For universities, making the case for diversity is part of making amends for racist past [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](.
Edition: US
9 August 2018
[The Conversation](
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Editor's note
When it comes to affirmative action, it’s not just a means to achieve greater racial diversity in higher education. Scholars Juan Miró and Edmund T. Gordon argue it’s also a way for universities to make up for a period in the early 20th century when [many universities helped lay the intellectual foundation for eugenics](, a pseudoscience used to justify racism.
In 2015, more than 320 million tons of plastic polymers were manufactured across the globe. Today, we kick off a series of articles on plastic – how it’s affected our lives and the incredible amount of waste it creates. Eric Beckman of the University of Pittsburgh starts us off with[a deep dive on the many materials we call “plastic”]( and the sometimes surprising ways in which they’re used.
Over the past couple of seasons, the WNBA has seen increases in revenue, attendance and TV viewership. According to University of Nevada, Las Vegas marketing researcher Nancy Lough, the league has been able to tap new revenue streams and creatively market its product to build up its fan base. [So why aren’t the players getting their fair share of the pie](?
Jamaal Abdul-Alim
Education Editor
Top stories
Historically, many American universities helped lay the foundation for eugenics, a pseudoscience used to justify racism. Helioscribe/www.shutterstock.com
[For universities, making the case for diversity is part of making amends for racist past](
Juan Miró, University of Texas at Austin; Edmund T Gordon, University of Texas at Austin
Since US universities once stood at the forefront of the eugenics movement and its racist ideas, they should right the wrongs of the past by pursuing diversity on campus, two scholars argue.
Millions of tons of plastic are manufactured every year. Bert Kaufmann/Wikimedia
[The world of plastics, in numbers](
Eric Beckman, University of Pittsburgh
In 2015, over 320 million tons of polymers, excluding fibers, were manufactured across the globe.
Through the 2018 WNBA All-Star game on July 28, viewership was up 38 percent compared to the same point last year. AP Photo/Stacy Bengs
[The case for boosting WNBA player salaries](
Nancy Lough, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Like the WNBA, the NBA went through fits and starts in its early years. Yet despite drawing similar crowds in the 1960s, NBA players earned far bigger paychecks than today's WNBA stars receive.
Economy + Business
-
[What is insider trading, the crime Rep. Chris Collins was charged with?](
Jena Martin, West Virginia University; Karen Kunz, West Virginia University
Insider trading, like what Rep. Chris Collins is accused of engaging in, is one of the sexier crimes in securities law.
Environment + Energy
-
[How the federal government came to control your car’s fuel economy](
Brian C. Black, Pennsylvania State University
The Trump administration's move to freeze fuel economy standards reflects a sea change in American energy policy first born during an era of oil shortages and environmental crises.
Politics + Society
-
[Republicans may be panicking over Ohio’s special election results](
Nathaniel Swigger, The Ohio State University
A nail-biting race in what was thought to be a safe seat for Republicans in Ohio's 12th Congressional District is a troubling sign for the party in November.
-
[Can Trump’s White House legally ban reporters?](
Frank LoMonte, University of Florida
The Trump administration's hostility toward journalists is raising new questions about what rights journalists have to access government officials and events.
Ethics + Religion
-
[Who are the Sikhs and what are their beliefs?](
Simran Jeet Singh, New York University
American Sikhs have been the target of many racist attacks. An expert explains the Sikh faith and its history in the United States.
Science + Technology
-
[How new fathers use social media to make sense of their roles](
Tawfiq Ammari, University of Michigan
The tasks of fatherhood are changing, but society's expectations haven't caught up. Many dads use online discussion groups, blogs and videos to explore their new identities.
Health + Medicine
-
[How pharmacists can help solve medication errors](
B. Joseph Guglielmo, University of California, San Francisco
The medication landscape is complicated and error-riddled, with very few care providers knowing all the drugs you are taking. Here's how pharmacists could be the solution.
Trending on site
-
[Who owns the moon? A space lawyer answers](
Frans von der Dunk, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Forty-nine years ago, on July 20, 1969, American astronauts planted a US flag on the moon. A space lawyer explains the implications, who owns the moon, and what it means for lunar mining.
-
[Parts of the Pacific Northwest’s Cascadia fault are more seismically active than others – new imaging data suggests why](
Miles Bodmer, University of Oregon; Doug Toomey, University of Oregon
A new array of seismometers provides a glimpse of what's happening deep beneath this geologic fault. New data help explain why the north and south of the region are more seismically active than the middle.
-
[Why stretching is (still) important for weight loss and exercise](
David Prologo, Emory University
Who hasn't been told to stretch before and after exercise to prevent injury and improve performance? There may be no scientific evidence to back that up, although stretching has other benefits.
Today’s quote
["For much of the 20th century in the U.S., insider trading was not generally considered illegal."](
[What is insider trading, the crime Rep. Chris Collins was charged with?](
Jena Martin
West Virginia University
[Jena Martin]
Karen Kunz
West Virginia University
[Karen Kunz]
[Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.](
You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](.
Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you.
89 South Street - Suite 202
Boston, MA 02111