editor, Economy + Business

Media and others prepare the stage for the Democratic presidential debate in Atlanta. AP Photo/John Amis

The top candidates vying to be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020 will soon take the stage in Atlanta for their fifth televised debate.

With 10 people and only two hours to discuss dozens of complicated issues, viewers may have a hard...

Time to give thanks for affordable and sustainable turkey

Written by Jayson Lusk, Department Head and Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

Turkey is cheaper than ever before.Kemeo/Shutterstock.com

Americans will eat about 210 million turkeys this year, amounting to over 16 pounds per person. Much of that will be eaten on Thanksgiving Day.

Over time, our Thanksgiving meal has become considerably more affordable. Turkey will probably average about US$1.40 per pound across the country in...

Was that joke funny or offensive? Who's telling it matters

Written by Michael Thai, Lecturer, The University of Queensland

The identity of the joke-teller matters more than you might think.Jamesbin/Shutterstock.com

In September, before the start of its 45th season, “Saturday Night Live” brought on some new cast members. The decision to hire one of them, Shane Gillis, was roundly criticized after disparaging jokes he’d made at the expense of Asian and...

Immigrants and some people of color are moving to the suburbs – but life there isn't as promising as it once was

Written by Grigoris Argeros, Associate Professor of Sociology, Eastern Michigan University

Achieving the American dream. 4 PM production/Shutterstock.com

In the traditional American image of suburbia, the majority of residents are predominately native-born white Americans, living in large single-family houses enclosed by white picket fences.

Americans presume that moving to such suburbs will offer them access to resources and...

Why the CDC warns antibiotic-resistant fungal infections are an urgent health threat

Written by Cornelius (Neil) J. Clancy, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Mycology, University of Pittsburgh

This is a medical illustration of an drug-resistant fungus, _Aspergillus fumigatus_. Stephanie Rossow/CDC

In 2013 I took care of a gentleman who underwent surgery for what all his physicians, including me, thought was liver cancer. Surgery revealed that the disease was a rare but benign tumor, rather than cancer. As you might imagine, he and his...

Old religious tensions resurge in Bolivia after ouster of longtime indigenous president

Written by Matthew Peter Casey, Clinical Assistant Professor of History, Arizona State University

Supporters of former Bolivian president Evo Morales rally with indigenous flags outside the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, Nov. 18, 2019.AP Photo/Juan Karita

Days after the powerful Bolivian leader Evo Morales was forced to resign as president after allegations of election fraud, Bolivia’s new interim president made her first public appearance....

Old religious tensions resurge in Bolivia after ouster of longtime indigenous leader

Written by Matthew Peter Casey, Clinical Assistant Professor of History, Arizona State University

Supporters of former Bolivian president Evo Morales rally with indigenous flags outside the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, Nov. 18, 2019.AP Photo/Juan Karita

Days after the powerful Bolivian leader Evo Morales was forced to resign as president after allegations of election fraud, Bolivia’s new interim president made her first public appearance....

Why saying 'OK boomer' at work is considered age discrimination – but millennial put-downs aren't

Written by Elizabeth C. Tippett, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Oregon

OK, boomer... Motortion Films/Shutterstock.com

The phrase “OK boomer” has become a catch-all put-down that Generation Zers and young millennials have been using to dismiss retrograde arguments made by baby boomers, the generation of Americans who are currently 55 to 73 years old.

Though it originated online and primarily is fueling memes,...

So you want to be an autocrat? Here's the 10-point checklist

Written by Shelley Inglis, Executive Director, University of Dayton Human Rights Center, University of Dayton

Two autocrats: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, left, and Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, right, in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 7, 2019. AP/Presidential Press Service

Democracy is in trouble, despite popular uprisings and dynamic social movements in Lebanon, Hong Kong and across Europe and Latin America.

Scholars say countries across the...