The Conversation

State lawsuits over stimulus tax rule face uphill battle

Written by Jonathan Entin, Professor Emeritus of Law and Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Case Western Reserve University

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at an American Rescue Plan virtual briefing on March 11, 2021 in Washington, D.C.Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

States were told by the federal government that they can’t use pandemic relief funds passed by Congress in March to lower taxes. In response, 16 states have filed lawsuits challenging the...

#MeToo on TikTok: Teens use viral trend to speak out about their sexual harassment experiences

Written by Christia Spears Brown, Professor of Psychology, University of Kentucky

Girls face lasting negative effects of sexual harassment.FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images

A recent TikTok video that has been liked by almost half a million people encourages girls to record themselves putting one finger down for every time they have been sent unsolicited dick pics, begged for nudes, catcalled, repeatedly asked out after already...

The Pilgrims' attack on a May Day celebration was a dress rehearsal for removing Native Americans

Written by Peter C. Mancall, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

The Puritans saw May Day celebrations as a test from God.Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Ever since the ancient Romans decided to honor the agricultural goddess Flora with lewd spectacles in the Circus Maximus, the beginning of May has signaled the coming of spring, a time of revival after a long, dark winter.

In...

How Biden's paid leave proposal would benefit workers, their families and their employers too

Written by Joya Misra, Professor of Sociology & Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Making ends meet when you have a newborn is easier with paid family leave.John Moore/Getty Images

The Biden administration is proposing a massive expansion of federal benefits through a 10-year US$1.8 trillion package that includes new spending on child care, the continuation of the expanded child tax credit and more robust nutrition programs....

People have had a hard time weighing pandemic risks because they haven't gotten information they needed when they needed it

Written by Kathleen H. Pine, Assistant Professor of Health Informatics, Arizona State University

Misinformation and lack of information during the pandemic have made it even harder for people to assess risk. Xesai/Getty Images

The decision to pause and then restart the Johnson & Johnson vaccine underscores how hard it is even for experts to gauge health risks. It’s been still harder for everyday people, most of whom have no medical...

Biden gives Congress his vision to 'win the 21st century' – scholars react

Written by Karrin Vasby Anderson, Professor of Communication Studies, Colorado State University

Biden laid out an ambitious agenda to Congress with a historic backdrop.Melina Mara/The Washington Post via AP

President Joe Biden spoke to Congress April 28, 2021, with a historic duo flanking him: two women, one of them African American. Vice President Kamala Harris called the proceedings to order; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made the...

Measuring a president's first 100 days goes back to the New Deal

Written by Robert Speel, Associate Professor of Political Science, Erie Campus, Penn State

Joe Biden has signed dozens of executive orders during his first 100 days in office, many of them reversing Trump-era policies.Evan Vucci/AP Photo

During Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office as president, he has signed 11 bills into law.

One was the prominent American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, intended to provide broad economic relief and...

Going back to the office? The colder temperature could lead to weight gain

Written by Kenneth McLeod, Professor of Systems Science and Director, Clinical Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, Binghamton University, State University of New York

A person's resting metabolism is very sensitive to temperature, and offices are often too cold for people.Steelcase/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

With millions of Americans vaccinated against COVID-19, many who have worked from home over the past year will be heading back into the office. Adjusting to new routines is challenging and can affect our...

Internships in Congress overwhelmingly go to white students

Written by James R. Jones, Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies, Rutgers University - Newark

About three out of every four paid Capitol Hill interns are white. Hill Street Studios/DivisionVision via Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

When it comes to paid congressional internships, white students get more than their fair share, but Black and Latino students don’t get enough.

That...

What’s a capital gain and how is it taxed?

Written by Stephanie Leiser, Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Michigan

President Biden said he wants to raise capital gains taxes to help pay for his ambitious proposals. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

President Joe Biden proposed doubling the tax wealthy people pay on their capital gains.

Under the plan, which he presented during an April 28, 2021, speech to Congress, the tax rate on profits from the sale of an asset such as...