The new language of the violent far-right

Plus: Why you should stop talking ‘warspeak’ [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 6 August 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Naomi Schalit] A note from... Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society In El Paso, 22 people were shot dead this past weekend by a young white man. Law enforcement officials say the shooter published an anti-immigrant manifesto just before the killings began. Arie Perliger of University of Massachusetts, Lowell, a scholar of political violence and extremism, writes that issuing a manifesto is a new way of doing things for the violent far-right. It’s just one of the “[important transformations in the language of white supremacists](” that have happened in the last decade. Also today: [U.S. kids and teens killed by firearms](, [space travel may fry your brain]( and [everything in Mecca gets five stars](. Top story Law enforcement officers walking to the scene of a shooting at a shopping mall in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. AP/Rudy Gutierrez [From across the globe to El Paso, changes in the language of the far-right explain its current violence]( Arie Perliger, University of Massachusetts Lowell Major changes in the language of white supremacists have happened in the last decade that provide a window into how the groups mobilize support, shape political perceptions and advance their cause. Politics + Society - [The facts on the US children and teens killed by firearms]( Marc A Zimmerman, University of Michigan; Patrick Carter, University of Michigan; Rebecca Cunningham, University of Michigan Firearms are the second leading cause of death among US children and adolescents. Arts + Culture - [The ‘warspeak’ permeating everyday language puts us all in the trenches]( Robert Myers, Alfred University Each spin of the news cycle hits us with another 'bombshell,' while everything from free speech to race has been 'weaponized.' What's the effect of being relentlessly exposed to metaphors of war? Health + Medicine - [Guns and mental illness: A psychiatrist explains the complexities]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University President Trump called for better identification of people with mental illness as a way to stop gun violence and mass shootings. A psychiatrist offers his take on the president's stance. Science + Technology - [Stop blaming video games for mass killings]( Christopher J. Ferguson, Stetson University On the whole, results from psychology research studies don't support a direct connection between playing violent video games and aggressive behavior. - [Space travel might fry your brain, causing permanent learning and memory problems]( Janet E. Baulch, University of California, Irvine; Charles Limoli, University of California, Irvine Space missions are dangerous. But when it comes to long missions, radiation may be the greatest threat to astronauts' health. Environment + Energy - [Drilling deeper wells is a band-aid solution to US groundwater woes]( Debra Perrone, University of California, Santa Barbara; Scott Jasechko, University of California, Santa Barbara Millions of Americans rely on groundwater for their lives and livelihoods, but regulation is piecemeal. A new study maps groundwater wells nationwide and finds that they are drilling steadily deeper. Ethics + Religion - [Everything in Mecca gets 5 stars — and online reviews of other holy sites are wildly inflated, too]( Tom van Laer, University of Sydney; Elif Izberk-Bilgin, University of Michigan Hajj pilgrims looking online for advice about their upcoming pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, may not find TripAdvisor so useful. From our International Editions - [We tracked South Africa’s sardine run over 66 years: here’s what we found]( Jennifer Fitchett, University of the Witwatersrand; Stefan Grab, University of the Witwatersrand South Africa's annual sardine run is occurring increasingly late, and there have been instances where it doesn't happen at all. Here's why. - [Who were the mysterious Neolithic people that enabled the rise of ancient Egypt? Here’s what we’ve learned on our digs]( Joel D. Irish, Liverpool John Moores University; Czekaj- Zastawny Agnieszka, Polish Academy of Sciences; Jacek Kabacinski, Polish Academy of Sciences Stone Age people in Egypt showed great respect for their dead, providing a glimpse of what was to come in the Dynastic period. - [The Hong Kong protesters have turned militant and more strategic – and this unnerves Beijing]( Amanda Tattersall, University of Sydney Protesters have adopted new approaches stemming from the failures of the 2014 Umbrella Movement and they are building something that is showing resilience to Beijing’s authoritarianism. Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [How the University of Alaska – and other public U.S. universities – now struggle for funding]( [Dean O. Smith] Dean O. Smith University of Hawaii Know people who may be interested in The Conversation's stories? [Click here to forward this newsletter to them]( and ask them to sign up at [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. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111