Category Archives: Analysis

How a Black writer in 19th-century America used humor to combat white supremacy

Rodney Taylor, University of South Carolina Any writer has to struggle with the dilemma of staying true to their vision or giving editors and readers what they want. A number of factors might influence the latter: the market, trends and sensibilities. But in the decades after the Civil War, Black writers looking to faithfully depictContinue reading “How a Black writer in 19th-century America used humor to combat white supremacy”

How fast can we stop Earth from warming?

Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, University of Michigan Global warming doesn’t stop on a dime. If people everywhere stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, stored heat would still continue to warm the atmosphere. Picture how a radiator heats a home. Water is heated by a boiler, and the hot water circulates through pipes and radiators in theContinue reading “How fast can we stop Earth from warming?”

Shame and secrecy shroud culture of sexual assault in boys’ high school sports

Jamie L. Small, University of Dayton A coat hanger. A broomstick. A pool cue. All these objects were used in a series of sexual assaults in recent years in which the perpetrators allegedly targeted high school boys who play sports. The perpetrators always had easy access to their alleged victims. That’s because they were teammates.Continue reading “Shame and secrecy shroud culture of sexual assault in boys’ high school sports”

Red gold: the rise and fall of West Africa’s palm oil empire

For thousands of years, the oil palm – indigenous to West Africa – has had an intimate relationship with people. An explosive expansion of oil palm groves throughout western and central Africa in the wake of a dry period around 2,500 years ago enabled human migration and agricultural development; in turn, humans facilitated oil palm propagation through seed dispersal and slash-and-burn agriculture.

Australia’s education system is one of the most unequal in the OECD. But we know how to help fix it

According to UNICEF, Australia ranks in the bottom third of OECD countries in providing equitable access to quality education. This means our education system – from access to early childhood education to expectations for study after school – does not allow every student to enjoy the same benefits that come from schooling.

Disaster news on TV and social media can trigger post-traumatic stress in kids thousands of miles away – here’s why some are more vulnerable

When disasters strike, the flood of images on TV and social media can have a powerful psychological impact on children – whether those children are physically in the line of danger or watching from thousands of miles away.

Net zero: UK government sued for weak strategy – so here’s what makes a good climate change plan

Two-thirds of countries have now committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions at some point this century. During 2021, the share of large companies with net zero commitments jumped from one in five to one in three.