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

As the US withdraws, it’s time for China to shine. Reuters

Will China lead on climate change as green technology booms?

Channing Arndt, United Nations University

The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa at the BRICS summit in Goa, India. Brazil’s position is shaky. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

Brazil is breaking with its south-south focus. What it means for BRICS

Marco Vieira, University of Birmingham and Henrique Menezes, University of Birmingham

The minimum wage in Mexico doesn’t cover a family’s basic needs. Oscar Peñalva

What does a living wage look like in Mexico?

Enrique Cárdenas Sánchez, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)

Public toilets in the city of Varanasi in India. Jorge Royan

Why it’s easier for India to get to Mars than to tackle its toilet challenge

Shyama V. Ramani, United Nations University

The surprising origins of ‘post-truth’ – and how it was spawned by the liberal left

Andrew Calcutt, University of East London

Protesters wearing cut-outs of South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil attend a protest denouncing the president. Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

What you should know about South Korea’s political scandal: the same old story – but with a twist?

Ingyu Oh, Korea University

Participants in the 2015 rally organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections in Malaysia. Olivia Harris/Reuters

Malaysia’s Bersih 5 rally: protesters weigh the cost of action under a repressive regime

Khoo Ying Hooi, University of Malaya

Researchers have identified a specific difference shared by most (but not all) brains of people who had autism. from www.shutterstock.com.au

New study finds common link across autism spectrum disorders

Jeffrey Craig, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Countries looking to make new deals may be apprehensive about encountering political hostility akin to that garnered by the TPP. Guadalupe Pardo/Reuters

China capitalises on Trump’s hostility to trade with a new deal for Asia-Pacific

Amitendu Palit, National University of Singapore

Remarkable things happen when academics from the global South work together. Shutterstock

Scholarly collaboration: it’s time for the global South to call the shots

Clive Kronenberg, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

‘Make America Great Again’ or the projected visions of President Trump for Americans. Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Dreams of a good life: why the US election reminded me of Yugoslavia

Carna Brkovic, University of Regensburg

A South African Buddhist celebrates the Chinese New Year at Nan Hua Buddhist temple in Bronkhorstpruit, South Africa. Reuters

November 17, 2016

Chinese literature in Africa: meaningful or simply ceremonial?

Catherine Gilbert, King's College London

Much of the recent commentary on Sino-African relations has a negative tone. But genuine cultural exchange holds the promise of mutual enrichment.

November 17, 2016

Expedition reveals how the dinosaur-killing asteroid shook and shaped the Earth

Stephen Kershaw, Brunel University London

New research suggests how asteroids may have helped create conditions for life on Earth. But we shouldn't get too carried away with the idea – yet.

November 17, 2016

Cranberries can’t cure UTIs, and other good reasons to publish negative research results

Rémi Thomasson, Université Paris Descartes – USPC and Antoine Muchir, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) – Sorbonne Universités

There are good reasons why 'negative data' and wrong hypotheses should be made available to everyone.

Mexico and the US: separated by a river, some fences, and a long history of American racism. Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters

November 16, 2016

Just who are the millions of ‘bad hombres’ slated for US deportation?

Luis Gómez Romero, University of Wollongong

Before the United States kicks out millions of Mexicans, perhaps Trump -- and we -- should ask whether Latino deportees are really criminals, and consider the origins of that errant notion.

With Donald Trump, science has entered the political arena. Mike Segar/Reuters

November 16, 2016

Science wars in the age of Donald Trump

Andrea Saltelli, University of Bergen and Silvio Oscar Funtowicz, University of Bergen

Is the election of Donald Trump going to reignite a futile war between science and anti-science?

In the last four years Indonesia has rapidly increased its academic publications output. But it still has a lot of catching up to do to be on par with other countries in the region. Andreas Hie/www.shutterstock,com

November 16, 2016

Indonesia’s knowledge sector is catching up, but a large gap persists

Helen Tilley, Overseas Development Institute and Arnaldo Pellini, Overseas Development Institute

Indonesia has the potential to make important contributions through academic research and the dissemination of knowledge emerging from Indonesian universities.

A police officer escorts migrants from a train at Hyllie station outside Malmo. TT News Agency/Reuters

November 16, 2016

Taking on the challenge of getting refugees into the job market in Sweden

Nahikari Irastorza, Malmö University and Pieter Bevelander, Malmö University

Job prospects are not good for newly arrived refugees in Sweden. But better integration programmes will help.

The mitotic spindle inside a living cell, magnified x 80,000, captured by biomedical animator Drew Berry. Drew Barry/Morbis Artis: Diseases of the Arts

November 16, 2016

Of microbes and machines: how art and science fuse in Bio-art

Sean Redmond, Deakin University and Darrin Sean Verhagen, RMIT University

When art meets the biological sciences, living matter becomes the medium. From the chaotic beauty of smallpox to poems implanted in bacteria, Bio-art investigates the boundaries of life and death.