The Conversation

Secret memo shows bipartisanship during Watergate succession crisis

Written by Joseph J. Fins, The E. William Davis Jr, M.D. Professor of Medical Ethics and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University

Gerald Ford, left, and Carl Albert wave on Dec. 6, 1973, just after Ford was sworn in as vice president. AP Photo

It was the height of Watergate and the Democratic speaker of the House, Carl Albert, needed advice. With Vice President Spiro Agnew’s resignation, and the Nixon presidency imperiled, Albert was suddenly next in line to become...

Deportees in Mexico tell of disrupted lives, families and communities

Written by Tobin Hansen, Ph.D. candidate in anthropology, University of Oregon

Ray was born in Mexico and moved to the United States with family members at age 10.

He told me in an interview in 2014, “I’m just a regular American like everyone else.” In middle school, Ray (a pseudonym to protect his identity) learned the Declaration of Independence and memorized all the presidents in order. His first job was...

Trump goes to Davos: 4 books he should read on first trip to gathering of global elites

Written by Christopher Michaelson, Professor of Ethics and Business Law, University of St. Thomas

This unassuming, snowy town becomes home to the global elite for a few days each year. AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

For the first time since 2000, a sitting American president is attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, which takes place in Davos, Switzerland, from Jan. 23-26.

The invitation-only gathering is basically a who’s...

When a mom feels depressed, her baby's cells might feel it too

Written by Benjamin W. Nelson, Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, University of Oregon

At just 18 months old, young children can show biological evidence of added stress.Coy_Creek/shutterstock.com

An estimated 1 in 9 women experience symptoms of postpartum depression. These symptoms – including mood swings, fatigue and reduced interest in activities – can make it difficult for mothers to bond with their newborns.

Early...

Global toll from landslides is heaviest in developing countries

Written by A. Joshua West, Associate Professor of Earth Sciences and Zinsmeyer Early Career Chair in Marine Studies, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Searching for victims after a rain-triggered mudslide that blanketed a village and killed at least 178 people in north China's Shanxi province, Sept. 13, 2008. AP Photo/Andy Wong

This month’s tragic mudslides in Montecito, California are a reminder that natural hazards lurk on the doorsteps of many U.S. homes, even in affluent communities....

Why so many Americans think Buddhism is just a philosophy

Written by Pamela Winfield, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Elon University

Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism, Seattle, Washington.Wonderlane, CC BY

In East Asia, Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s death and entrance into final enlightenment in February. But at my local Zen temple in North Carolina, the Buddha’s enlightenment is commemorated during the holiday season of December, with a short talk for the...

DeVos speech shows contempt for the agency she heads

Written by Mark Hlavacik, Assistant Professor of Communication Specializing in Education Policy, University of North Texas

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wipes her brow during an October 2017 appearance in Bellevue, Wash.AP/Ted S. Warren

When Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos spoke at the American Enterprise Institute on Jan. 16, she began by emphasizing her role as an outsider.

“Outside Washington. Outside the LBJ building,” she said of the...

What the government shutdown means for the health of Americans

Written by Morten Wendelbo, Lecturer, Bush School of Government and Public Service; Research Fellow, Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs; and, Policy Sciences Lecturer, Texas A&M University Libraries, Texas A&M University

The sun casts a shadow over the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 19.AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

The federal government shut down this weekend, as Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure. Many may wonder what this means for the nation’s public health battles against threats like the flu and the opioid crisis.

In a shutdown, contingency plans...

Shutdown under a unified government? Blame Trump

Written by Jennifer Victor, Associate Professor of Political Science, George Mason University

Trump on Jan. 19, 2018AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Government shutdowns are rare.

This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will...

Fungi can help concrete heal its own cracks

Written by Congrui Jin, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Could a secret ingredient make crumbling concrete a thing of the past?m_e_mccarron, CC BY-SA

Infrastructure supports and facilitates our daily lives – think of the roads we drive on, the bridges and tunnels that help transport people and freight, the office buildings where we work and the dams that provide the water we drink. But it’s...