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The Conversation

Why donors should ask local communities what matters to them while deciding what success looks like

  • Written by Erin K. McFee, Professor of Practice of Climate Security, National Defense University
imageMembers of the Leonor Cuadras cooperative sort nursery-grown oysters in La Reforma, Mexico, in December 2023.Jonathan Röders, CC BY-ND

Have you ever asked a teacher whether something will be on an upcoming test to decide whether to closely pay attention to a particular lesson? Taken the long way back from a lunch break to get enough exercise...

Read more: Why donors should ask local communities what matters to them while deciding what success looks like

Israel’s latest strike against Iran may actually de-escalate regional tensions – for now, at least

  • Written by Javed Ali, Associate Professor of Practice of Public Policy, University of Michigan
imageAn Israeli fighter jet being prepared ahead of the attack on Iran on Oct. 26, 2024.Israel Defense Forces/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images

Israel’s airstrikes of Oct. 26, 2024 – which hit around 20 military targets in Iran, Iraq and Syria – had been anticipated for weeks. Indeed, the operation followed a promise from Israeli Prime...

Read more: Israel’s latest strike against Iran may actually de-escalate regional tensions – for now, at least

We analyzed 9 years of Trump political speeches, and his violent rhetoric has increased dramatically

  • Written by Nikita Savin, PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles
imageDonald Trump speaks at a campaign event focused on 'Biden's border bloodbath' on April 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Donald Trump’s political career has been marked by a unique and often controversial rhetorical style. Since 2015, his rhetoric has evolved significantly, attracting attention for its direct, often...

Read more: We analyzed 9 years of Trump political speeches, and his violent rhetoric has increased dramatically

Animals that are all black or all white have reputations based on superstition − biases that have real effects

  • Written by Elizabeth Carlen, Living Earth Collaborative Postdoctoral Fellow, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
imageBlack is beautiful.Akeem Ranmal/500px via Getty Images

Imagine it’s a crisp and sunny fall morning. You just left your local coffee shop, ready to start your day.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of something moving in the bushes. Is it a squirrel stashing acorns for the winter? A robin fattening up for migration? As you get...

Read more: Animals that are all black or all white have reputations based on superstition − biases that have...

Hamas at a crossroads: Sinwar’s death leaves a vacuum; Israeli actions make it harder to fill with a moderate

  • Written by Mkhaimar Abusada, Visiting Scholar of Global Affairs, Northwestern University
imageYahya Sinwar left his print on Hamas and the Palestinian cause.Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Hamas will soon begin the process of deciding who will next head the militant Palestinian organization following the Oct. 16, 2024, killing of former leader Yahya Sinwar – but the task won’t be easy, or quick.

What makes his...

Read more: Hamas at a crossroads: Sinwar’s death leaves a vacuum; Israeli actions make it harder to fill with...

Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations blend Indigenous customs and European thinking in surprising ways

  • Written by Ezekiel Stear, Assistant Professor of Spanish World Languages, Literatures & Cultures, Auburn University
imageIn Mexico City, parades on Day of the Dead feature people in colorful costumes.FG Trade Latin/Collection E+ via Getty Images

Every year, five hours west of Mexico City on Lake Pátzcuaro in Michoacán, residents flock to the island of Janitzio to visit the graves of their departed relatives.

On the evening of Nov. 1, the Noche de animas,...

Read more: Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations blend Indigenous customs and European thinking in surprising...

The best horror movie you’ve never seen

  • Written by Scott Malia, Associate Professor of Theatre, College of the Holy Cross
imageIn 'Trick ‛r Treat,' Sam wreaks havoc on characters who betray Halloween traditions.Legendary

It’s scary movie season, a time when many people watch films about zombies, serial killers, werewolves, magic and mysterious monsters who are impossible to kill.

However, as far as I know, there’s only one film that features all of those...

Read more: The best horror movie you’ve never seen

Threatening ‘the enemy within’ with force: Military ethicists explain the danger to important American traditions

  • Written by Marcus Hedahl, Professor of Philosophy, United States Naval Academy
imageMembers of the Utah National Guard were deployed to Washington in June 2020 in response to public protests and demonstrations.AP Photo/Alex Brandon

On the campaign trail, former President Donald Trump has declared there are serious threats to the United States. First, he said, there is “the outside enemy, and then we have the enemy from within...

Read more: Threatening ‘the enemy within’ with force: Military ethicists explain the danger to important...

Debates about Columbus’ Spanish Jewish ancestry are not new − the claim was once a bid for social acceptance

  • Written by Devin Naar, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies and Chair of the Sephardic Studies Program, University of Washington
image'Landing of Columbus,' by John Vanderlyn.Architect of the Capitol via Wikimedia Commons

In connection to Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day, media from the BBCand Foxto Reutersand Haaretz reported on new DNA evidence about the holiday’s original namesake. According to research revealed in a recent Spanish documentary, Christopher...

Read more: Debates about Columbus’ Spanish Jewish ancestry are not new − the claim was once a bid for social...

Student-athletes find more power in the changing legal landscape of college sports

  • Written by Joshua Lens, Associate Professor of Instruction of Sport & Recreation Management, University of Iowa
imageMoney disputes abound between players and universities. Aksonov/E+ via Getty Images

Ever since the NCAA permitted college athletes to get paid by companies that use their names, images and likenesses, athletes have tested the limits of their increasing power.

One of the latest examples is Matthew Sluka, the starting quarterback for UNLV’s...

Read more: Student-athletes find more power in the changing legal landscape of college sports

More Articles ...

  1. From Confederate general to Cherokee heritage: Why returning the name Kuwohi to the Great Smoky Mountains matters
  2. Foreign countries are helping autocracies repress exiled dissidents in return for economic gain
  3. Horror movies are as much a mainstay of Halloween as trick or treat − but why are they so bloody?
  4. Why is Halloween spending growing when Americans are supposedly cutting back?
  5. Florida’s new condo laws recognize the total price of living on the beach
  6. Doctors are preoccupied with threats of criminal charges in states with abortion bans, putting patients’ lives at risk
  7. Expanding abortion access strengthens democracy, while abortion bans signal broader repression − worldwide study
  8. Is America ready for a woman president? Voters’ attitudes to women politicians are radically different from a decade ago
  9. Your politics can affect whether you click on sponsored search results, new research shows
  10. Your next favorite story won’t be written by AI – but it could be someday
  11. Tiny airborne particles within air pollution could be a silent killer – new study uncovers hidden risks and reveals who’s most at risk in New York state
  12. Proof that immigrants fuel the US economy is found in the billions they send back home
  13. For many Latter-day Saints, America has a special relationship with God − but Christian nationalism is a step too far
  14. Colorado’s Amendment 80 wants to make school choice ‘a right’ when it already is – an expert in educational policy explains the disconnect
  15. Having the ‘right’ friends may hold the secret to building wealth, according to new study on socioeconomic ties
  16. Harris and Trump differ widely on gun rights, death penalty and other civil liberties questions
  17. What’s in a pantsuit? Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s fashion choices say a lot about their personalities − and vision for the future
  18. North Carolina is not really a red or blue state − and that makes political predictions much more difficult
  19. This Atlanta neighborhood hired a case manager to address rising homelessness − and it’s improving health and safety for everyone
  20. Many wealthy members of Congress are descendants of rich slaveholders − new study demonstrates the enduring legacy of slavery
  21. Both Harris and Trump have records on space policy − an international affairs expert examines where they differ when it comes to the final frontier
  22. Why the margin of error matters more than ever in reading 2024 election polls – a pollster with 30 years of experience explains
  23. How beef became a marker of American identity
  24. Americans use the Book of Revelation to talk about immigration – and always have
  25. Halloween candy binges can overload your gut microbiome – a gut doctor explains how to minimize spooking your helpful bacteria
  26. As more Americans go ‘no contact’ with their parents, they live out a dilemma at the heart of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’
  27. How pollsters have adapted to changing technology and voters who don’t answer the phone
  28. Florida and North Carolina are making it easier for people to vote after the hurricanes – but some risks remain
  29. Colonialism’s legacy has left Caribbean nations much more vulnerable to hurricanes
  30. Women are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease − in part because doctors don’t take major sex and gender differences into account
  31. Victorian ghost photographs amused viewers with spooky thrills
  32. Civilian support for military coups isn’t a bug – it’s a feature
  33. On Ukraine, candidate Trump touts his role as dealmaker while Harris sticks with unwavering support
  34. Don’t panic reading ‘electoral process porn’: There are plenty of safeguards to make sure voters’ wishes are respected
  35. Nebraska Democrats hope Omaha will be a ‘blue dot’ on the state’s red electoral map − and their lawn sign is a vibe
  36. The whip-poor-will has been an omen of death for centuries − what happened to this iconic bird of American horror?
  37. Tim Walz’s candidacy for vice president underscores the political power of teachers
  38. Presidential election could help decide fate of the 70,000 Afghans living temporarily in the US
  39. Aurora and Springfield aren’t the first cities to become flash points in US immigration debate − here’s what happened in other places used as political soapboxes
  40. Election officials are hard at work to deliver fair, secure and accurate elections – despite a constant flow of attacks
  41. ‘Childless cat ladies’ have long contributed to the welfare of American children − and the nation
  42. Wild animals can experience trauma and adversity too − as ecologists, we came up with an index to track how it affects them
  43. More kids than ever need special education, but burnout has caused a teacher shortage
  44. Tracking vampire worms with machine learning − using AI to diagnose schistosomiasis before the parasites causing it hatch in your blood
  45. Could fungi actually cause a zombie apocalypse?
  46. Some people love to scare themselves in an already scary world − here’s the psychology of why
  47. During the American Revolution, Brits weren’t just facing off against white Protestant Christians − US patriots are diverse and have been since Day 1
  48. Hemingway, after the hurricane
  49. What the history of blasphemy laws in the US and the fight for religious freedom can teach us today
  50. AI, cryptocurrencies and data privacy: Comparing the Trump and Harris records on technology regulation