The Conversation

Taking a second look at the learn-to-code craze

Written by Kate M. Miltner, Ph.D. Candidate in Communication, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Are computers in the classroom more helpful to students – or the companies that sell the machines?AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Over the past five years, the idea that computer programming – or “coding” – is the key to the future for both children and adults alike has become received wisdom in the United States. The aim of...

Should lying to the FBI be a crime?

Written by Austin Sarat, Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, center.AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

On Dec. 1, Michael Flynn, former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to the charge of lying to the FBI about his contacts and conversations with Russians.

Flynn admitted to violating the federal statute 18 USC Section 1001, which prohibits...

When should you unfriend someone on Facebook?

Written by Alexis Elder, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Minnesota Duluth

English106, CC BY

The nature and ethics of “fake news” has become a subject of widespread concern. But, for many of us, the issue is much more personal: What are we to do when a cranky uncle or an otherwise pleasant old friend persists in populating our news feeds with a stream of posts that can run deeply contrary to our own values?

One...

Why psychiatrists should not be involved in presidential politics

Written by Arash Javanbakht, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Wayne State University

President Trump in August 2017.AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The media, politicians, celebrities, athletes and other groups have questioned the fitness and mental health of the president, but one group has largely refrained: mental health professionals.

This recently changed. One of the latest efforts is a book, a collection of assessments by 27...

Historic tax overhaul nears finish line: 5 essential reads

Written by Bryan Keogh, Economics + Business Editor

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell celebrates the passage of the tax bill. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Editor’s note: The following is a roundup of stories The Conversation has published on the GOP’s sweeping 2017 tax bill.

The Senate’s passage of the Republican tax plan on a party-line vote on Dec. 2 means the most...

The new tax bill will make Americans less healthy – and that's bad for the economy

Written by Diane Dewar, Associate Professor of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, University at Albany, State University of New York

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

The new tax bill, passed by the Senate early Saturday, is not just about taxes. It has significant consequences for the American health care system – especially for the most vulnerable of our citizens.

If the proposed tax bill comes to fruition, it will reduce the affordability of health care for many Americans....

The latest threat to peace in Colombia: Congress

Written by Fabio Andres Diaz, Researcher on Conflict, Peace and Development, International Institute of Social Studies

The peace process in Colombia has reached a new landmark.

On Nov. 30, both houses of Congress approved a bill establishing an alternative criminal justice system to judge those accused of war crimes during the country’s 52-year conflict.

But, like every step in this arduous multi-year peace effort, this latest victory was hard won. For 10...

The GOP doesn't care if you like their tax plan. Here's why

Written by David C. Barker, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University School of International Service

Protesters shout their disapproval of the Republican tax bill on Nov. 28, 2017. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Congressional Republicans’ collective sigh of relief after passing tax legislation may seem confusing. Won’t voters hold them accountable in 2018 for passing such an historically unpopular bill? The answer is “no,”...

The GOP doesn't care if you like its tax plan. Here's why

Written by David C. Barker, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University

Protesters shout their disapproval of the Republican tax bill on Nov. 28, 2017. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Tax bill's attack on higher education undermines America's economic vitality

Written by Benjamin J. Cohen, Professor of International Political Economy, University of California, Santa Barbara

With the Senate’s passage of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” President Donald Trump seems close to notching his first legislative victory – a huge tax cut for the 1 percent. All that remains is the need to reconcile the Senate bill with the version passed earlier by the House of Representatives.

The bill is a travesty. Never...