By Cynthia Chris, Professor of Media Studies, City University of New York
The turn to CGI has sidelined many of the dogs, bears and horses of yesteryear. But ethical questions aside, there’s still some magic in filming and seeing the real thing.
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By Gregory P. Magarian, Thomas and Karole Green Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis
In 1970, National Guard troops killed four protesters at Kent State University. In 2026, federal agents killed two Minneapolis protesters. Public reaction to the deaths was significantly different.
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By Frederic Lemieux, Professor of the Practice and Faculty Director of the Master's in Applied Intelligence, Georgetown University
With each year of the Ukraine-Russia war, Moscow has upped its violations of neighboring states’ airspace – testing NATO’s resolve.
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By Barret Michalec, Research Associate Professor of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
Humility is a virtue that many people admire but far fewer practice. A scholar describes how a professional crisis made him look inward and rethink his concept of success.
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By Virginia Raguin, Distinguished Professor of Humanities Emerita, College of the Holy Cross
Michelangelo’s fresco of “The Last Judgment,” covering the wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, is being restored. The work, which started on Feb. 1, 2026, is expected to continue for three months.
The Sistine Chapel is one of the great masterpieces of Renaissance art. As the setting where the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church meets…
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By Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston
Jacob Burley, Junior Research Fellow, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston
Automating knowledge production and teaching weakens the ecosystem of students and scholars that sustains universities, raising existential questions about their mission.
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By Matthew Bunn, Professor of the Practice of Energy, National Security and Foreign Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
The expiration of the New START treaty has the US and Russia poised to increase the number of their deployed strategic nuclear weapons, pushing the world into dangerous territory.
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By Ulf Engel, Professor, Institute of African Studies, University of Leipzig
The African Union held its 39th Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February 2026. The two-day assembly produced the usual number of decisions and declarations across African peace and security, trade, governance and development.
Such gatherings, however, can feel distant from the everyday realities of African citizens. They are a showcase of high-level diplomacy that can feel far removed from public life.
Since…
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By Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology., Stellenbosch University
When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to the provinces of Gauteng and the Western Cape in his 2026 State of the Nation Address, he was met with desperate applause by a crime-weary nation. This is largely due to police failure in almost every aspect of their duties in protecting…
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By Adewumi Badiora, Senior Lecturer, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Olabisi Onabanjo University
Nigeria is urbanising at a remarkable speed. Some of the world’s fastest growing cities are in the west African country.
With the current rate of urbanisation, Kano, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt will surpass the 10 million inhabitants mega city threshold by 2050. According to United Nations estimates,…
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