The Conversation US
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Design is key in college 'promise' programs
In one of her first public acts as the new mayor of Seattle, Jenny Durkan signed an executive order last month to phase in a free college tuition …
EducationHow parenthood has changed the way I read ancient childhood stories about Jesus, Mary and Joseph
As Christmas approaches, many Christians will reflect on the Nativity, or birth of Jesus. The Christian Bible includes two different stories of the …
TheologyDreading conflict during the holidays? Let it go, let it go, let it go
Every holiday season, families and friends convene to share affection, kindness and experience. In the ideal holiday atmosphere, one often depicted …
ViralAn anthropologist explains why we love holiday rituals and traditions
The mere thought of holiday traditions brings smiles to most people’s faces and elicits feelings of sweet anticipation and nostalgia. We can almost …
ChristmasThe moral questions in the debate on what constitutes terrorism
Akayed Ullah, a 27-year-old man, has been accused of detonating a pipe bomb strapped to his body in a New York subway, injuring four people on the …
TerrorismThe secret behind the success of the new 'Star Wars' films
In the 40 years since the original “Star Wars” film premiered, the franchise has been a pop culture powerhouse.<p>“The Last Jedi” – the latest edition …
Star WarsChild marriage is still legal in the US
The recent outrage over Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore allegedly targeting teenage girls for sex has elicited reports that some …
MarriageTo prevent the next global crisis, don't forget today's small disasters
In an era of seemingly ceaseless tragedies, it can be hard to stay on top of the news. This week, six wildfires have burned up over 141,000 acres in …
GeographyFollowing the developing Iranian cyberthreat
Iran is one of the leading cyberspace adversaries of the United States. It emerged as a cyberthreat a few years later than Russia and China and has …
CybersecurityHow Bill McKibben's radical idea of fossil-fuel divestment transformed the climate debate
“We need to view the fossil-fuel industry in a new light. It has become a rogue industry, reckless like no other force on Earth. It is Public Enemy …
ClimateWhy evangelicals are OK with voting for Roy Moore
Are conservative evangelicals and Catholics in political decline?<p>Many liberals apparently see hypocrisy over sexual harassment bringing down this …
ReligionVenezuelan regime sweeps mayors races, tightening Maduro's grip on power
Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party swept the country’s Dec. 10 municipal elections, winning 300 of 339 races for mayor, including in 39 of the …
VenezuelaHow the war on tipping harms customers
Some journalists and other social commentators have in recent years called for the abolition of restaurant tipping, primarily because they argue that …
RestaurantsAIM brought instant messaging to the masses, teaching skills for modern communication
Toward the mid-1990s, America Online (by then going by its nickname, AOL) was the company through which most Americans accessed the internet. As many …
MotorolaHow to put data to work in your neighborhood
Every day, city governments collect vast amounts of administrative data – local property tax assessments, 911 emergency response calls, social …
Big Data5 ways the proposed PROSPER Act could impact students
For the first time in nearly a decade, the United States Congress is about to take up legislation to upgrade the Higher Education Act – the federal …
EducationHow the 'Greatest Showman' paved the way for Donald Trump
Historian James Cook, in his 2001 book “The Arts of Deception,” points to July 1835 as “the birth date of modern American popular culture.”<p>That …
Ralph Waldo EmersonAmerican Jews and charitable giving: An enduring tradition
Even though only about one in 50 Americans is Jewish, U.S. Jews donate at high levels, both as individuals and as a community.<p>As a scholar who …
PhilanthropyNaughty or nice: Is there a financial reward for acting ethically?
It is almost Christmas time, and the song “Santa Claus is coming to town” keeps playing over and over.<p>For me, the key lines of this jingle are “He …
Santa ClausCan cranberries conquer the world? A US industry depends on it
Name all the billion-dollar crops grown in the U.S. Midwest. The answer: Corn, soybeans and cranberries. Wait, what?<p>Roughly 60 percent of the U.S. …
AgricultureTaxing the rich to help the poor? Here's what the Bible says
The new tax reform bill has led to an intense debate over whether it would help or hurt the poor. Tax reform in general raises critical issues about …
EqualityFor baby's brain to benefit, read the right books at the right time
Parents often receive books at pediatric checkups via programs like Reach Out and Read and hear from a variety of health professionals and educators …
U.S. Dept. of EducationWhat will Trump's declaration on Jerusalem mean to Palestinians?
When President Donald Trump on Dec. 5 recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, he not only effectively endorsed Israel’s annexation of East …
IsraelHonduras's election crisis is likely to end in violence
The violent election crisis in Honduras, where both incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernández and challenger Salvador Nasralla are claiming victory …
Latin AmericaCalifornia fire damage to homes is less 'random' than it seems
In the midst of the many wildfire emergencies that have faced California this year, it can often seem that the way houses burn, or don’t, is …
Santa AnaWill artificial intelligence become conscious?
Forget about today’s modest incremental advances in artificial intelligence, such as the increasing abilities of cars to drive themselves. Waiting in …
CopenhagenEating out might be devouring your food budget – and you probably have no idea
If you were to guess how much you spend on eating out per month, chances are you’ll miss the mark by a quite a bit.<p>In a recent study, I found that …
EatingEating out could devour your food budget – and you probably have no idea
If you were to guess how much you spend on eating out per month, chances are you’ll miss the mark by a quite a bit.<p>In a recent study, I found that …
Self ControlWho's to blame for keeping Time's #MeToo 'silence breakers' silent?
Time magazine just named the #MeToo movement its “person” of the year, recognizing the women and men who raised their voices against abuses of power …
Employee EngagementWhy Trump's evangelical supporters welcome his move on Jerusalem
President Trump’s announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 6 that the U.S. would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel received widespread criticism. …
Faith