What is ‘techno-optimism’? 2 technology scholars explain the ideology that says technology is the answer to every problem

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen is one of this concept’s biggest enthusiasts.

Jean Hardy, Assistant Professor of Media & Information, Michigan State University • conversation
April 24, 2024 ~6 min

Remembering the 1932 Ford Hunger March: Detroit park honors labor and environmental history

On March 7, workers at the Ford Rouge River plant marched for better working conditions, sparking America’s labor movement. Almost a century later, a quiet park honors their memory.

Paul Draus, Professor of Sociology; Director, Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Michigan-Dearborn • conversation
March 1, 2024 ~8 min


Nonprofit hospitals have an obligation to help their communities, but the people who live nearby may see little benefit

Standards are vague, and the IRS, which is tasked with enforcement, hasn’t provided much oversight.

Daniel Skinner, Associate Professor of Health Policy, Ohio University • conversation
Jan. 29, 2024 ~10 min

Why dozens of North American bird species are getting new names: Every name tells a story

What’s in a name? A lot, if you’re an Audubon’s Oriole or a Townsend’s Solitaire.

Jared Del Rosso, Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology, University of Denver • conversation
Dec. 7, 2023 ~9 min

Citizen science projects tend to attract white, affluent, well-educated volunteers − here's how we recruited a more diverse group to identify lead pipes in homes

For a project on identifying lead water pipes in homes, outreach through partner groups produced a more representative set of volunteers.

Valerie Ann Johnson, Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities and Professor of Sociology, Shaw University • conversation
Dec. 6, 2023 ~7 min

Texas is suing Planned Parenthood for $1.8B over $10M in allegedly fraudulent services it rendered – a health care economist explains what's going on

This lawsuit is only the latest chapter in a battle between the state and the reproductive health care provider that heated up in 2011.

Graham Gardner, Assistant Professor of Economics, Texas Christian University • conversation
Dec. 4, 2023 ~9 min

OpenAI is a nonprofit-corporate hybrid: A management expert explains how this model works − and how it fueled the tumult around CEO Sam Altman's short-lived ouster

The board is supposed to stop OpenAI from veering from its mission of building technology that benefits humanity.

Alnoor Ebrahim, Professor of Management, Tufts University • conversation
Nov. 30, 2023 ~10 min

Endometriosis afflicts millions of women, but few people feel comfortable talking about it

Health care providers often dismiss endometriosis pain as ‘all in your head’ − which can delay a correct diagnosis and treatment for years.

Kristina S. Brown, Professor and Chair of Couple and Family Therapy, Adler University • conversation
Nov. 1, 2023 ~8 min


Collaborative water management can be a building block for peace between Israelis and Palestinians

As the war between Hamas and Israel grinds forward, two experts explain how Israelis and Palestinians have cooperated to tackle their region’s water challenges.

Richard Friend, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, University of York • conversation
Oct. 30, 2023 ~11 min

Let the community work it out: Throwback to early internet days could fix social media's crisis of legitimacy

In the days of online bulletin board systems, community members decided what was acceptable. Reviving that approach to content moderation offers Big Tech a path to legitimacy as public spaces.

Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci, Research Fellow, Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure, UMass Amherst • conversation
Oct. 24, 2023 ~10 min

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