Protecting land by removing people from it

+ what is Novichok? A neurotoxicologist explains US Edition - Today's top story: American environmentalism's racist roots have shaped global thinking about conservation [View in browser]( US Edition | 3 September 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair The U.S. environmental movement has a colorful history studded with iconic leaders like John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt. But now major conservation groups are acknowledging that some of those figures held openly racist views. And as University of Connecticut political scientist Prakash Kashwan points out, those views have influenced conservation thinking around the world. American-style conservation, Kashwan asserts, starts from “longstanding prejudices against local communities and a focus on protecting pristine wildernesses.” It ignores local and Indigenous people, who often live sustainably on the land, or justifies displacing them. In Kashwan’s view, it’s time to abandon “fortress conservation” and [protect people as well as places](. Also today: - [How to make school buses safer]( - [Tuning in to watch chess on Twitch]( - [Oregon has been voting by mail since 1987]( Jennifer Weeks Environment + Energy Editor John James Audubon relied on African Americans and Native Americans to collect some specimens for his ‘Birds of America’ prints (shown: Florida cormorant), but never credited them. National Audubon Society [American environmentalism’s racist roots have shaped global thinking about conservation]( Prakash Kashwan, University of Connecticut US ideas about conservation center on walling off land from use. That approach often means expelling Indigenous and other poor people who may be its most effective caretakers. Education - [School bus safety during the COVID-19 pandemic: 8 recommendations]( Jesse Capecelatro, University of Michigan A researcher explains what it will take to make sure children are reasonably safe from catching the coronavirus aboard school buses. - [Does publishing tuition prices influence college choice?]( Dominique Baker, Southern Methodist University A researcher examines how consumers use a federal list of the most and least affordable colleges in the US. Politics/Election '20 - [Citizenship delays imperil voting for hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the 2020 election]( Ming Hsu Chen, University of Colorado Boulder Hundreds of thousands of people are waiting for their naturalization applications to be processed by US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Without citizenship, they can't vote. - [Mail-in voting lessons from Oregon, the state with the longest history of voting by mail]( Priscilla Southwell, University of Oregon Oregon's experience shows that mail-in voting can be safe and secure, providing accurate and reliable results the public can be confident in. Ethics + Religion - [Indian Americans can be an influential voting bloc – despite their small numbers]( Sumit Ganguly, Indiana University Indian Americans constitute a mere 1.5% of the population, but their impact on American politics can be disproportionate, a political scientist argues. Health - [Addiction treatment shrinks during the pandemic, leaving people with nowhere to turn]( Elizabeth Chiarello, Saint Louis University COVID-19 plagues an overtaxed opioid addiction treatment system. Arts + Culture - [Chess is taking over the online video game world – and both are changing from this unlikely pairing]( Ilya Brookwell, University of California, Riverside The video game community on Twitch has taken a massive interest in chess. The young, irreverent gamers and the ancient world of chess are both transforming as their cultures collide. Science + Technology - [Video: How ancient ice cores show ‘black swan’ events in history – even pandemics]( Lonnie Thompson, The Ohio State University; Ellen Mosley-Thompson, The Ohio State University Ice cores can preserve evidence of 'black swan' events like pandemics and droughts, but the glaciers from which they are collected are disappearing. - [What is Novichok? A neurotoxicologist explains]( William Atchison, Michigan State University Novichok are a set of molecules that are some of the most deadly nerve agents ever developed. They are almost impossible to detect and clean up. 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It could solve the US testing problem, but the emergency use authorization only allows people with COVID-19 symptoms to get tested. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111