The Conversation: In-depth analysis, research, news and ideas from leading academics and researchers.

Security officials remove members of the Economic Freedom Fighters during South African President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address. Reuters/Sumaya Hisham

Zuma’s state of the nation address: nothing but farce and fisticuffs

Roger Southall, University of the Witwatersrand

The ANC should draw the lesson that South Africans are unlikely to tolerate the ongoing descent of their politics into the gutter without strident resistance - in the streets, if necessary.

Zuma’s speech: the story of a country that’s fallen for the ‘politics of the belly’

Prince Mashele, University of Pretoria

President Zuma's speech is historically meaningless in that it is not a milestone of any professed historical mission.

A squadron of UAE Mirage fighter planes such as this one at the Dubai Airshow are stationed in Eritrea for Yemeni operations. Reuters/Caren Firouz

Faith and money from the Middle East fuelling tensions in the Horn of Africa

Martin Plaut, School of Advanced Study

The growing Arab military, political and religious influence is only the latest example of an external force taking hold in the Horn of Africa.

When English wickets fall much more than just cricket is at stake

Ashwin Desai, University of Johannesburg

South Africa's cricket is on the rise again, now represented by players of all the country's races. One of them is Temba Bavuma. His first test century in 2015 knocked a few perceptions for a six.

From farm to table: poor hygiene in slaughterhouses in rural Kenya

Elizabeth Cook, International Livestock Research Institute

Slaughterhouses are an essential step in meat production. Hygiene standards need to be maintained to prevent the spread of diseases.

Urban farming produces more than food: social networks are a key spinoff

David Olivier, University of the Witwatersrand

Urban farming increases access to healthy foods. And building social networks is one of the greatest benefits of urban agriculture in poor areas.

What South Africa can do about youth unemployment in the short run

Lauren Graham, University of Johannesburg and Ariane De Lannoy, University of Cape Town

While South Africa's youth unemployment is a structural matter, the country must find ways to alleviate the challenges in the short-term.

University staff table solutions to the crisis on South Africa’s campuses

Vishwas Satgar, University of the Witwatersrand

With the impasse between South African universities and students over free higher education a forum has been set up to look at possible reforms.

Why Kenya has been unable to end a two-month long doctors’ strike

Moses Masika, University of Nairobi

Doctors in Kenya went on strike two months ago asking the government to implement a collective bargaining agreement signed in June 2013.

South African soldiers deployed for parliament’s opening. Why this bodes ill

Jane Duncan, University of Johannesburg

The domestic deployment of the military is almost always a sign of growing state repression.

Top political executives in South Africa don’t resign: they only quit under duress

Dirk Kotze, University of South Africa

Mahlangu's resignation over the deaths of mental patients sets her apart from her colleagues in government. But, it does not portend a new trend in political accountability for the governing ANC.

Africa faces a new threat to democracy: the ‘constitutional coup’

Joleen Steyn Kotze, University of the Free State

Attempts to deepen democracy in Africa by limiting presidential terms to two have not entirely quashed a culture of entitlement to rule. Glimpses of it persist, much against citizens' wishes.

Better note-taking can help students who struggle with English

Shalini Dukhan, University of the Witwatersrand; Ann Kathleen Cameron, University of the Witwatersrand, and Elisabeth Ann Brenner, University of the Witwatersrand

Learning is an independent activity at university. Students who don't speak English as a mother tongue struggle to decode the content, let alone make sense of it.

Behind the conflict in central Kenya that’s costing lives and hitting tourism

Jennifer Bond, Charles Sturt University and Kennedy Mkutu, United States International University

The simplistic assumption that the violence in central Kenya is the result of drought mask the more complex underlying dynamics of politics, access to resources and land.

Joost, South Africa’s rugby warrior who transcended the game he loved

Charles Villet, Monash University

South African rugby superstar Joost van der Westhuizen, who has died aged 45, transcended not only the game of rugby but also life itself.

More Analysis and Comment

Research and News

Retraction: why we removed an article about al-Shabaab

Caroline Southey, The Conversation

Today we removed an article headlined “It’s discontent, not religion, that draws people to al-Shabaab”. We made the decision after becoming aware of significant factual errors that undermined some of the…

More Research and News

Public health

Legally mandated oversight bodies should be integral to post-apartheid consultative and cooperative governance. www.shutterstock.com

South Africa’s mental health watchdogs must be given voice and teeth

Julie Parle, University of KwaZulu-Natal

The lives of South Africa's most vulnerable remain in danger for as long as its mental health oversight bodies remain dysfunctional and disregarded.

Bird flu in Uganda highlights gaps in Africa’s plans to manage pandemics

Politicians must account for the deaths of 94 psychiatric patients in South Africa

Patient deaths show South Africa’s care for the mentally ill is in disarray

Hodgkin’s lymphoma: an uncommon cancer that’s easily missed in Africa

South Africa’s sugar tax: a bold move, and the right thing to do

How Africa can win the fight against childhood cancer

How a gene test can solve side effects linked to ARV drugs in Africa

How Kenya can ensure adequate health care for its older people

Why it’s hard to run a mass measles campaign in Nigeria’s war-torn states

New insights into the complex link between iron supplements and malaria

What Trump misses about regulations: They produce benefits as well as costs

Joseph Aldy, Harvard University

President Trump has ordered federal agencies to cut two regulations for every new one they enact – ignoring the fact that many regulations produce large social benefits.

Trump’s travel ban is nothing to do with national security

Alan Greene, Durham University

In a crisis, governments often act just to be seen to be doing something. The difference with what Trump's doing is that there is no crisis.

What’s gone wrong in the seven countries Trump included in his ban? Essential reads

Research and Expert Database

Popular: food, water, transport, health, and energy.

Editors’ Picks

Hans Rosling

Hans Rosling was an incredibly entertaining presenter of the facts – and he made a huge impact

Keith Morris, Cardiff Metropolitan University

The world has lost a fantastic statistician at a time when the communication of facts is crucial.

Grime

Why so many singers sound American – but British grime artists are bucking the trend

Rob Drummond, Manchester Metropolitan University and Erin Carrie, Manchester Metropolitan University

When British singers step up to the microphone many adopt an American accent. Grime is the exception.

Protest poets

Five protest poets all demonstrators should read

Tim Atkins, University of East London

When the pen is mightier than the sword.

Separated at launch. Scott and Mark Kelly. NASA

Nature vs nurture

NASA sent a twin to space to study nature versus nurture – and we’re starting to get results

Nick Caplan, Northumbria University, Newcastle

A twin experiment in space can help us prevent diseases on Earth.

Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. Wikimedia Commons

Black pop

The story of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, America’s first black pop star

Adam Gustafson, Pennsylvania State University

In the 19th century, critics and audiences thought blacks were incapable of singing as well as their white, European counterparts. Greenfield forced them to reconcile their ears with their racism.

Pole reversal?

Does an anomaly in the Earth’s magnetic field portend a coming pole reversal?

John Tarduno, University of Rochester and Vincent Hare, University of Rochester

Are we headed to a magnetic reversal and all the global disruption that would bring? Enter archaeomagnetism. A look at the archaeological record in southern Africa provides some clues.

How Beyoncé pregnancy pics challenge racist, religious and sexual stereotypes

Katie Edwards, University of Sheffield

How to challenge centuries of bigotry with a single image – and bump Trump off the front pages.

Looking deep into computer activities. Via shutterstock.com

Hacking for good

Hunting hackers: An ethical hacker explains how to track down the bad guys

Timothy Summers, University of Maryland

Cyberdetectives look for digital doors or windows left unlocked, find electronic footprints in the dirt and examine malicious software for clues about who broke in, what they took and why.

Cheering for cheerleading

Cheerleading’s peculiar path to potential Olympic sport

Jaime Schultz, Pennsylvania State University

A recent decision by the International Olympic Committee has cheerleading under consideration for Tokyo 2020. But its very status as a sport has constantly been questioned.

Driving and mobile phones

Why using a mobile phone while driving is so dangerous … even when you’re hands-free

David Crundall, Nottingham Trent University

The scientific evidence is surprising – and terrifying.

Kangaroo mother care

‘Kangaroo mother care’ helps preterm babies survive … but offers benefits for all

Julia Petty, University of Hertfordshire

Kangaroo mother care: the long-term benefits of closeness in the early days of life.

There’s got to be a perfectly logical explanation for this. Shutterstock

Alien abduction

Some scientific explanations for alien abduction that aren’t so out of this world

Ken Drinkwater, Manchester Metropolitan University and Neil Dagnall, Manchester Metropolitan University

Millions of people claim to have had encounters with aliens, but most can be explained by psychology rather than UFOs.

1984

2017 isn’t ‘1984’ – it’s stranger than Orwell imagined

John Broich, Case Western Reserve University

The best selling book on Amazon is '1984' – which was originally published in 1949. A historian from Case Western Reserve University considers how the novel resonates with today's reality.