Q&A Archives

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at the conclusion of their meetings at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 in Singapore. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)

US-North Korea meeting could lead to historic peace or disaster—‘the devil is in the details’

Monday’s historic meeting between President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was a big gamble for Trump, said political science professor Costas Panagopoulos. “If the deal falls apart and Trump feels betrayed by the North Koreans, he might be more inclined to react in a very hostile and exaggerated way,” he said.

by Molly Callahan June 12, 2018

In this Aug. 11, 2017, photo a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent escorts an immigrant suspected of crossing into the United States illegally along the Rio Grande near Granjeno, Texas. The election of President Donald Trump contributed to a dramatic downturn in migration, causing the number of arrests at the border to hit an all-time low in April. But since then, the number of immigrants caught at the southern border has been increasing monthly. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

No, the government hasn’t lost 1,500 children. What’s actually happening might be worse.

The problem is not that federal authorities lost track of nearly 1,500 migrant children, as reported by almost every major news outlet in recent weeks. The problem is that the well-intended outcry over the news obscured the larger issues with immigration policy, say three Northeastern professors who specialize in immigration law.

by Molly Callahan June 5, 2018

FILE - In this July 15, 2016 file photo, a man cycles alongside taxi drivers near the Capitol building in Havana, Cuba. A rare poll of Cuban public opinion taken in late 2016 has found that most Cubans approve of normal relations with the United States and large majorities want more tourism and private business ownership. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

Cuba is getting a new president. But that doesn’t mean the end of Castro rule.

The Castro regime is far from over in Cuba, and how the U.S. responds to the apparent transfer of power could have a dramatic impact on national security. Northeastern’s Caribbean expert, Jose Buscaglia, discusses the impact of week’s dramatic events on U.S. national security.

by Bill Ibelle April 20, 2018

Meryl Alper, assistant professor of communication studies, recently won a prestigious award for her book,

The power of ‘voice,’ and empowering the voiceless

Many people use their voices everyday—to talk to people, to communicate their needs and wants—but the idea of ‘voice’ goes much deeper. Having a voice gives an individual agency and power, and a way to express his or her beliefs. But what happens when that voice is in some way silenced? Meryl Alper, assistant professor of communication studies, found out.

by Molly Callahan April 17, 2018

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg takes his seat to testifies before a joint hearing of the Commerce and Judiciary Committees on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 10, 2018, about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Lawmakers who questioned Zuckerberg don’t understand Facebook. Do you?

Lawmakers grilled Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg this week over privacy issues and questions of greater regulation on the social media platform, but some of their questions revealed them to be technologically out of touch. Woodrow Hartzog, professor of law and computer science, acknowledged this point, but underscored another: if they can’t understand the complexities of “the modern data behemoth,” how can we?

by Molly Callahan April 12, 2018

Photo illustration by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

With no clear liability against Facebook, professor calls for stronger data privacy laws

The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday that it is investigating Facebook after millions of users’ personal data was harvested and passed along to a campaign analytics firm. Professor Woodrow Hartzog specializes in privacy and data protection law, and says that while there’s ‘no clear-cut’ liability case against Facebook, the case may be enough to spur Congress to pass much-needed privacy laws.

by Danny Hajjar March 22, 2018

Engineering prof says Florida bridge collapse an anomaly, urges close look at old structures

Jerome Hajjar, CDM Smith Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, says the use of accelerated bridge construction has increased in the past decade, and other instances have been proven safe.

by Greg St. Martin March 16, 2018

Why Black Panther: The Album is ‘a stroke of genius’

The soundtrack, curated by hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar, has generated critical praise for standing alone as a sonic experience and simultaneously complementing the film through its exploration of similar themes seen in the movie. We spoke with Mark Lomanno, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Music, about the album’s cultural significance and impact on the music industry.

by Danny Hajjar March 1, 2018

President Donald Trump gestures as he finishes his first State of the Union address as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan applaud. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP)

Did we learn anything from Trump’s body language at SOTU?

During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Donald Trump frequently raised his eyebrows, lifted his chin, and angled his body to his left to face his supporters. What do these nonverbal cues mean? According to Northeastern behavior analyst Laura Dudley, the answer lies in the eye of the beholder.

by Jason Kornwitz February 1, 2018

Amazon opened a convenience store on Monday in downtown Seattle. Known as Amazon Go, it enables shoppers to grab what they want from the 1,800-square-foot mini-mart and leave without paying a cashier. (Photo by Alex Tsway/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

Amazon opened a cashier-free convenience store. What does it mean for the future of retail?

Amazon opened an automated convenience store on Monday in Seattle, enabling shoppers to scan their smartphones with the Amazon Go app, grab what they want from the 1,800-square-foot mini-mart, and leave without paying a cashier. We asked associate professor Bruce Clark what this could mean for the future of retail.

by Jason Kornwitz January 24, 2018

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