A practical alternative to traditional college: Polytechnic universities are gaining attention for their hands-on, career-focused training in high-demand fields.
The Conversation
Polytechnic universities focus on practical, career-oriented skills, offering an alternative to traditional universities
Polytechnic universities try to incorporate skills-based learning into education.
‘Time banking’ is a community system where one hour of help earns one credit, no matter the task. It makes elder care more affordable while also reducing the social isolation of older people, who help others.
The Conversation
Time banks could ease the burden of elder care and promote connection
A diverse team of researchers, concerned that the global elder care crisis cannot be addressed by the market or the state alone, are seeking creati...
The Supreme Court is weighing whether Trump’s tariffs are constitutional. But there’s a bigger question: Are they good policy? Tariffs make imports more expensive, and those extra costs usually get passed along to shoppers in the form of higher prices. Quick overview with an economist:
The Conversation
Tariffs 101: What they are, who pays them, and why they matter now
Tariffs are taxes on imports, but the costs don’t stay at the border.
In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Pottersville is a dystopian warning about concentrated power, corruption and a community numbed to cruelty. The parallels to today are hard to ignore, writes a film studies professor.
The Conversation
The dystopian Pottersville in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is starting to feel less like fiction
Frank Capra’s dark vision of corruption and greed highlights both the dangers of concentrated power and the quiet effectiveness of collective act...
Trump can cheer coal all he wants, but the numbers haven’t changed: It’s still one of the most expensive and harmful ways to make power (and people pay the price in health and pollution).
The Conversation
Even with Trump’s support, coal power remains expensive – and dangerous
The Trump administration has made several efforts to support the coal industry, but even if coal were free, the economics aren’t in its favor.
Early screening and other supports are helping one Florida county cut preterm births, especially for high-risk moms. The program meant 85 fewer preterm babies, and at the average rate of $71,000 per NICU admission, that’s about $6 million in hospital spending avoided in a single year. It’s a successful model other communities could follow.
The Conversation
How one Florida program reduced preterm births – and how it could serve as a model for other communities
Central Hillsborough Healthy Start offers a model of community care that helps to prevent premature births.
Ever wonder why doctors ask if you’re married or what your race is? Those awkward questions feed the data that helps researchers spot health disparities, predict risks and design better care. Your answers become part of the bigger picture that moves medicine forward.
The Conversation
‘Are you married?’ Why doctors ask invasive questions during treatment
Answering personal questions at the doctor’s office can help researchers recognize health problems and find effective interventions.
We've made it very easy to cut out the messy, time-consuming stuff that actually builds real relationships. But "inconvenience is the cost of community," and if you want a village, it takes showing up, working through conflict and choosing people over convenience. More insight from a scholar who studies belonging:
The Conversation
The price of belonging is inconvenience. Are we still willing to pay it?
Every time we choose people over convenience, we invest in community. The real question in our homes, workplaces and democracies is whether we are ...
We put up #Christmas trees because… ancient solstice celebrations did it first 🎄 Evergreens symbolized life during winter darkness for Egyptians, Romans, Hopi, Persians and others. Christians adopted the tree centuries later, and Queen Victoria made it a worldwide trend.
The Conversation
The Christmas tree is a tradition older than Christmas
Evergreens have long served as symbols of life during the bleakness of winter. But Queen Victoria spurred the tradition that has become a global ph...
Zionist thinkers in the late 19th century reshaped #Hanukkah into a nationalist celebration of Jewish strength and self-determination. Then and now, many Jews disagreed.
The Conversation
Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition
Zionists draw on the military imagery of Hanukkah, while others look to the synagogue prayers that focus on the miracle of divine light.