The Conversation

How social networks can save lives when disasters strike

Written by Daniel P. Aldrich, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Urban Affairs and Director, Security and Resilience Program, Northeastern University

Assembling sandbags in Virginia Beach, Va., before Hurricane Florence's arrivalAP Photo/Alex Brandon

Soon after my family moved to New Orleans in the summer of 2005, we heard Mayor Ray Nagin’s first warnings about Hurricane Katrina. With two young children, a job I hadn’t started yet, and little in the way of savings, my wife and I...

Why the Russians might hack the Boy Scouts next

Written by Susan Landau, Professor of Computer Science, Law and Diplomacy and Cybersecurity, Tufts University

Civic groups like the Boy Scouts are likely under attack by Russian agents – and likely don't know it.Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com

In the two years since Russia made headlines for targeting an American political organization – the Democratic National Committee – and undermining Hillary Clinton’s race for the presidency,...

India's sodomy ban, now ruled illegal, was a British colonial legacy

Written by Amy Bhatt, Associate Professor of Gender and Women's Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Hindu texts from thousands of years ago demonstrate acceptance of a 'third gender.' Today, transgender Indians, or hijras, remain visible members of society.AP Photo/Bikas Das

The Indian Supreme Court has legalized homosexuality, overturning a 157-year ban on consensual gay sex.

In a nearly 500-page unanimous decision issued on Sept. 6,...

How Les Moonves got to leave CBS on his own terms while others in #MeToo miscreant club got canned

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

On Sept. 9, CBS Chairman Les Moonves resigned, following accusations by 12 women of harassment and assault.

His departure, however, has not followed the script of other executives publicly shamed over harassment allegations and thrown out onto the curb.

Unlike television hosts Matt Lauer or Charlie Rose, he kept his job for several weeks after The...

What is flood insurance and why the system is broken: 6 questions answered

Written by Robert W. Klein, Director, Center for RMI Research, Associate Professor, Risk Management and Insurance, Georgia State University

High tides, whipped in by Hurricane Hazel in 1954, shattered boats and buildings in Swansboro, N.C.AP Photo, File

Editor’s note: Homeowners generally rely on insurance provided by the federal government to cover the costs of rebuilding their lives after a flood. We asked an insurance expert to explain the government program and its challenges....

New data paint an unpleasant picture of poverty in the US

Written by Steven Pressman, Professor of Economics, Colorado State University

On a budget.hd connelly/shutterstock

On Sept. 12, the U.S. Census Bureau released national poverty data for 2017.

The headline was that 39.7 million people were poor in 2017. This works out to 12.3 percent of the population or one in eight Americans. The good news is that the U.S. poverty rate has fallen since 2010, when it hit 15.1 percent, and is...

Gene-editing technique CRISPR identifies dangerous breast cancer mutations

Written by Jay Shendure, Professor of Genome Sciences, University of Washington

Breast cancer type 1 (BRCA1) is a human tumor suppressor gene, found in all humans. Its protein, also called by the synonym BRCA1, is responsible for repairing DNA. ibreakstock/Shutterstock.com

More than 1 million women have had genetic testing of BRCA1 and BRCA2, genes in which mutations can dramatically increase the risk for early onset breast...

Savvy social media strategies boost anti-establishment political wins

Written by Saiph Savage, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, West Virginia University

Mexican President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador.AP Photo/Marco Ugarte

Mexico’s anti-establishment presidential candidate, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, faced opposition from the mainstream media. And he spent 13 percent less on advertising than his opponents. Yet the man commonly known by his initials as...

What college rankings really measure – hint: It's not quality or value

Written by Jonathan Wai, Assistant Professor of Education Policy and Psychology and Endowed Chair, University of Arkansas

The value of college rankings is continually being called into question.Uncle Leo/www.shutterstock.com

Each year various magazines and newspapers publish college rankings in an attempt to inform parents and prospective students which colleges are supposedly the best.

U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” – perhaps...

6 questions you can ask a loved one to help screen for suicide risk

Written by Andres Pumariega, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Florida

Death by suicide isn't always related to depression. Relationship, job and legal problems can give rise to feelings of hopelessness. Six screening questions may help.PHotograhee.eu

Suicide rates in the United States have increased by 25-30 percent since 1999. This is particularly true for youth ages 12-24, with increases of approximately 30 percent...