The Conversation

How Spam became one of the most iconic American brands of all time

Written by Ayalla A. Ruvio, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Michigan State University

Eight billion cans sold and counting...abimages/Shutterstock.com

While you might think of Spam as a basic canned meat, it’s actually one of the greatest business success stories of all time: Since Hormel Foods Corporation launched the affordable, canned pork product in 1937, it’s sold over eight billion cans in 44 countries around the...

Why poverty is not a personal choice, but a reflection of society

Written by Shervin Assari, Research Investigator of Psychiatry and Public Health, University of Michigan

A homeless camp in Los Angeles, where homelessness has risen 23 percent in the past year, in May 2017.AP Photo/Richard Vogel

As the Senate prepares to modify its version of the health care bill, now is a good time to back up and examine why we as a nation are so divided about providing health care, especially to the poor.

I believe one reason the...

Why on July 4 should we remember the psalm 'By the Rivers of Babylon'?

Written by David W. Stowe, Professor of English and Religious Studies, Michigan State University

What is the meaning of the 2,500-year old Hebrew psalm for oppressed groups?Gebhard Fugel [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

On the anniversary of America’s independence, the abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass made a biblical Psalm – Psalm 137 – best known for its opening line, “By the Rivers of Babylon,” a...

On the savanna, mobile phones haven't transformed Maasai lives – yet

Written by Timothy D. Baird, Assistant Professor of Geography, Virginia Tech

A group of Maasai men look at the mobile phone belonging to one of them.Timothy Baird, CC BY-ND

Mobile phones are everywhere. In fact, they may be nearly as common on the African savanna as they are on American subways.

With the explosion of mobile technology in developing countries, a common narrative is that phones are transforming poor...

From public good to personal pursuit: Historical roots of the student debt crisis

Written by Thomas Adam, Professor of Transnational History, University of Texas Arlington

Has student debt changed because the purpose of education has changed?John Collier/Library of Congress, Ermolaev Alexander/Shutterstock.com

The promise of free college education helped propel Bernie Sanders’ 2016 bid for the Democratic nomination to national prominence. It reverberated during the confirmation hearings for Betsy DeVos as...

When gospel sermons came on the phonograph

Written by Jerry Zolten, Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University

Oak Grove Acapella Singers, a Gospel group of Chester County, Tennessee, being recorded while singing in the office of the preacher at the Oak Grove Church of Christ. Tennessee State Library and Archives Follow, CC BY-NC-ND

The first truly African-American musical form, the “Spirituals,” took shape in the 17th and 18th centuries within...

Will women vote for women in 2018? It depends on if they're married

Written by Leah Ruppanner, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Melbourne

EMILY's List helps elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates to office.AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

The 2018 elections promise to be the “Year of the Woman,” with more women planning to step into local, state and federal elections than ever before.

This represents a significant change. The United States has some of the lowest female...

Want a satisfying relationship? Don't present yourself as a sex object

Written by Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., Chair and Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University

Is objectification bad – if you welcome sexualized attention?Lionsgate AMC

When Joan Holloway – the bombshell office worker on the show “Mad Men” – enters a room, she knows she looks good and is going to turn heads. Every morning, Joan meticulously does her makeup and hair and puts on a skintight dress. The men in her...

How bills to replace Obamacare would especially harm women

Written by Simon Haeder, Assistant Professor of Political Science, West Virginia University

A woman speaks up at a town hall gathering with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) in March 2017.Mark Crammer/AP

As members of Congress are heading back to their districts over Fourth of July break, the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), America’s health care system and millions of Americans continues to hang in the balance.

While...

Why market competition has not brought down health care costs

Written by Gerald Friedman, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Decreased regulation has failed to reduce the growing administrative burden of health care. Valeri Potapova/Shutterstock.com

It is easier than ever to buy stuff. You can purchase almost anything on Amazon with a click, and it is only slightly harder to find a place to stay in a foreign city on Airbnb.

So why can’t we pay for health care the...