Politics is theater – and rightly so

As the next round of impeachment hearings begins today, don’t be surprised if both Republicans and Democrats try to dismis... [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 19 November 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Support The Conversation during NewsMatch. Donations are doubled.]( [Jeff Inglis] A note from... Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor As the next round of impeachment hearings begins today, don’t be surprised if both Republicans and Democrats try to dismiss aspects of the proceedings as theater, or to minimize opposition tactics as theatrical. It’s not as simple as that, though, writes theater scholar Harvey Young, dean of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. Aspects of theater have [always been part of politics]( – and rightly so, he explains. Also today: - [‘OK boomer’ and work age discrimination]( - [Why local media needs support to build trust]( - [What the history of revolutions says about Hong Kong today]( Top story The stage is set and the cast members are in their places for impeachment hearings. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite [Relax, Devin Nunes – theater is essential to politics]( Harvey Young, Boston University Since its beginnings, theater has been where the public can see what was happening, a venue for transparency and a point of view on real-life scenarios. It defines the American political landscape. Economy + Business - [Why saying ‘OK boomer’ at work is considered age discrimination – but millennial put-downs aren’t]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon An employment law expert explains why you shouldn't use an age-related insult at work to demean an older colleague. Politics + Society - [So you want to be an autocrat? Here’s the 10-point checklist]( Shelley Inglis, University of Dayton Today’s autocrats rarely use brute force to wrest control. A human rights and international law scholar details the modern authoritarian's latest methods to grab and hold power. - [Is there hope for a Hong Kong revolution?]( Paul Monod, Middlebury Revolutions are built not on deep misery but on rising expectations. History may not provide much hope of immediate change in Hong Kong – but protesters may have a longer view. Health + Medicine - [Long wait times in ERs drive up costs, signal health care distress]( Lindsey Woodworth, University of South Carolina Emergency rooms wait times are notoriously long, sometimes even for the sickest patients. A new study shows that the long wait times are driving up health care costs. Arts + Culture - [Local news outlets can fill the media trust gap – but the public needs to pony up]( Damian Radcliffe, University of Oregon Americans truly value local news. But 71% think that their local news outlets are doing just fine financially – which might explain why only 14% paid for a local news source in the past year. From our International Editions - [Prince Andrew claims he ‘didn’t sweat’ – here’s the science]( Adam Taylor, Lancaster University In his recent interview, Prince Andrew claimed that he had stopped sweating. Here's what the research says about how and why our bodies do it. - [Fake news grabs our attention, produces false memories and appeals to our emotions]( Rachel Anne Barr, Université Laval We fall sway to fake news because it grabs our attention through outlandish claims, suggests false memories and contains appeals to our emotions that align with our politics. - [Gilets jaunes: one year on, how the ‘yellow vest’ movement has changed French citizens’ lives]( Elise Lobbedez, EM Lyon Including direct accounts from 'yellow vests' members in the Lyon area, a look back at what has changed in the daily lives of people in the movement. Today’s quote ["In the old days, autocrats often came to or retained power through military coups and violent crackdowns. Now the shift from democracy to autocracy is slower and less obvious."]( [So you want to be an autocrat? Here's the 10-point checklist]( Shelley Inglis University of Dayton [Shelley Inglis] [Forward this email to your friends]( 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