By Anne Fitchett, Retired Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand
Every year, millions of tonnes of food end up in South Africa’s landfills. This is a wasted resource that deepens environmental damage, worsens food insecurity and costs the economy billions. But there are opportunities to turn what we throw away into value for people, the planet and local economies.
A new study investigates the true cost of current waste practices and the potential of alternative approaches. We spoke with one of the researchers, Anne Fitchett, about organic…
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By Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics & Business, Allegheny College
Nigerians have been waiting anxiously for the economy to “turn a corner”, following economic reform initiatives undertaken by President Bola Tinubu in 2023. These included removing the country’s fuel subsidy and freeing…
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By Malyn Newitt, Emeritus Professor in History, King's College London
Gold was the first attraction, but late in the 1500s the Portuguese became obsessed with the idea that there were silver mines in Africa.
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By Alessandro De Cola, Univertsity Assistant (Postdoc), Universität Wien; Università di Bologna
Giorgio Tosco, Research Fellow, History Department, Universität Trier
Mariella Terzoli, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
A dynamic new “consumer class” emerging from Africa is attracting international attention. With the prospect of rising incomes and a young population, international consulting firms see the continent as the next frontier for consumer goods. Global entrepreneurs even warn of the increasing savviness of African buyers.
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By Michelle Lynn Kahn, Associate Professor of History, University of Richmond
Some 1 million Syrians were welcomed in Germany after fleeing civil war. They are increasingly unwelcome in a country where politics have swung sharply right.
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By Suvrat Dhanorkar, Associate Professor of Operations Management, Georgia Institute of Technology
Electronic gifts are very popular, and in recent years, retailers have been offering significant discounts on smartphones, e-readers and other electronics labeled as “pre-owned.” Research I have co-led finds that these pre-owned options are becoming increasingly viable, thanks in part to laws and policies that encourage recycling and reuse of devices that might previously have been thrown away.
Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy have dedicated pages on their websites for pre-owned devices. Manufacturers like Apple and Dell,…
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By Anna Maria Santiago, Professor of Community Development, Michigan State University
Iris Margetis, PhD Candidate, Environmental, Urban & Applied Microeconomics, Michigan State University
High levels of neighborhood violence increase the risk of Latino and African American teens in Denver starting to use alcohol and tobacco, according to our recent study.
In the U.S., approximately 2 in 10 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20 drink alcohol. About 1 in 10 smoke cigarettes. For teens living in neighborhoods with high levels of disadvantage and social disorganization, the odds…
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By Rachel Rebouché, Professor of Law, The University of Texas at Austin
In 2026, the biggest battles over abortion will not be at the polls.
There will be a few contested measures on state ballots. Next year, Nevada’s government will ask residents to approve constitutional protection for abortion rights for the second time, as required by state law. The same measure passed in 2024 with just over…
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By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University
District courts have dismissed the administration’s efforts to detain virtually all undocumented immigrants without a bond hearing while they await deportation proceedings.
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By Adetola F. Louis-Jacques, Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida
Seun Mauton Ajoseh, PhD Candidate in Sociology, Criminology and Law, University of Florida
A growing share of Americans, especially in rural areas, are losing access to reproductive health care. At the same time, American women are dying during or after pregnancy at higher rates than in any other high-income country.
As a result, many U.S. health care providers and policymakers are looking…
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