The Conversation

State of the Union address is Biden's chance to shine – and a speechwriter's burden to get voters to listen

Written by Mary Kate Cary, Adjunct Professor, Department of Politics and Senior Fellow, UVA's Miller Center, University of Virginia

President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers his State of the Union address on February 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

With a speech crammed full of promises – to provide more support to veterans, protect children from online dangers and crack down on fentanyl trafficking, to list just a few – President...

Many Ukrainians are fleeing to the Greek Catholic Church in Lviv, which has a long and complex history in the Orthodox faith

Written by J. Eugene Clay, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Arizona State University

Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests celebrating Sunday Mass in Lviv, in western Ukraine.AP Photo/Bernat Armangue

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, millions of refugees have fled westward to escape the fighting. Many have sought shelter in Ukraine’s westernmost city, Lviv, a historic center of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which has been...

I treat people with gambling disorder – and I’m starting to see more and more young men who are betting on sports

Written by Tori Horn, PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, University of Memphis

Many young sports bettors think they're knowledgeable enough to 'beat the system.'Nick Lehr/The Conversation via DALL-E 2, CC BY-SA

As a therapist who treats people with gambling problems, I’ve noticed a shift over the past few years – not only in the profile of the typical clients I treat, but also in the way their gambling problems...

On the first-ever India Giving Day, the highest-earning ethnic group in the US gets a chance to step up and help their homeland

Written by Susan Appe, Associate Professor of Public Administration and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York

Microsoft CEO and Chairman Satya Nadella is one of the most prominent Indian Americans. Brad Barket/Getty Images for Fast Company

Members of the Indian diaspora living in the U.S. are being urged to step up and channel money back to the homeland during a 24-hour charitable drive.

On March 2, 2023, the first India Giving Day will take place. The plan...

Chickadees, titmice and nuthatches flocking together benefit from a diversity bonus – so do other animals, including humans

Written by Todd M. Freeberg, Professor and Associate Head of Psychology, University of Tennessee

More watchful eyes can mean more safety for all.Georgette Douwma/Stone via Getty Images

Carolina chickadees are small, boisterous year-round residents of the southeastern United States. They are regularly found with much larger tufted titmice, white-breasted nuthatches and various woodpecker species.

In these mixed flocks, chickadees are almost...

Memphis police numbers dropped by nearly a quarter in recent years – were staffing shortages a factor in the killing of Tyre Nichols?

Written by Ian T. Adams, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina

Dwindling numbers means more inexperienced officers.AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

In the years running up to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, the Memphis Police Department faced an increasingly dire staffing crisis. Indeed, shortages on the force have led to questions over whether, given their relative lack of experience, the five officers now charged...

Mexico made criminal justice reforms in 2008 – they haven't done much to reduce crime

Written by Rebecca Janzen, Associate Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature, University of South Carolina

Mexican soldiers stand guard near during the arrest of Joaquin Ovidio Guzman in Culiacan, Mexico, in January 2023.Juan Carlos Cruz/AFP via Getty Images

Mexico has waged a long, bloody battle on drugs and crime for decades. But violence there continues to soar.

In one of the latest high-profile incidents, Mexican law enforcement arrested Ovidio...

Hurricane Harvey more than doubled the acidity of Texas' Galveston Bay, threatening oyster reefs

Written by Tacey Hicks, PhD Candidate in Oceanography, Texas A&M University

Seabirds forage on an oyster shell island on the Texas Gulf Coast.Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Most people associate hurricanes with high winds, intense rain and rapid flooding on land. But these storms can also change the chemistry of coastal waters. Such shifts are less visible than damage on land, but they can...

How do you make a universal flu vaccine? A microbiologist explains the challenges, and how mRNA could offer a promising solution

Written by Deborah Fuller, Professor of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Broad protection from a universal flu vaccine could replace seasonal flu shots.Flavio Coelho/Moment via Getty Images

To everything there is a season, and for the flu, it’s wintertime. Flu cases peak between December and February, and the flu vaccine is your best defense. Getting the vaccine means you will be less sick even if you get a...

Large numbers of Americans want a strong, rough, anti-democratic leader

Written by Tarah Williams, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Allegheny College

Many Americans, many of them Republicans, seek leaders who would violate basic principles of democracy.AP Photo/Ben Gray

It might be comforting to think that American democracy has made it past the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. But our research shows that a wide range of the American people, of all political stripes, seek leaders who are...