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Opinion and analysis
Recent opinion and analysis pieces written by UW-affiliated experts. See The Conversation for only the analysis pieces.
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Full archive of opinion and analysis stories
- Analysis: Tech layoffs offer hiring boon for startups that survive | Bloomberg13 hours ago
"Thousands of layoffs across the tech sector may end up being a boon for startups that struggled to hire talent during the heady days of sky-high valuations. The big catch is they need to ensure their own survival first after venture-capital investors pulled back sharply this year," writes Tim Culpan, a columnist for Bloomberg. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is referenced. - Opinion: There’s been a massive change in where American policy gets made | The New York Times3 days ago
Since 2021, Democrats have controlled the House, the Senate and the presidency, and they’ve used that power to pass consequential legislation, from the American Rescue Plan to the Inflation Reduction Act. That state of affairs was exceptional: In the 50 years between 1970 and 2020, the U.S. House, Senate and presidency were only under unified party control for 14 years. Divided government has become the norm in American politics. And since Republicans won back the House in November, it is about to become the reality once again. Jake Grumbach, associate professor of political science at the UW, is interviewed on The Ezra Klein Show. - Analysis: Brain-computer interfaces could allow soldiers to control weapons with their thoughts and turn off their fear – but the ethics of neurotechnology lags behind the science | The Conversation1 week ago
"Imagine a soldier has a tiny computer device injected into their bloodstream that can be guided with a magnet to specific regions of their brain...While [this] may sound like science fiction, the science to develop neurotechnologies...is already in development. Brain-computer interfaces, or BCI, are technologies that decode and transmit brain signals to an external device to carry out a desired action. Basically, a user would only need to think about what they want to do, and a computer would do it for them," write the UW School of Medicine's Nancy Jecker, professor of bioethics and humanities, and Dr. Andrew Ko, assistant professor of neurological surgery. - Opinion: Amazon shouldn't be selling the antisemitic film touted by Kyrie Irving | CNN1 week ago
"It’s time for tech and social media companies to take some responsibility for the content they are willing to house on their platforms. At this week’s DealBook summit, Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief executive, said that the company would continue to allow the film – 'Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America!' – to be sold on its site. This film has generated huge controversy for its antisemitic content promoting false claims about the reaches of Jewish power and the number of Jews who died in the Holocaust," writes Julian Zelizer, CNN political analyst. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted. - Opinion: Remedy misguided policies to ease WA’s crisis of mentally ill persons in jails | The Seattle Times1 week ago
"The number of people with mental illness waiting for competency restoration treatment in Washington is the highest it’s ever been. According to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services data, there were 2,397 orders for inpatient evaluation and treatment services for people waiting in Washington jails this year, a 37% increase from the year before," writes David Luxton, affiliate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine. - Opinion: Substance use is a health issue, not a legal one | The Seattle Times1 week ago
"In 2021, 1,224 people died from fentanyl-involved overdoses across Washington state. This is more than a 10-fold increase from when illicitly manufactured fentanyl arrived here in 2016. It’s a national problem, with overdose death rates increasing in 42 out of 50 states in the last year," writes Caleb Banta-Green, a principal research scientist at the Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute in the UW School of Medicine. - Analysis: What's a polycule? An expert on polyamory explains | The Conversation1 week ago
"With the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, the media shined a spotlight on the personal lives of founder Sam Bankman-Fried and his inner circle. It turns out that Bankman-Fried, his on-and-off girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, who served as CEO of FTX subsidiary Alameda and others involved in the company have dabbled in polyamory. Polyamorous relationships are a form consensual non-monogamy in which partners seek out multiple romantic or sexual relationships," writes Riki Thompson, associate professor of digital rhetoric and writing studies at UW Tacoma. - Opinion: We’re in for an infection-filled holiday season: Will leaders step up? | The Hill2 weeks ago
"By all accounts, the risk of another winter surge of COVID-19 in the U.S. is high. And this time coronavirus is on the prowl alongside two pals — influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In some areas, hospitals are already overwhelmed. Just how severe this “tripledemic” is going to be is unclear. But what is very clear is that a pandemic-weary public isn’t taking the threat seriously enough. Shockingly, neither is government," writes The Hill opinion contributor Steven Findlay. Projections from the UW's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation are referenced. - Opinion: Science Twitter shaped the pandemic — are we better for it? | The New York Times3 weeks ago
"Twitter’s user base is modest compared with those of Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, yet its impact on society has been tremendous, in large part because of who uses it and the way that it serves as a conduit between social and traditional media. We saw this through Donald Trump’s use of the platform. And we have seen it again during the Covid-19 pandemic: Twitter became a locus for conversations among scientists, journalists and policymakers that ultimately shaped our pandemic response," writes Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW. - Opinion: Density is necessary but insufficient to ease the housing crisis | The Seattle Times3 weeks ago
"In his recent Op-Ed, University of Washington Professor Jonathan Warren argues that free market development, not a lack of housing supply, is primarily to blame for the housing crisis. We, as university colleagues engaged in issues of housing affordability and land-use policy, are compelled to respond," write the UW's Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, and Rick Mohler, associate professor of architecture. - Analysis: So, you want Twitter to stop destroying democracy | WIRED3 weeks ago
"Claiming to quit Twitter only to come slinking back is a time-honored tradition; numerous users embarrassed themselves by proclaiming Elon Musk’s inevitably abortive takeover to be the last straw, only to find the site’s allure impossible to resist," writes Katherine Cross, a doctoral student in the UW Information School. - Opinion: Sam Bankman-Fried and our faith in the tech whiz kid | The New York Times3 weeks ago
"We’ve seen this movie before: A casually attired whiz kid emerging from seemingly nowhere is proclaimed both savant and savior, and takes the world by storm. Growing concern about Big Tech’s power and intense criticism of onetime wunderkinds like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos set the stage perfectly for a figure like Sam Bankman-Fried. Amid power-hungry moguls and crypto hustlers, here was a white-knight superhero in the perfect costume, championing philanthropy and pledging to make the world a better place — for real, this time," writes Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW. - Analysis: A glitch in Maricopa, a gift to election deniers | CNN4 weeks ago
Not much can grow naturally in the barren desert landscape of Arizona’s Maricopa County, but given its pivotal role in shaping national politics, it’s fertile ground for conspiracy theories to take root. Kate Starbird, associate professor of human centered design and engineering at the UW, is quoted. - Opinion: Fixing election disinformation and interference starts at home | The Washington Post4 weeks ago
Russian interference is so 2016. While this year’s midterms revealed that disinformation threats from foreign adversaries remain real as ever, they have also shown great danger right here at home. The elections went off this week with relatively few snags, and few allegations of fraud (so far) compared with the aftermath of the 2020 presidential contest. Yet even before the vote, mischief-makers sowed doubts. The UW Center for an Informed Public is referenced. - Analysis: Misinformation floods the midterms, at times urging violence | The Washington Post1 month ago
The midterms are here, and misinformation researchers say they are bracing for the deluge of false and misleading online posts that has become typical of Election Day in the United States. The UW's Mike Caulfield, a research scientist at the UW Center for an Informed Public, and Kate Starbird, associate professor of human centered design and engineering, are quoted. - Analysis: Climate change is causing endangered African wild dogs to give birth later – threatening the survival of the pack | The Conversation1 month ago
"Wildlife are responding and adapting to climate change in various ways. Some adaptations are more obvious. Flowering plants, for example, are blooming sooner each year in parts of the northern hemisphere as climate change draws the onset of spring progressively earlier in the calendar. Other adaptations are more covert, as we’ve discovered in the case of the African wild dog," write Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, and co-author of the study. - Analysis: Cannabis holds promise for pain management, reducing the need for opioid painkillers – a neuropharmacology expert explains how | The Conversation1 month ago
"Drug overdose deaths from opioids continue to rise in the U.S. as a result of both the misuse of prescription opioids and the illicit drug market. But an interesting trend has developed: Opioid emergency room visits drop by nearly 8% and opioid prescriptions are modestly lower in states where marijuana is legalized," writes Benjamin Land, research assistant professor of pharmacology. - Analysis: A blood test that screens for multiple cancers at once promises to boost early detection | The Conversation1 month ago
"Detecting cancer early before it spreads throughout the body can be lifesaving. This is why doctors recommend regular screening for several common cancer types, using a variety of methods. Colonoscopies, for example, screen for colon cancer, while mammograms screen for breast cancer. While important, getting all these tests done can be logistically challenging, expensive and sometimes uncomfortable for patients. But what if a single blood test could screen for most common cancer types all at once?" writes Dr. Colin Pritchard, professor of laboratory medicine at the UW School of Medicine. - Editorial: WA lawmakers must cap the potency of marijuana products | The Seattle Times1 month ago
"Chances are, most Washington legislators are not frequent patrons of pot shops. They may not be aware of the multiple marijuana-sourced oils, extracts and other products with ever higher doses of THC, the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. But ignorance doesn’t excuse inaction. The Legislature must confront the massive harm these products cause," writes the Seattle Times editorial board. Dr. Cora Breuner, professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, is referenced. - Opinion: #WomenWithoutBorders, march alongside your Iranian sisters | The Seattle Times1 month ago
"The time has come to summon ferocious courage to support the women of Iran. The oppression and violence against women must end and as women, and allies of women, we must heed the call to show up and demand change," write the UW's Azita Emami, professor of nursing; Shahrzad Shams, assistant teaching professor of international studies; and Shiva Shafii, director for marketing and communications for the School of Public Health. - Analysis: How unhealthy is red meat? And how beneficial is it to eat vegetables? A new rating system could help you cut through the health guidelines | The Conversation2 months ago
"We developed a new method for assessing health risks that our research suggests should make it a lot easier for people to determine which health advice to follow – and which to ignore. The approach, recently published in the journal Nature Medicine, offers a straightforward way for both policymakers and the general public to assess the strength of evidence for a given health risk – like consuming red meat – and the corresponding outcome – ischemic heart disease – using a rating system of one to five stars," write UW's Aleksandr Aravkin, adjunct assistant professor of applied mathematics; Christian Razo, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation; and Jeffrey Stanaway, assistant professor of global health and health metrics sciences. - Opinion: Harassment, public-records requests bombard UW truth seeker after Jan. 6 hearings cameo | The Seattle Times2 months ago
"After making a cameo appearance in the Jan. 6 hearings, a University of Washington professor was pounced upon, virtually, by national media and a Missouri Senate candidate. The situation offers a different perspective on the local journalism crisis and the underlying challenge of ensuring that Americans continue receiving trustworthy, factual information," writes The Seattle Times' Brier Dudley. Kate Starbird, associate professor of human centered design and engineering at the UW, is quoted. - Analysis: Will hurling tomato soup on Van Gogh’s sunflowers advance climate policy? | Forbes2 months ago
"Last week, a climate group, “Just Stop Oil,” hurled tomato soup at Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery in London. Because the painting had a glass cover, a fact known to the activists, the Sunflowers was not damaged. It is fair to say that this was not an act of vandalism; it was a dramatic protest to gather headlines, which it did. Mission accomplished," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science. - Analysis: Wildfires reshape forests and change the behavior of animals that live there | The Conversation2 months ago
"In the arid American West, wildfires now define summer. Recent years have seen some of the worst wildfires in recorded history. Climate change, the loss of Indigenous burning practices and a century of fire suppression are increasing the risk of larger, hotter and more frequent wildfires," writes Taylor Ganz, a doctoral student of environmental and forest sciences at the UW. - Opinion: Free-market development, not lack of density, is behind housing crisis | The Seattle Times2 months ago
"NIMBYs (Not-In-My-Back-Yarders) are increasingly singled out as the principal foe of our housing crisis. Many urbanists, progressives and leftist opinion makers such as New York Times columnists Paul Krugman and Ezra Klein have declared them public enemy No. 1. And yet, one need only consider most up-zoned cities in the world — New York, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Paris — to appreciate how unsatisfying this analysis is. There is no question that densification is better than sprawl for our environment, but it is a mistake to presume it alone will lead to affordability," writes Jonathan Warren, professor of international studies at the UW. - Analysis: Powerful women heading up dating apps are framed as young and sexy | The Conversation2 months ago
"People are swiping on dating apps in record numbers and roughly half of these individuals identify as women, which may be the reason why the dating app industry recently assigned the top leadership roles to women. Indeed, this past year, the most powerful dating apps in the world — Bumble and Tinder — were both run by women. Whitney Wolfe Herd is at Bumble while Renate Nyborg was running Tinder," write Treena Orchard, professor at Western University, and Riki Thompson, associate professor of digital rhetoric and writing studies at UW Tacoma. - Analysis: So you want to vote by mail – 5 essential reads | The Conversation2 months ago
"As the midterm elections approach, much of life has returned to its busy post-COVID-19 normal, even as the pandemic continues. Being busy and wary of sharing space with large numbers of strangers are among the many reasons people might consider skipping Election Day. In most states you can skip Election Day and still vote, though," writes The Conversation editor Jeff Inglis. Jake Grumbach, assistant professor of political science at the UW, is quoted. - Analysis: How many Amazon packages get delivered each year? | The Conversation2 months ago
"It’s incredibly convenient to buy something online, right from your computer or phone. Whether it’s a high-end telescope or a resupply of toothpaste, the goods appear right at your doorstep. This kind of shopping is called 'e-commerce' and it’s becoming more popular each year. In the U.S., it has grown from a mere 7% of retail purchases in 2012 to 19.6% of retail and $791.7 billion in sales in 2020," write Anne Goodchild, professor of civil and environmental engineering and founding director of the Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center at the UW, and Rishi Verma, a doctoral student in industrial and systems engineering and member of the Urban Freight Lab at the UW. - Opinion: A petition for meaningful tribal recognition at the University of Washington | South Seattle Emerald2 months ago
"Short of giving the land back, or even paying some sort of monetary restitution for having taken the land, what could the University of Washington do to demonstrate its sincerity? The answer is simple: UW is an educational institution that provides opportunities to advance oneself educationally, professionally, and personally. The university should promise tuition-free education to every member of a Washington State tribe that qualifies for admission to the university," writes Michael Brett, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the UW. - Opinion: Why is Alex Jones getting sued — and why lawsuits are not enough | NBC News2 months ago
"A Connecticut jury on Wednesday ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay nearly $1 billion for defaming the families of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting victims. Given Jones’ wealth, which was estimated at $135 million to $270 million if you include his media company, this verdict would seem bound to put Jones out of business," writes Yunkang Yang, professor at Texas A&M. The UW's Center for an Informed Public is referenced.
