How Putin uses calls to 'cancel' Russia to his advantage

+ the difference between a language and a dialect US Edition - Today's top story: How the image of a besieged and victimized Russia came to be so ingrained in the country's psyche [View in browser]( US Edition | 18 April 2022 [The Conversation]( Vladimir Putin’s claims that the West is actively trying to destroy Russia can seem baffling to some observers. But successive invasions by foreign powers over the past 1,000 years have caused Russians to see themselves as perpetually besieged – and paranoid that others will always be looking to tear down the country and its people, writes Tufts University Russia scholar Gregory Carlson. This mentality, which he calls “Fortress Russia,” is crucial to understanding the country’s view of its place in the world. Carlson explains how widespread sanctions since the start of the Ukraine invasion have reinforced the narrative, giving Russia’s leaders the opportunity to paradoxically [position its invasion of a sovereign country as a defensive maneuver to protect Russia from countries that seek to destroy it](. Also today: - [A new way to diagnose the cause of rashes]( - [Elon Musk and the problem with adding an edit button to Twitter]( - [How disrupting status quo bias can speed action on climate change]( Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor [How the image of a besieged and victimized Russia came to be so ingrained in the country’s psyche]( Gregory Carleton, Tufts University As Western sanctions seek to isolate Russia, they also perversely reinforce the country’s mythic view of itself as a special place that outsiders want to destroy. Economy + Business - [Russia faces first foreign default in over a century – here’s how it could complicate Putin’s ability to wage war in Ukraine]( Michael A. Allen, Boise State University; Matthew DiGiuseppe, Leiden University Russia is on the verge of defaulting on its foreign debt, which not only could have severe economic consequences but could also complicate Putin’s ability to wage a prolonged war in Ukraine. Politics + Society - [Is Ukrainian a language or a dialect? That depends on whom you ask and how the war ends]( Joshua Holzer, Westminster College The difference between a language and dialect is just as much about politics as it is linguistics. Health + Medicine - [Health insurance coverage for kids through Medicaid and CHIP helps their moms too]( Sebastian Tello-Trillo, University of Virginia When states reduce barriers for low-income children to get coverage, their mothers are more likely to be married and less likely to smoke. 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What’s holding humanity back is the will to get past the status quo and embrace innovation. - [Is it possible to heal the damage we have already done to the Earth?]( Scott Denning, Colorado State University The Earth is a resilient planet, but people are altering it in ways that may take centuries to reverse. Trending on site - [How hypersonic missiles work and the unique threats they pose – an aerospace engineer explains]( - [Archaeological site along the Nile opens a window on the Nubian civilization that flourished in ancient Sudan]( - [Sacred hares, banished winter witches and pagan worship – the roots of Easter Bunny traditions are ancient]( Reader Comments 💬 “Where I live in Alaska, twenty-five years ago I could see for miles across the tundra, any shrubs being less than two feet high. Now my house is surrounded by trees twenty-five feet high and I can’t even see to the end of my house lot. As well, many of our shallow tundra lakes have just dried up, leaving migrating waterfowl and shorebirds out of luck.” – Reader Robert Carlson on the story [Thawing permafrost is roiling the Arctic landscape, driven by a hidden world of changes beneath the surface as the climate warms]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Economy & Business]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](