U.S. renters ask, 'Where do we go?'

+ why do birds swoop and swirl together in the sky? US Edition - Today's top story: Affordable housing in the US is increasingly scarce, making renters ask: Where do we go? [View in browser]( US Edition | 14 March 2022 [The Conversation]( Rents are getting higher and higher, but wages are staying the same. Housing costs have been rising quickly in the U.S. for the past decade. Still, American University sociologist Celine-Marie Pascale was surprised at the depths of the problem when she conducted research on working people across the U.S. struggling to cover their bills. She found that even when people are working two or more jobs, [they cannot afford to pay rent](. “This is the ‘hood. If low-income Latinos can’t afford it anymore, well where do we go? If we can no longer afford to live in low-income communities that are considered dangerous, that are considered poor, then where do we see ourselves?” a woman living in Oakland, California, asked Pascale. Also today: - [Universal free lunch is ending]( - [MLB’s new contract is no home run for players]( - [Why do leaders enter conflict assuming victory is assured?]( One last note: the UK edition of The Conversation is hosting a webinar with a panel of experts to explore [what’s next in Ukraine today at 1 PM Eastern time](. Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor [Affordable housing in the US is increasingly scarce, making renters ask: Where do we go?]( Celine-Marie Pascale, American University It’s getting much harder in the US to find an affordable home, even for people who work multiple jobs. Education - [Schools will stop serving free lunch to all students – a pandemic solution left out of a new federal spending package]( Marlene B. Schwartz, University of Connecticut A food policy expert explains how school lunches changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and what’s wrong with going back to the normal system now. - [5 ways college instructors can help students take care of their mental health]( Max Coleman, Indiana University As concerns about college students’ mental health continue to rise, a sociology researcher offers tips for college instructors to help students who may be in crisis. Politics + Society - [The promise and folly of war – why do leaders enter conflict assuming victory is assured?]( Gregory A. Daddis, San Diego State University A military historian and U.S. Army veteran explains how wars are not easy to win – something political leaders often forget when looking at the calculus of conflict. - [Settler colonialism helps explain current events in Xinjiang and Ukraine – and the history of Australia and US, too]( John Rennie Short, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Is history really a triumphant march of progress? It depends on your point of view. - [Russia’s false claims about biological weapons in Ukraine demonstrate the dangers of disinformation and how hard it is to counter – 4 essential reads]( Eric Smalley, The Conversation The Russian government used disinformation to fabricate a justification for invading Ukraine. A new campaign focused on biowarfare claims threatens to escalate the conflict. Arts + Culture - [MLB’s new collective bargaining agreement fails to address players’ biggest grievances]( Victor Matheson, College of the Holy Cross A sports economist explains how the deal leaves players with a fundamentally different – and in many ways, worse – arrangement than their counterparts in the other major US sports leagues. Ethics + Religion - [What classic literature knows about refugees fleeing persecution and war]( Robert F. Barsky, Vanderbilt University Classic literature is full of themes that speak to refugees’ experience today, from the Book of Exodus to ‘The Grapes of Wrath.’ Science + Technology - [Smart devices spy on you – 2 computer scientists explain how the Internet of Things can violate your privacy]( Roberto Yus, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Primal Pappachan, Penn State Internet-connected appliances tempt people with science fictionlike conveniences, but beneath the sparkling surface lurk potential privacy violations. - [Why do flocks of birds swoop and swirl together in the sky? A biologist explains the science of murmurations]( Tom Langen, Clarkson University These coordinated movements of a flock of starlings follow no plan or leader. Scientists used to think the animals must communicate via ESP to create these fast-moving blobs. Trending on site - [Even mild cases of COVID-19 can leave a mark on the brain, such as reductions in gray matter – a neuroscientist explains emerging research]( - [Would Putin use nuclear weapons? An arms control expert explains what has and hasn’t changed since the invasion of Ukraine]( - [Why daylight saving time is unhealthy – a neurologist explains]( Reader Comments 💬 "One wonders to what extent U.S. and other Western companies would be willing and able to enact similar pauses to selling their goods and services in China and perhaps India. China in particular has aligned itself with Russia, taking a neutral if not sympathetic stance toward Russian ambitions.” – Reader Andrew Goldstein on the story [Why Apple, Disney, IKEA and hundreds of other Western companies are abandoning Russia with barely a shrug]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? 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