Category: Academic Reportage

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Robin Steedman, Lecturer of Creative Industries, School of Culture and Creative Arts, University of Glasgow African filmmakers have long faced challenges in securing wide-scale distribution for their films. In this context, digital platforms such as Netflix and YouTube have been hailed as bringing huge new opportunities.…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nargess Kayhani, Associate professor of Economics, Mount Saint Vincent University Trade disputes between the United States and Canada are nothing new. They date back as far as the late 19th century. What began as two neighbouring countries seeking to expand their markets and assert economic sovereignty…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Albert Sharra, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of the Witwatersrand The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) established its first radio transmitter sites in Africa in the 1930s, to reach the British colonies and beyond. It became a model for radio in Africa and later a model for TV…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Jaime L. Kucinskas, Associate Professor of Sociology, Hamilton College Federal civil servants work for a nonpartisan agency, not a specific administration. Kevin Carter/Getty Images For many Americans, work is not just about earning a paycheck. It is a centerpiece of their lives, and they want…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Ruohao Zhang, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Penn State Since the 1940s, companies have been using PFAS – perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – to make products easier to use, from Teflon nonstick pots to waterproof rain gear, stain-resistant carpet and firefighting foam. The chemicals’ resistance…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA – By Timothy J Lombardo, Associate Professor of History, University of South Alabama Mayor Frank Rizzo poses for a portrait on Jan. 3, 1977. Santi Visalli via Getty Images In August 2025, the city of Philadelphia agreed to return a statue of Frank Rizzo to the supporters that…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Jeffrey C. Hallo, Professor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University When people think about national parks, they often think about the most famous ones – places like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Denali, Acadia, Glacier, Everglades and the Great Smoky Mountains. These are among the nation’s…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Soon Hyeok Choi, Assistant Professor of Real Estate Finance, Rochester Institute of Technology People often say that a single spark can light a fire. In careers, that spark is often a person. It might be someone early in life who cracks open a door, offers…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sara Giordano, Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Kennesaw State University People are at the heart of the scientific enterprise. Matteo Farinella, CC BY-NC Even if you don’t recall many facts from high school biology, you likely remember the cells required for making babies: egg and sperm.…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Deborah Fuller, Professor of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington RFK Jr. canceled $500 million of funding for research on mRNA vaccine technology. Anadolu/Getty Images On Sept. 4, 2025, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is scheduled to testify before the…