Author: TheConversation

By Paul Schofield, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Bates College Homelessness is a state of deprivation. Those who are homeless need shelter to be safe; they do not have it. They need a toilet for basic bodily functions; they do not have one. They need a shower to keep clean; they do not have that, either. Because such deprivation dramatically affects the well-being of people who are homeless, public discussion of homelessness tends to focus on whether and to what extent the government should carry out anti-homelessness policy as a way of improving people’s overall quality of life. Some philosophers...

By Ari Joskowicz, Associate Professor of History, Jewish Studies and European Studies, Vanderbilt University When the United Nations passed a resolution to designate January 27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it did not define the Holocaust. The 2005 proclamation merely noted that it “resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities.” Among those unnamed other minorities are Roma, who deserve to be part of the larger story of the Holocaust commemorated on this day. Their story is closely connected with that of Jews’ suffering and struggle for recognition – a...

By Kai Zhuang Shum, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, University of Tennessee Youth mental health has worsened significantly over the past decade, but new interventions that teach positive psychology concepts in school may help. American young people are reporting historically high levels of hopelessness, sadness and loneliness. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 20% of adolescents have seriously considered suicide – and suicide is the second-leading cause of death for children ages 10-14. Perhaps even more alarming than the prevalence of youth mental health problems is the inaccessibility...

By Michael Varnum, Associate Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University; Ian Hohm, Graduate Student of Psychology, University of British Columbia What comes to mind when you think about winter? Snowflakes? Mittens? In much of the Northern Hemisphere, winter means colder temperatures, and shorter days. Along with these changes, a growing body of research in psychology and related fields suggests that winter also brings some profound changes in how people think, feel and behave. While it is one thing to identify seasonal tendencies in the population, it is much trickier to try to untangle why they exist. Some of winter’s...

By Jacob O. Wobbrock, Professor of Information, University of Washington Technology innovation requires solving hard technical problems, right? Well, yes. And no. As the Apple Macintosh turns 40, what began as Apple prioritizing the squishy concept of “user experience” in its 1984 flagship product is, today, clearly vindicated by its blockbuster products since. It turns out that designing for usability, efficiency, accessibility, elegance and delight pays off. Apple’s market capitalization is now over US$2.8 trillion, and its brand is every bit associated with the term “design” as the best New York or Milan fashion houses are. Apple turned technology...

By Simon Lewis, Professor of English, College of Charleston Twenty years ago, in October 2003, 26-year-old Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie burst onto the North American publishing scene with her debut novel,“ Purple Hibiscus.” Since then, Adichie’s literary fame has only grown: She’s published two more novels and a collection of short stories, while two of her TED talks have garnered tens of millions of views. In September 2023, she published her first children’s book – a joyful celebration of mother-daughter love – under the nom de plume Nwa Grace-James. But the October 2003 publication of “Purple Hibiscus” did...