Author: TheConversation

By Allison M. Prasch, Associate Professor of Rhetoric, Politics and Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to travel to an active war zone and the scene of an unfolding humanitarian crisis spoke volumes, even before his arrival. The White House has stated that Biden’s purpose is to “demonstrate his steadfast support for Israel” after Hamas’ “brutal terrorist attack” on October 7, 2023. But Israel was not meant to be his only stop. The president was also scheduled to travel to Amman, Jordan, to meet with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian...

By Peter Mansoor, Professor of History, General Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair in Military History, The Ohio State University In the wake of the shocking invasion of southern Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas. “We are fighting a cruel enemy, worse than ISIS,” Netanyahu proclaimed four days after the invasion, comparing Hamas with the Islamic State group, which was largely defeated by U.S., Iraqi and Kurdish forces in 2017. On that same day, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant went further, stating, “We will wipe this thing called Hamas,...

By Avner Cohen, Professor of Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies Living for 75 years within a hostile neighborhood has required the state of Israel to provide security against external threats to all its citizens. That responsibility is a social contract between citizens and the state: The state is obligated to provide security for its people, especially those who live near its borders, that makes living there safe. In return, young Israelis must serve in the army. That unwritten contract was abruptly shattered for Israelis in the morning hours of October 7, 2023. And with it, the very...

By Keren McGinity, Research Associate, Brandeis University October 2023 marks the anniversary of #MeToo: six years since actor Alyssa Milano’s tweet calling for women to speak out about experiences of abuse went viral and helped launch a global movement. Ever since, #MeToo has been shorthand for people’s experiences with sexual harassment and assault, from film sets and office buildings to college campuses and religious communities. Many articles about #MeToo and religion focus on large churches, such as the Southern Baptist Convention – spaces that are mostly white and Christian. Yet the phrase “Me Too” was first coined as a...

By Latisha Nixon-Jones, Associate Professor of Law, Jacksonville University As questions loom over the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s ability to fund disaster recovery efforts, people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by recent wildfires and storms are trying to make their way through the difficult process of securing financial aid. Residents in communities hit by Hurricane Idalia, the Maui fires or other recent disasters have a long, tough journey ahead. Early estimates suggest Idalia caused US$12 billion to $20 billion in losses, primarily in property damage, acccording to Moody’s Analytics. And rebuilding Lahaina, Hawaii, has been forecast at over...

By Christopher A. Hartwell, Professor of International Business Policy, ZHAW School of Management and Law; and Paul Vaaler, Professor of Law and Business, University of Minnesota President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has come at huge economic costs. By conservative estimates, the Russian economy has taken a US$67 billion annual hit as a result of war expenses and the effects of economic sanctions. In the early stages of the invasion, some analysts put the costs even higher, at $900 million per day. These war costs show no sign of abating. The newly released Russian government budget for 2024 calls...