April 10, 2024, Samuel Bagg
Samuel Bagg, assistant professor of political science, writes about the importance of having a democracy and why professional bureaucracies matter in today’s society.
March 01, 2024, Tisha Felder
Public health and nursing researchers Tisha Felder and Joynelle Jackson write for The Conversation about the benefits of breastfeeding.
March 01, 2024, Chelsea Fisher
Recent discoveries show how people in the past dealt with climate change and highlight success stories of how farming practices assisted civilizations.
February 14, 2024, Seth W. Stoughton and Caroline McAtee
Law professor Seth Stoughton and law student Carolina McAtee write for the conversation about whether it's legal to seize a criminal without being a police officer.
February 07, 2024, Jessica A. Schoenherr
On Feb. 8, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Trump v. Anderson. Scholars dive into the importance of this case as it could affect the legitimacy of the court and shine light on the legality of his ballot removal.
February 05, 2024, Sabrina Habib
Teachers explore whether or not AI tools are beneficial in the classroom by researching the way college students brainstorm with and without technology.
November 01, 2023, Brent Simpson
People put in less effort when working for discriminatory managers. Brent Simpson, professor of sociology, studied 1,200 participants in a work setting to determine efforts used per task.
October 25, 2023, Barry Markovsky
In an article for The Conversation, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of sociology Barry Markovsky looks at people’s belief in ghosts.
August 24, 2023, Toby Jenkins
While hip-hop has created a lot of good memories, good music and good times, the culture has gifted society much more than just entertainment. Toby Jenkins, a higher ed professor who researches hip-hop culture, writes for The Conversation about the genre's greatest gifts — freedom of thought, flexibility and truth-telling.
July 17, 2023, Barry Markovsky
Barry Markovsky, distinguished professor emeritus of sociology, writes for The Conversation about the continuing fascination with UFOs — unidentified flying objects — and the persistent belief that these things are not of our world.
June 28, 2023, Jabari M. Evans
Amen and Ausar Thompson, the identical twin brothers who were just selected as the fourth and fifth picks, respectively, in the 2023 NBA draft. The duo symbolizes the transformative potential of Overtime Elite, which offers young athletes a new path to maximize their earning potential. Jabari M. Evans, assistant professor of race and media, writes about Overtime Elite for The Conversation.
June 23, 2023, Scott Smith
The tragic news of the destruction of the Titan submersible has brought attention to the thrilling, dangerous and expensive world of extreme tourism. Researcher and professor Scott Smith who studies hospitality and tourism management, writes for The Conversation about adventure tourism and why more people are drawn to the experience.
April 28, 2023, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti
There are signs advertising delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC and CBD, or cannabidiol, everywhere. Professors of pathology Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on whether it is safe to consume them and which claimed medicinal benefits hold up to scientific scrutiny.
April 18, 2023, Toby Jenkins
Associate professor of higher education Toby Jenkins writes for The Conversation on the widespread educational impacts of hip-hop.
March 21, 2023, Cassandra Jones Havard
Professor of law Cassandra Jones Havard writes for The Conversation on the risks of the government saving failing banks.
March 13, 2023, Derek W. Black
Constitutional law expert and professor of law Derek W. Black writes for The Conversation on the limitations of presidential student loan forgiveness.
February 22, 2023, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
Professors of pathology, microbiology and immunology Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on endocannabinoids, compounds found in humans that are similar to those found in marijuana.
February 07, 2023, Ian T. Adams
Assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice Ian T. Adams and others write for The Conversation on staffing issues on the Memphis police force.
February 07, 2023, Rebecca Janzen
Associate professor of Spanish and comparative literature Rebecca Janzen writes for The Conversation on persistent crime trends in Mexico despite criminal justice reform.
January 25, 2023, Eva V. Monsma
Developmental sport psychology professor Eva V. Monsma writes for The Conversation on the negative effects of pressuring young athletes.
January 09, 2023, Jabari M. Evans
Assistant professor of race and media Jabari M. Evans writes for The Conversation on the increasing role of fame and money in college sports.
January 09, 2023, Barry Markovsky
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of sociology Barry Markovsky writes for The Conversation about the superstition around the number 13.
November 08, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
Immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on how the immune system reacts during infections, vaccinations and autoimmune diseases where the body starts attacking itself.
October 25, 2022, Madeline Steiner
Postdoctoral fellow of history Madeline Steiner writes for The Conversation on the origins of the modern creepy clown.
October 20, 2022, Franklin G. Berger
A recently published study in a high-profile medical journal appeared to call into question the efficacy of colonoscopy, a proven and widely utilized strategy for the screening and prevention of colorectal cancer. Distinguished professor emeritus of biological sciences Franklin G. Berger writes for The Conversation about the utility and need for colonoscopies.
October 17, 2022, Mitchell Yell
When schools shut down in March 2020, many of the nation’s roughly 7 million students in special education didn’t get the special education services to which they were entitled under federal law. Professor of special education Mitchell Yell writes for The Conversation about how school districts may have fallen short of providing special education services during the pandemic.
October 04, 2022, Matthew Wilson
When someone mentions a “banana republic,” they’re referring to a small, poor, politically unstable country that is weak because of an excessive reliance on one crop and foreign funding. Associate professor of political science Matthew Wilson writes for The Conversation about the use of the term over time.
September 27, 2022, Iddrisu Mohammed Kambala
Ghana’s most important development problem is arguably the disparity between the north and south of the country. Ph.D. candidate Iddrisu Mohammed Kambala writes for The Conversation about poverty in Northern Ghana.
September 26, 2022, Nancy R. Buchan
Conservatives were less generous overall than liberals during an experiment in which people could give some money to COVID-19 relief charities. Nancy R. Buchan, associate professor of international business, writes for The Conversation about political donations.
September 26, 2022, William Hauk
President Joe Biden’s declaration that “the pandemic is over” raised eyebrows and the hackles of some experts who think such messaging could be premature and counterproductive. William Hauk, associate professor of economics in the Darla Moore School of Business, was one of three scholars asked by The Conversation to evaluate just how “over” the pandemic is.
September 20, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
School of Medicine researchers Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation about how the updated booster shots train the immune system and how protective they might be against COVID-19.
September 19, 2022, Northrop Davis
Media arts professor Northrop Davis writes for The Conversation about Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature “Spirited Away,” which premiered in the U.S. 20 years ago.
August 16, 2022, Sajish Mathew
Many drugs have the same atoms and bonds but are arranged differently in space. These drugs are called chiral compounds — meaning they exist as two mirror images. Sajish Mathew writes for The Conversation on how these compounds are arranged in space can drastically change the effects they have in the body.
August 15, 2022, Henry Tran
The national teacher shortage is rooted is the longstanding lack of respect for teachers and their craft, which is reflected by decades of low pay, hyperscrutiny and poor working conditions. This disrespect to the profession is what is driving teachers away. Education professor Henry Tran writes for The Conversation on how the most recent efforts to recruit teachers do not address the real problems.
August 10, 2022, Sharon DeWitte
There is a common misperception that long life spans in humans are very recent, and that no one in the past lived much beyond their 30s before now. This is not true. There is physical evidence that plenty of people in the past lived long lives — just as long as some people do today. Anthropology professor Sharon DeWitte writes for The Conversation on the evidence that proves old age isn't a modern phenomenon.
August 01, 2022, Ismaeel Yunusa
While doctors prescribe the opioid oxycodone to treat moderate to severe pain after surgeries and injuries, it can also become a common drug of abuse. Professor Ismaeel Yunusa writes for The Conversation on how taking oxycodone at the same time as certain antidepressants can increase the risk of opioid overdose.
August 01, 2022, Susan Yeargin
There are good reasons that teen athletes start the first few weeks of preseason practice slowly. The body needs time to adapt when an athlete of any age begins to exercise or train for a sport in hot conditions. Athletic training professor Susan Yeargin writes for The Conversation on how to keep players safe from heat illness.
June 28, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti
As COVID-19 vaccines continue to be effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, many people have found themselves unsure whether to wait on new, updated formulations of the COVID-19 vaccines or to mix and match combinations of the original vaccine strains. School of Medicine Columbia professors Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on whether you should get a COVID-19 booster now or wait until fall.
June 22, 2022, Alyssa Collins
In an interview for The Conversation, Alyssa Collins, assistant professor of English Language and Literature, explains how science fiction author Octavia Butler’s boundless curiosity inspired her work and how Butler’s experiences as a Black woman drew her to “humans who must deal with the edges or ends of humanity.”
May 24, 2022, Stanley Dubinsky, Anyssa Murphy, Harvey Starr, Michael Gavin
There are many instances around the world of people who speak different languages living alongside each other, or those living near an international border to speak the language of the neighboring country. College of Arts and Science faculty write for The Conversation on conflicts over language and how it is used as a tool of politics and power.
May 16, 2022, Sabrina Habib
Sharing ideas can get messy when colleagues don't understand or support novel concepts - or if they shut them down altogether. Visual communications professor Sabrina Habib writes for The Conversation on concrete ways to facilitate idea generation, both individually and in groups.
May 10, 2022, Jungmi Jun
With the tone of social media conversations regarding the COVID-19 vaccine are varying around the world, this research team wanted to understand if these tones matched differing country-level vaccination rates. Journalism and mass communications professor Jungmi Jun writes for The Conversation on the influence emotions toward vaccines may have on whether a person decides to get a COVID-19 vaccination or not.
May 03, 2022, Erica Tobolski
As Gilbert Gottfried developed his comic persona, his distinctive voice made its way into his performances in stand-up comedy, advertising, television and film. However, his voice did not naturally sound this way. He figured out how to create a character that perfectly synched a personality with a voice. Theatre and dance professor Erica Tobolski writes for The Conversation on developing a character voice.
April 19, 2022, Derek W. Black and Axton Crolley
The Brown v. Board of Education decision framed racial segregation as the cause of educational inequality. Brown's focus on physical segregation inadvertently left important and less obvious aspects of local funding inequality unchecked. This still drives underfunding in predominantly poor and minority schools. Law professor Derek W. Black and law fellow Axton Crolley write for The Conversation on the historical connection between segregation and states' reliance on local school funding.
April 19, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
As mRNA vaccines used in the U.S. against COVID-19 have been successful at preventing hospitalization and death, the vaccines have failed to provide long-term protective immunity to prevent breakthrough infections. School of Medicine Columbia professors Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on the COVID-19 booster and retooling existing vaccines to increase the duration of protection.
March 22, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
The COVID-19 omicron variant has been the predominant source of rising infections around the world. BA.2 is the latest subvariant of omicron and is spreading quickly in many countries. School of Medicine Columbia professors, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti, write for The Conversation on this new strain, if there will be another surge in the U.S. and how to protect yourself.
March 22, 2022, Jabari Evans
Hip-hop artist and School of Journalism and Mass Communications professor, Jabari Evans, interviews with The Conversation. He answers questions on his career, how he got to where he is today, what he enjoys most about what he studies, his motivations and what is next for his research.
March 04, 2022, Timothy Mousseau
Timothy Mousseau, biological sciences professor, writes for The Conversation on the impacts and possible outcomes of the war in Ukraine on the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site.
February 25, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti, professors of pathology, microbiology and immunology, write for The Conversation on Covid-19 protective immunity via vaccination and infection.
February 24, 2022, William Hauk
As President Biden warns Americans of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many are unaware of how defending Ukraine can impact the U.S. Economics professor William Hauk writes for The Conversation on the price of supporting Ukraine and the increased risk of recession.
February 21, 2022, Barry Markovsky
Barry Markovsky, professor emeritus of sociology, writes for The Conversation about how the human brain has evolved to find meaning in numbers.
February 01, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti
The characteristics of the COVID-19 omicron variant has many people wondering if it could act as a vaccine of sorts, inoculating enough people to effectively bring about herd immunity. School of Medicine Columbia professors Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation about immune response to COVID-19.
December 17, 2021, William Hauk
Consumer prices jumped 6.8% in November 2021 from a year earlier – the fastest rate of increase since 1982, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data published on Dec. 10, 2021. The biggest jumps during the month were in energy, used cars and clothing. Economics professor William Hauk explains in The Conversation what’s driving the recent increase in inflation and how it affects consumers, companies and the economy.
December 09, 2021, Lorne J. Hofseth
Many of the colors that make up candy canes, sugar cookies and even cranberry sauce and roast ham are synthetic. Pharmacy professor, Lorne J. Hofseth, writes for The Conversation that there is evidence that these ultra-processed foods may trigger early-onset colorectal cancer.
December 09, 2021, Oluwafemi Adeago and Xiaoming Li
Barriers such as stigma, homophobia, poverty, access, distrust of the medical system and misinformation make Southern Black gay men less likely to use antiretroviral treatments to prevent HIV infection use, Oluwafemi Adeago and Xiaoming Li, Arnold School of Public Health, write for The Conversation.
November 23, 2021, Madeline Steiner
A bizarre cast of characters involved in the exotic animal trade returns in ‘Tiger King 2.’ Madeline Steiner, a post-doctoral fellow of history, examines parallels between larger-than-life Joe Exotic and 19th-century circuses and showmen for The Conversation.
November 18, 2021, Ismaeel Yunusa
Changes in insulin prescription rates because of the pandemic underscore the challenges that people with diabetes face in accessing care, Ismaeel Yunusa assistant professor of clinical pharmacy and outcomes sciences, writes for The Conversation. The effects of the pandemic on diabetes go beyond insulin prescriptions. As COVID-19 overwhelmed health care systems, people with chronic conditions like diabetes have experienced significant disruptions in routine and emergency medical care.
November 17, 2021, Jabari Evans
A lot could be gained by not overlooking the creativity and ingenuity of teens and young adults like drill music vanguard Chief Keef. Journalism and mass communications professor Jabari Evans writes for The Conversation that drill subculture arose out the ways Chicago's Black youth navigate violence and poverty by innovating within social media.
November 15, 2021, Karen Gavigan
The number of school librarians in the United States has dropped about 20 percent over the past decade, and research shows access to school librarians has become a major educational equity issue. Karen Gavin, information science professor, writes for The Conversation about the impact school librarians have on student achievement.
October 22, 2021, Nancy Buchan and Orgul Ozturk
A 2020 online study found that people in the United States who were more directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic were 9 percent more likely to donate to charity than others, and they donated 9.2% more money. The study replicated in Italy found similar results, Moore School professors Nancy Buchan and Orgul Ozturk write in The Conversation with co-author Gianluca Grimalda, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
October 11, 2021, Woody Holton
History professor Woody Holton writes for The Conversation about how Americans of the founding era stayed healthy enough to fight the Revolutionary War with lockdowns and mass inoculations to combat a viciously contagious disease.
September 27, 2021, Brett Robertson
When a disaster strikes, you may have to get by without power, safe running water or help for several days. Brett Robertson, a journalism and mass communications professor, writes for The Conversation that an important safety measure is to have emergency supplies on hand and in a safe place where you can easily get to them.
September 21, 2021, Christopher Moore
About 3,600 years ago, a giant space rock exploded in a massive fireball in the atmosphere above an ancient Middle Eastern city. The explosion destroyed the city, killing its 8,000 inhabitants and setting off a massive shockwave that ripped through the city and surrounding areas. University of South Carolina archaeologist Christopher Moore and his colleagues explain for The Conversation how they know how this actually happened near the Dead Sea in Jordan thousands of years ago.
September 15, 2021, Barnett Berry
Since COVID-19, some parents in search of educational alternatives for their children have turned to microschools. Barnett Berry, a research professor in the College of Education, explains for The Conversation what makes microschools distinct from other schools.
September 14, 2021, Claire Raj
Law professor Claire Raj, who specializes in special education law, offers answers in The Conversation to some questions parents might have about mask mandate bans and students with disabilities.
August 30, 2021, Brooke McKeever
Journalism professor Brooke McKeever is among four public health and communications experts from Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi and South Carolina who explain for The Conversation how they are teaming up with nonprofits and other partners to encourage more people in their states and local communities to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
August 17, 2021, Jessie D. Guest
Children, like adults, are feeling the stress of the uncertain times during a global pandemic. Playing has cognitive and emotional benefits for kids and can help them decompress and express themselves. In The Conversation, education professor Jessie Guest offers tips for connecting with children through play.
June 30, 2021, Barry Markovsky
The origins of many superstitions are unknown. Others can be traced to specific times in history, sociology professor Barry Markovsky writes in The Conversation. Included in this second category is a superstition that is between 2,000 and 2,700 years old: Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.
June 30, 2021, Woody Holton
In celebration of the United States’ 245th birthday, history professor Woody Holton writes in The Conversation about six surprising facts about the nation’s founding document – including that it failed to achieve its most immediate goal and that its meaning has changed from the founding to today.
June 14, 2021, Rebecca Janzen
The film “Lady of Guadalupe” available on many streaming services, mixes a fictional retelling of the 16th-century appearance of the Virgin Mary to a Mexican peasant named Juan Diego with the tale of a wholly fictional 21st-century reporter. Professor of Spanish and comparative literature Rebecca Janzen writes in The Conversation although the film portrays the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe for a broad audience, ultimately itsanitizes the real-life brutality of the Church toward Indigenous peoples in the 16th century.
May 25, 2021, Franklin G. Berger
Colorectal cancer remains a major source of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. The American Cancer Society recently estimated that in 2021, there will be 149,500 new cases of colorectal cancer and 52,980 deaths in the U.S. alone. In The Conversation, Franklin G. Berger, professor emeritus in biological sciences, writes about two significant developments that could save lives.
April 14, 2021, Benjamin Means
Over 100 companies publicly denounced Georgia’s new restrictive voting law, Major League Baseball went beyond words by moving the 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver. In The Conversation, law professor Benjamin Means writes about how corporations use their economic power as leverage to get what they want from lawmakers.
April 13, 2021, Joseph A. Seiner
Sexual harassment at work is a very common occurrence for women, regardless of age or income level. Among women who have experienced unwanted sexual advances in the workplace, almost all reported that male harassers usually go unpunished. Law professor Joseph Seiner writes in The Conversation about the unfortunate reality that engaging in this conduct will result in no real consequences.
March 29, 2021, Nicole S. Maskiell
Nicole S. Maskiell writes for The Conversation about how Colonial-era figures like Hamilton fit into America’s long history of enslavement, and how slavery fueled networks of power that have lasted through the ages.
March 25, 2021, Dr. Jennifer T. Grier
Dr. Jennifer T. Grier writes for the Conversation on whether or not people who have already recovered from a coronavirus infection should get the COVID vaccine.
March 18, 2021, Robert Henry Cox, Daniel Dickson and Patrik Marier
Political science professor Robert Henry Cox and colleagues Daniel Dickson and Patrik Marier write for the Conversation about why long-term care workers are key intermediaries in the implementation of policies designed to both contain the spread of the coronavirus and maintain a sense of normalcy for care recipients.
March 05, 2021, Elizabeth A. Regan
Health information and technology expert Elizabeth A. Regan writes for The Conversation about the flaws that COVID-19 has revealed about the U.S. health care system. Regan is chair of integrated information technology and an associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computing.
March 05, 2021, Julián García Walther
Julián García Walther, a Ph.D. student in biological sciences, writes in The Conversation about his research on how climate change is influencing the development and survival of the little-known shorebird Calidris canutus roselaari, the rarest of all Red Knot subspecies.
January 22, 2021, Nancy Buchan
International business professor Nancy Buchan with co-authors Wendi Adair and Xiao-Ping Chen write in The Conversation about their research that shows communicating through videoconferencing during the pandemic makes it more difficult to build and maintain relationships with co-workers.
January 21, 2021, Ann Eisenberg
Law professor Ann Eisenberg with co-authors Jessica Shoemaker and Lisa Pruitt write in The Conversation about five federal initiatives they say would go a long way toward empowering distressed rural communities to improve their destinies, while also helping bridge the urban/rural divide.
January 20, 2021, Forest Agostinelli
The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has created computers that can drive cars, synthesize chemical compounds, fold proteins and detect high-energy particles at a superhuman level. Forest Agostinelli explains to The Conversation how artificial intelligence can help humans innovate.
January 13, 2021, MVS Chandrashekhar
In this interview with The Conversation, MVS Chandrashekhar explains how smoke detectors work and why they sometimes sound an alarm for what seems like no reason.
December 10, 2020, Rebecca Janzen
Each year, as many as 10 million people travel to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, in what is believed to be the largest Catholic pilgrimage in the Americas. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the pilgrimage will instead be held online this year. Rebecca Janzen, assistant professor of Spanish and comparative literature, explains the significance of the pilgrimage for The Conversation.
December 03, 2020, Nicole S. Maskiell
As COVID-19 affects frontline workers and communities of color far more than other demographic groups, and protesters agitate for racial justice, American society is wrestling with its racial memory and judging which monuments and memorials deserve a place. In The Conversation, history professor Nicole S. Maskiell looks back at how a few marginalized and oppressed people who served on the front lines of prior epidemics have been treated and remembered.
November 13, 2020, Biplav Srivastava
Professor of computer science Biplav Srivastava and his team have developed a data-driven tool that helps demonstrate the effect of wearing masks on COVID-19 cases and deaths. In this interview with The Conversation, he explains how the model works, its limitations and what conclusions we can draw from it.
October 14, 2020, Nükhet Varlik
Since the beginning of the pandemic, epidemiologists and public health specialists have been using mathematical models to forecast the future in an effort to curb the coronvirus’s spread. History professor Nükhet Varlik writes for the The Conversation to give historical insight into how and when pandemics end.
October 13, 2020, William Hauk
Recessions are always painful in terms of how they affect our economic well-being. Like all bad things, fortunately, they eventually end and a recovery begins. Economics professor William Hauk writes for The Conversation about the "shapes" of recessions and recoveries
October 07, 2020, James Kirylo
While online education is not new, its mass proliferation amid the pandemic is, and it’s radically changing the face of education. In The Conversation,College of Education professor James Kirylo writes about why we should consider what the late Brazilian educational philosopher Paulo Freire would have thought about the global normalization of virtual learning.
September 02, 2020, Franklin G. Berger
The tragic death of Chadwick Boseman at age 43 following a four-year battle against colorectal cancer reminds us it is a difficult and emotional disease for people at any age. Franklin G. Berger, distinguished professor emeritus of biological sciences, writes for The Conversation that awareness of signs and symptoms, along with screening, will lead to the eventual eradication of the disease as a major form of cancer.
August 24, 2020, Todd Shaw
“Give people light,” Joe Biden said, beginning his acceptance speech at the conclusion of the Democratic Party’s online convention on Aug. 20. In an analysis for The Conversation, political science professor Todd Shaw calls it a good speech that was evocative and full of passion with a crisp, effective delivery.
August 18, 2020, Christian Anderson
This is a time when there is an intensified movement – particularly at America’s colleges and universities – to remove statues and names from buildings or organizations that pay homage to Confederate leaders and others with racist views. In The Conversation, education professor Christian Anderson examines the question of what – if anything – should be put up in their place.
August 07, 2020, Agnes Mueller
Some might take solace in religion at a time of uncertainty, such as a pandemic, but literary texts suggest that this is not always the case: Faith may deepen for some, while others may reject or abandon it altogether. Agnes Mueller,professor of German and Comparative Literature, examines pandemics in literature in The Conversation.
July 22, 2020, Anna Swartwood House
No one knows exactly what Jesus looked like, and there are no known images of him from his lifetime. Art history professor Anna Swartwood House writes in The Conversation that the portrayal of Jesus as a white, European man has come under renewed scrutiny during this period of introspection over the legacy of racism in society.
June 30, 2020, Christian Anderson
John C. Calhoun’s legacy until now has been quite prominent in American society – and not just in the South, but Calhoun’s days as a revered icon in the public sphere are gradually coming to an end. Education professor Christian Anderson addresses the issue of Calhoun’s legacy in The Conversation as we are in the midst of a nationwide reappraisal of our past that also affects UofSC.
June 12, 2020, Karen Gavigan
Because the combination of text and images in graphic novels can communicate issues and emotions that words alone often cannot, more educators and parents are finding them to be effective tools for tackling tough issues with kids. In early March, information science professor Karen Gavin shared a collection of books for The Conversation, including some that can educate children about racism and other forms of bigotry.
June 05, 2020, Collin Webster
Kids who are more physically active tend to get better grades and develop the self-confidence that can empower them to succeed later in life. Physical education professor Collin Webster writes for The Conversation that the arrival of summer vacation might allay concerns parents have about their children being too sedentary. However, researchers think a lack of structured summertime activities can cause kids to make unhealthy choices.
May 29, 2020, Seth Stoughton
The killing of an unarmed black jogger by white residents is shocking, but it should come as no surprise. Law professor Seth Stoughton writes for The Conversation that if anything, Ahmaud Arbery’s death in Georgia on Feb. 23 was predictable: the latest tragic example of the fatal consequences that can occur when private citizens seek to take the law into their own hands.
May 29, 2020, Derek Black
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act, designated $13.5 billion for public schools that was supposed to be distributed based on the number of low-income students enrolled in a district. Law professor Derek Black writes for The Conversation that a new directive from the U.S. Department of Education, which tells districts to share far more of the money than expected private and religious school students, contradicts the CARES Act.
May 12, 2020, James Kirylo
Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Education Department is letting states cancel standardized tests. As a result, 2020 is the first year without federally mandated standardized testing in nearly two decades. Education professor James Kirylo writes in The Conversation that school systems can take advantage of this remarkable time to seek alternatives to standardized tests.
May 08, 2020, Stanley Dubinsky, Kaitlyn E. Smith, Michael Gavin
As the coronavirus spreads around the globe, it can cause a fear of others, especially strangers, who may or may not have taken proper precautions against spreading the disease. This fear can cause people to be on heightened alert for anyone who might be different. English professors Stanley Dubinsky, Michael Gavin and doctoral student Kaitlyn Smith write for The Conversation about how language differences can contribute to discrimination.