Why Ireland isn't toasting VP Harris' ties

+ that new football helmet accessory US Edition - Today's top story: Kamala Harris' purported Irish ancestry highlights complicated backstory of identity and enslavement [View in browser]( US Edition | 7 September 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( There has been a fair bit said about Kamala Harris’ identity since she emerged as the Democratic presidential candidate, and not all of it that nuanced. “Is she Indian? Or is she Black?” asked her Republican rival. Well, Donald Trump, it is more complicated than that. She may also be a bit Irish, according to her father, the Jamaican-born professor Donald Harris. But in contrast to the celebrations that took place in the Emerald Isle on discovery of Barack Obama’s Irish ancestry – or for that matter, the other 22 U.S. presidents with known Irish roots – there have been few signs of regulars at Irish pubs raising a glass of Guinness to Harris’ ancestral claims. The reasons are complicated, as Quinnipiac University’s Christine Kinealy, a director of the African American Irish Diaspora Network, and two of her colleagues explain. For starters, the man linking Harris to Ireland may not have identified as being Irish at all. His own ancestors were brought to Ireland from Scotland as part of a British colonizing project. Secondly, he was a slave owner in Jamaica. That [raises uncomfortable questions](, not only about the nature of the relationship between Harris’ Black female ancestor and the Irish plantation owner, but also Ireland’s complicity in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Kinealy and her co-authors write: “As the British empire expanded, Ireland found itself in the paradoxical role of being both colonized and colonizer.” This week we also liked articles about what makes [Trump so appealing to his supporters](, how a “[self-fulfilling prophecy pandemic](” emerged in 1977, and why [most dogs and many cats like to fetch](. [ [One great story every day, texted directly to you](. ] Matt Williams Senior International Editor If elected – and her father’s account of the family’s history is correct – Kamala Harris would become the 24th U.S. president of Irish heritage. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images [Kamala Harris’ purported Irish ancestry highlights complicated backstory of identity and enslavement]( Christine Kinealy, Quinnipiac University; Kimberly DaCosta, New York University; Miriam Nyhan Grey, Mary Immaculate College Presidential candidate’s potential ties to an Irish slave owner complicate narratives around colonial legacies and the proper place of Black Irish identity in history. The league claims that players reported half as many concussions after the caps were mandated for practices. Ethan Miller/Getty Images [New NFL helmet accessory reduces concussions − but players and fans may not be ready to embrace safety over swag]( Noah Cohan, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis For the first time, players will be permitted to wear Guardian Caps over their helmets during regular season games. Former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally in Johnstown, Pa., on Aug. 30, 2024. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images [Trump’s die-hard support may be explained by one of his most misunderstood character traits – ‘charisma’]( Michael Scott Bryant, Bryant University Throughout modern history, charismatic leaders have shown their extraordinary ability to elicit devotion to themselves and their causes. - [Cats and dogs both like to play fetch − it’s rooted in their hunting instincts]( Mikel Delgado, Purdue University; Judith Stella, Purdue University About 80% of dogs and 40% of cats will fetch, a new study finds. Domesticating turned these carnivores’ hunting methods into a game. - [Preparing for a pandemic that never came ended up setting off another − how an accidental virus release triggered 1977’s ‘Russian flu’]( Donald S. Burke, University of Pittsburgh An epidemiologist makes the case that a rush of research to stop a swine flu outbreak led to an accidental lab release of an extinct virus. Preparing for one pandemic triggered a different one. - [Oil and gas communities are a blind spot in America’s climate and economic policies]( Noah Kaufman, Columbia University Slowing climate change means cutting fossil fuel use. Many oil- and gas-producing communities aren’t prepared for that future, as a former White House economic and climate adviser explains. - [Trump campaign violated rules in Arlington National Cemetery visit, cemetery legal expert explains]( - [US food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 as government benefits declined and food prices soared]( - [Black church leaders brought religion to politics in the ‘60s – but it was dramatically different from today’s white Christian nationalism]( - [Humans infecting animals infecting humans − from COVID-19 to bird flu, preventing pandemics requires protecting all species]( - [African immigrant students draw on family and community strengths in quest for college]( - [Space travel comes with risk − and SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission will push the envelope further than any private mission has before]( The Conversation News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Vladimir Putin's visit to Mongolia on Sept. 2-3 was more notable for what didn't happen than what did. What didn't happen? - A. Putin didn't wear a shirt during a formal dinner - B. He didn't shake the hand of Mongolia’s prime minister - C. He backed out of a planned judo exhibition - D. He didn't get arrested [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [Giving Today]( [New!] • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Threads]( • [Nostr]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to [help you make sense of our complex world](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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