Many bills labeled 'voter suppression' may have little effect

+ targeted ads and radicalization; Russia's playbook in Kazakhstan US Edition - Today's top story: The battles over voting rights, preventing fraud and access to ballots – 5 essential reads [View in browser]( US Edition | 13 January 2022 [The Conversation]( As I write this, President Joe Biden is heading for a meeting with the Democratic caucus. His purpose, according to Politico: “to rally senators behind the party’s voting reform proposal. … He’s expected to call on them to do whatever it takes — including making an end run around the filibuster — to ‘save’ democracy.” Is democracy in America truly that threatened? Are voting rights on the line? For months now, the editors on the politics desk have been working with scholars who study democracy and election law to answer those questions. Our job was to commission stories that would sidestep partisan talking points and help you evaluate what’s really going on. I raked five of those stories into a pile this week. In “[The battles over voting rights, preventing fraud and access to ballots – 5 essential reads](,” you’ll find a summary of the scholars’ conclusions as well as links to their informative stories. Bottom line: There are some real threats, especially when it comes to who runs elections and who has oversight over elections. We’ll be working on stories between now and the midterm election to help you understand those threats. But in this week’s roundup, you’ll find articles that make the case that the outrage generated by changes in election laws and rules so far may be out of proportion to their true impact. As election law expert Derek Muller writes about recent state legislation passed by Trump supporters that has been described as voter suppression: “Many bills will likely have no discernible effect, much less a negative effect, on the right to vote.” Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society People concerned with voting rights gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images [The battles over voting rights, preventing fraud and access to ballots – 5 essential reads]( Naomi Schalit, The Conversation Voting rights are the subject of intense conflict between Democrats and Republicans. Does the degree of political outrage match the threat to voting rights? Many people are led to conspiracy theories and extremist views from less extreme positions. Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images [Radicalization pipelines: How targeted advertising on social media drives people to extremes]( Jeanna Matthews, Clarkson University Social media isn’t simply awash in conspiracy theories and extremism. It contains pathways designed to lead people to ever more extreme material. A Russian military photo shows Russian soldiers arriving in Kazakhstan on Jan. 7, 2022. Russian Defence Ministry\TASS via Getty Images [In Kazakhstan, Russia follows a playbook it developed in Ukraine]( Lena Surzhko Harned, Penn State Negotiations between Western democracies and Russia over the fate of Ukraine took place against a backdrop of Russia troops entering Kazakhstan. It’s a reminder that Russia is willing to play tough. - [Inflation inequality: Poorest Americans are hit hardest by soaring prices on necessities]( Jacob Orchard, University of California San Diego The rising cost of groceries and gas is fueling the fastest increase in consumer prices in 40 years and widening the inflation gap between the rich and poor. - [Who benefits from a break on federal student loan payments? An economist answers 3 questions]( William Chittenden, Texas State University Student loan forgiveness doesn’t benefit the economy the way some advocates believe it would, an economist argues. - [Prosecuting Trump would inevitably be political – and other countries have had mixed success in holding ex-presidents accountable]( James D. Long, University of Washington; Morgan Wack, University of Washington; Victor Menaldo, University of Washington Criminal charges against former President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot could spark political consequences – not only for Trump, but for US democracy. - [‘Southern hospitality’ doesn’t always apply to Black people, as revealed in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery]( Barbara Harris Combs, Clark Atlanta University The murder of Ahmaud Arbery exemplifies the racial, often violent barriers still remaining in the US. The 25-year-old Black man was out for a jog. But three white men thought he was a criminal. - [Ethical US consumers struggled to pressure the sugar industry to abandon slavery with less success than their British counterparts]( Calvin Schermerhorn, Arizona State University Before the Civil War, US activists sought to combat slavery through sugar boycotts. Instead, consumption grew. - [Why the US cares about what happens in Kazakhstan – 5 questions answered by former ambassador]( Larry C. Napper, Texas A&M University A former US ambassador to Kazakhstan explains the strategic and economic importance of Kazakhstan to the US. - [Sidney Poitier – Hollywood’s first Black leading man reflected the civil rights movement on screen]( Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis Poitier dazzled Hollywood with on-screen grace and bankability. His dignified roles and respectable values forever changed the image of Blacks, then mostly portrayed as maids, buffoons or criminals. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( Enjoy reading The Conversation? 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