Worried about post-election violence? Read this

+ why animals' gut microbes are changing US Edition - Today's top story: Election violence in November? Here’s what the research says [View in browser]( US Edition | 29 September 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair It’s hard to avoid the question these days: Will there be violence in the U.S. during or after the November election? We went to political scientist Ore Koren of IUPUI for an answer. Koren, who studies political violence around the world, offered a [detailed dissection of the preconditions for such unrest](. He reminds readers of the “big difference between using a call to arms to mobilize your voters and instill fear in the other party’s supporters, and staging a post-election insurrection, which could subject its instigators to charges of sedition, if not high treason.” Also today: - [The power of the presidential debate putdown]( - [Fox News cites ‘hate’ 5 times more than rival networks]( - [The invisible wounds of cops and other first responders]( Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor A man carrying a club is seen as the Proud Boys, a right-wing pro-Trump group, gather with their allies in a rally against left-wing Antifa in Portland, Oregon, Sept. 26, 2020. John Rudoff/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images [Election violence in November? Here’s what the research says]( Ore Koren, Indiana University Are the conditions ripe in the US for violence before, during or after the presidential election? Education - [Failure to shore up state budgets may hit women’s wallets especially hard]( June Carbone, University of Minnesota; Nancy Levit, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia When the federal government doesn't intervene during downturns, the states often cut school spending. In turn, teachers may earn less or lose their jobs. And three in four teachers are female. Health - [The aching blue: Trauma, stress and invisible wounds of those in law enforcement]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University Police officers face dangerous situations every day, and many suffer trauma as a result. Politics/Election '20 - [Don’t underestimate the power of the putdown in a presidential debate]( Chris Lamb, IUPUI A politician who wields a comeback with skill can use it as both a bludgeon and a shield, damaging the opponent without hurting their own popularity with voters. - [Fox News uses the word ‘hate’ much more than MSNBC or CNN]( Curd Knüpfer, Freie Universität Berlin; Robert Mathew Entman, George Washington University The conservative cable news channel particularly favors the term when explaining opposition to Donald Trump. This framing of the news can lead Fox viewers to see the world as us versus them. - [Partisan Supreme Court battles are as old as the United States itself]( John A. Tures, LaGrange College Many Supreme Court nomination battles depended on whether the president's party also had control of the US Senate. - [What would Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court, mean for abortion rights in the US?]( Prudence Flowers, Flinders University A more conservative court could choose cases that incrementally erode abortion rights, or they could push for reconsideration of the constitutional issues at the very heart of Roe v. Wade. Science + Technology - [Climate warming is altering animals’ gut microbes, which are critical to their health and survival]( Sasha Greenspan, University of Alabama The effect of a warmer climate on ecosystems and large and small vertebrates is being widely studied. But warmer temperatures seem to alter the microbes that live in and on these animals and plants. - [Archaeologists determined the step-by-step path taken by the first people to settle the Caribbean islands]( Matthew F. Napolitano, University of Oregon; Jessica Stone, University of Oregon; Robert DiNapoli, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Scott Fitzpatrick, University of Oregon Did people settle these islands by traveling north from South America, or in the other direction? Reanalyzing data from artifacts discovered decades ago provides a definitive answer. Ethics + Religion - [Why there is no ethical reason not to vote (unless you come down with COVID-19 on Election Day)]( Scott Davidson, West Virginia University 'I don't like the candidates,' 'I don't know enough to make a decision,' 'I don't want to give this election legitimacy' – an ethicist takes on nonvoters. Economy + Business - [Giving in the pandemic: More than half of Americans have found ways to help those hit by COVID-19 hardship]( Tessa Skidmore, Indiana University The trend of paying housekeepers unable to do their work and ordering takeout when it isn't essential can be seen broadly as a form of charitable giving, according to philanthropy researchers. From our international editions - [How high should taxes be? New study shows voters back lower rates only for income earned on merit]( Pieter Vanhuysse, University of Southern Denmark Knowing precisely how society rewards effort is key for how voters think about taxes. Only brute luck is seen as an undeserved reason for riches. - [Suspension of US aid to Ethiopia is yet another example of Trump’s disregard for Africa]( Yohannes Gedamu, Georgia Gwinnett College America has historically been a strong Ethiopia ally, but this latest move to withhold foreign direct assistance has thrown its loyalty into question. - [Does Australia really have the deadliest snakes? We debunk 6 common myths]( Damian R. Michael, Charles Sturt University; Dale Nimmo, Charles Sturt University; Skye Wassens, Charles Sturt University The weather is warming up, and snakes are coming out to bask in the sun. But we don't need to tell tall tales to appreciate snakes – the truth is far more fascinating. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111