Category: Academic Reportage

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Kristof Titeca, Professor in International Development, University of Antwerp A series of peace initiatives since 2021 have sought to address the escalation of conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following a renewed offensive from the M23 rebel group. The origins of this crisis…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Francis Thackeray, Honorary Research Associate, Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand Artist’s impression of a supernova. By ESO/M. Kornmesser/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY What’s the link between an exploding star, climate change and human evolution? Francis Thackeray, who has researched ancient environments and fossils for…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA – By Morgan E. PettyJohn, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington Seeking support online can help young people recognize abusive situations. MementoJpeg via Getty images As a teen growing up in an abusive household, Morgan coped daily with physical and emotional harm from her…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA – By Adam Nemeroff, Assistant Provost for Innovations in Learning, Teaching, and Technology, Quinnipiac University This AI-generated image spread far and wide in the wake of Hurricane Helene in 2024. AI-generated image circulated on social media You’ve probably encountered images in your social media feeds that look like…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jason Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University As American journalist E. Jean Carroll walked into a Manhattan courtroom for her civil trial against Donald Trump on April 25, 2023, she was dressed for a specific audience: the jury. As detailed…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By William D. Spangler, Associate Professor Emeritus of Management, Binghamton University, State University of New York Power can be a motivator – but not everyone wants the same kind of power. Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images Niccolò Machiavelli, the infamous author of “The Prince,” wrote in…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Paul Mwebaze, Research Economist at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The beans that created this cup of coffee had a long journey. Guido Mieth/Moment via Getty Images If your morning can’t begin without coffee, you’re in good company.…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Chanam Lee, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University Green space at schools can benefit generations of students. AzmanL/E+ via Getty Images Stress on college students can be palpable, and it hits them from every direction: academic challenges, social pressures and financial…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Selma Uugwanga, Clinical Psychologist (Namibia) and PhD Researcher on Emerging Adulthood in sub-Saharan Africa, University of Zurich Olufuko initiation festival for Ovawambo girls. Pemba.mpimaji/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Around the world, people become adults in different ways. In some places, it’s when you get a job, get…

Source: ForeignAffairs4 Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Temitayo Isaac Odeyemi, Research fellow, University of Birmingham Across Africa, democracy is being tested – by rising authoritarianism and military coups as well as a growing disconnect between citizens and the institutions meant to represent them. The latest flagship report from Afrobarometer, a pan African…