Go time in Alabama

Edition: US - Today's top story: Why evangelicals are OK with voting for Roy Moore [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 12 December 2017 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Today, voters in Alabama go to the polls to choose a new senator in a race that’s too close to call. Turnout among black voters could be decisive for Democrat Doug Jones. But scholar David Elcott expects the evangelical vote to go to Republican Roy Moore – despite allegations of child molestation raised against him. Elcott explains how Christians can believe that Moore is guilty and [still see him as the moral choice](. Yesterday morning, an explosion on the New York City subway injured three victims plus the suspected bomber. The Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the attack and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has called it an “an attempted terrorist attack.” Given the accepted definition of terrorism, some mass killers are called terrorists, and not others. Ethicist and scholar of terrorism Jessica Wolfendale asks [whether the distinction is a fair one]( and what its moral implications are. “The Last Jedi,” which will be released in the U.S. later this week, is expected to be a huge critical success, continuing a streak of hit Star Wars films that started with “The Force Awakens.” SUNY-Binghamton marketing professor Subimal Chatterjee – who has researched the key differences between good and bad sequels – explains why [the recent spate of Star Wars films has been so much more beloved than the prequel trilogy](. (Jar Jar Binks is only partially to blame.) Emily Costello Deputy Editor/Politics + Society Editor Top stories Evangelicals are supporting Roy Moore despite the allegations against him. But would liberals make similar compromises? Reuters/Jonathan Bachman [Why evangelicals are OK with voting for Roy Moore]( David Elcott, New York University A scholar who has interviewed hundreds of Christians across the country explains how he sees religious beliefs and values intertwining with pragmatic concerns. Who is a terrorist? Evan McCaffrey/Shutterstock.com [The moral questions in the debate on what constitutes terrorism]( Jessica Wolfendale, West Virginia University A scholar asks: If two acts of violence kill similar numbers of people, have similar effects on victims and communities, and spread fear and terror, should they not be seen as equally abhorrent? Actor Mark Hammill reemerged in ‘The Force Awakens’ and ‘The Last Jedi.’ Nick Lehr/The Conversation via Lucasfilm [The secret behind the success of the new 'Star Wars' films]( Subimal Chatterjee, Binghamton University, State University of New York Why did most fans shun the prequel series, but embrace the recent spate of 'Star Wars' films? A recent study offers some clues. Politics + Society - [Child marriage is still legal in the US]( Nicholas Syrett, University of Kansas It is possible for minors in all 50 states to get married. A scholar explains the long history of child marriage, mostly of young girls, in the US. - [To prevent the next global crisis, don't forget today's small disasters]( Tilly Alcayna, Harvard University From California's fires to the Rohingya, headlines can be overwhelming these days. But that doesn't mean we should neglect so-called 'silent crises,' which can quickly erupt into global disasters. - [Venezuelan regime sweeps mayors races, tightening Maduro's grip on power]( Benigno Alarcón, Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB) Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party won 39 of 40 major mayoral races on Dec. 10. A victorious President Nicolás Maduro is now likely to call a snap presidential election early next year. Can he win? Economy + Business - [How the war on tipping harms customers]( Michael Lynn, Cornell University Some observers say we should eliminate tipping in restaurants because of the negative impact on workers. But how do customers feel about that? Science + Technology - [Following the developing Iranian cyberthreat]( Dorothy Denning, Naval Postgraduate School Iranian cyberthreats come from independent hacker groups and from those suspected of having government ties. Their efforts may be part of a campaign to counterbalance other international powers. Environment + Energy - [How Bill McKibben's radical idea of fossil-fuel divestment transformed the climate debate]( Todd Schifeling, Temple University; Andrew J. Hoffman, University of Michigan An analysis of media coverage provides lessons for how to move the climate debate forward and other highly polarized issues. From our international editions - [Tasmanian tigers were going extinct before we pushed them over the edge]( Andrew Pask, University of Melbourne The new Tasmanian tiger genome reveals some fascinating facts about this extinct marsupial, including why they were so similar to dogs, and how they were growing more vulnerable to genetic disease. - [The 'utopian' currency Bitcoin is a potentially catastrophic energy guzzler]( John Quiggin, The University of Queensland Bitcoin has been viewed as a liberating path out of the corporate monetary system. But the process of 'mining' the cryptocurrency is a massive energy drain - and potential environmental disaster. - [A year of illusions: five things we learnt about democracy in Africa in 2017]( Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham The past 12 months provided further evidence of the danger of democratic backsliding in Africa. But it also saw powerful presidents suffer embarrassing setbacks in a number of countries. - [You've got your DNA kit: Now what can you do with it?]( Steven Lehrer, Queen's University, Ontario; Weili Ding, Queen's University, Ontario The rapid growth of genetic testing and data-gathering could revolutionize health and medicine if governments work to protect people against privacy and societal risks. Today’s quote [Our results show that the successful franchises make smaller, gradual updates -- rather than sweeping changes – in each successive film.]( [The secret behind the success of the new 'Star Wars' films]( Subimal Chatterjee Binghamton University, State University of New York [Subimal Chatterjee] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 625 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 USA