The Conversation

How Homeland Security’s subpoenas and databases of protesters threaten the ‘uninhibited, robust, and wide-open’ free speech protected by Supreme Court precedent

Written by Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reportedly issuing administrative subpoenas to identify anonymous social media accounts that criticize U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Google, Meta and Reddit have complied with at least some of those requests, according to The New York Times.

These subpoenas appear alongside other recent steps...

Meekness isn’t weakness – once considered positive, it’s one of the ‘undersung virtues’ that deserve defense today

Written by Timothy J. Pawl, Professor of Philosophy, University of St. Thomas

Meekness used to be considered a positive trait – not being powerless, or a doormat.Halfpoint images/Moment via Getty Images

What do you envision when you think of meekness?

You probably see a mousy doormat, someone sheepishly acquiescing to the will of the stronger. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth...

Why Stephen Colbert is right about the ‘equal time’ rule, despite warnings from the FCC

Written by Seth Ashley, Professor of Communication, Boise State University

CBS says it warned Stephen Colbert that an interview with a politician could trigger an FCC rule requiring broadcasters to give political candidates equal access to the airwaves.The Late Show With Stephen Colbert/YouTube

Talk show host Stephen Colbert made headlines on Feb. 17, 2026, when he wrapped a network statement in a dog-waste bag and tossed...

As war in Ukraine enters a 5th year, will the ‘Putin consensus’ among Russians hold?

Written by Peter Rutland, Professor of Government, Wesleyan University

Does the nation stand behind him?Vyacheslav Prokofyev/AFP via Getty Images

Perceived wisdom has it that the longer a war goes on, the less enthusiastic a public becomes for continuing the conflict. After all, it is ordinary citizens who tend to bear the economic and human costs.

And yet, as the war following Russia’s full-scale invasion of...

Supreme Court rules against Trump’s emergency tariffs – but leaves key questions unanswered

Written by Kent Jones, Professor Emeritus, Economics, Babson College

It has been raining tariffs ... until now?Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s economic agenda took a major hit when the Supreme Court struck down many of his most sweeping tariffs. While Trump has options to restore some of the tariffs, he’s losing his most powerful tool to impose them almost at will as a bargaining...

Enforcing Prohibition with a massive new federal force of poorly trained agents didn’t go so well in the 1920s

Written by Richard F. Hamm, Professor of History, University at Albany, State University of New York

Coast Guardsmen stand in front of two truckloads of liquor seized on April 14, 1931, after a battle between three policemen and several alcohol smugglers near Falmouth, Mass.AP Photo

As the actions of agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement come under intense scrutiny, it’s worth noting that a little more than 100 years ago,...

How Dracula became a red-hot lover

Written by Stanley Stepanic, Assistant Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, University of Virginia

In Luc Besson's 'Dracula,' the titular character is a hopeless romantic.Vertical

The Lord of Vampires. The King of the Undead. The Ultimate Lover. All refer to the immortal Count Dracula, who originally appeared in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel.

Yet the character’s fame has sprung more from his 200-plus cinematic resurrections, beginning with...

After a 32-hour shift in Pittsburgh, I realized EMTs should be napping on the job

Written by P. Daniel Patterson, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh

The reality of EMS work is that most paramedics and emergency medical technicians work 12-, 24-, and 48-hour shifts.Svitlana Hulko/iStock Collection/Getty Images Plus

At 7 a.m., roughly an hour before the end of my shift as a paramedic in Pittsburgh, my colleague and I were dispatched to a patient who was violently vomiting and not alert. We...

Individual donors provide only a small slice of university research funding – but Jeffrey Epstein’s ties with academics show why screening matters

Written by Brian Herman, Vice President for Research, University of Minnesota

The recent release of Jeffrey Epstein's emails shows a wide net of contacts – including academics at prominent universities. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Yale University, Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles are among the schools that have recently placed professors on leave, seen faculty resign or made...

Menstrual pads and tampons can contain toxic substances – here’s what to know about this emerging health issue

Written by Jenni Shearston, Assistant Professor of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder

Studies have found small amounts of toxic heavy metals and other potentially harmful substances in some menstrual pads and tampons.zoranm/E+ via Getty Images

About half of the global population menstruates at some point in their lives. Disposable products, such as tampons and pads, are some of the most popular products used around the globe to...