Building a movement or preaching to the choir?

Edition: US - Today's top story: To have impact, the People's Climate March needs to reach beyond activists [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 29 April 2017 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Today protesters take to the streets once again in Washington, DC and other cities – this time for the People’s Climate March. Organizers want to show broad support for action against climate change, but their messages also call for broader resistance against the Trump administration. This may be an effective way to mobilize committed activists, but journalism scholar Jill Hopke warns that it is [unlikely to broaden the movement](. On Tuesday, April 25, Pope Francis surprised everyone by giving a talk at the TED international conference in Vancouver. On the face of it, the Pope talked about the value of tenderness, social justice and caring for the marginalized. But, there was more, says theologian Massimo Faggioli, as he explains the [two key takeaways from the talk](. Jennifer Weeks Editor, Environment and Energy Top Story The 2014 People’s Climate March in New York City. Annette Bernhardt/flickr [To have impact, the People's Climate March needs to reach beyond activists]( Jill Hopke, DePaul University Messaging for the April 29 People's Climate March is stressing collective resistance against President Trump. This theme may appeal to activists, but is unlikely to grow the movement. Ethics + Religion - [Two key takeaways from the pope's TED talk]( Massimo Faggioli, Villanova University What Pope Francis did in his surprise TED talk was to relate the social message of Catholicism to people’s real lives. - [Syria’s forgotten pluralism and why it matters today]( Andrea Williams, Colorado State University For many centuries, Syrian society has included people of many faiths – Sunni and Shi'i Muslims, Christians and Druze. This past is important to know to understand the present. Science + Technology - [Physics of poo: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time]( David Hu, Georgia Institute of Technology; Patricia Yang, Georgia Institute of Technology New parenthood got our fluid dynamics experts thinking about what ends up in the diaper. They headed to the zoo and the lab to come up with a cohesive physics story for how defecation works. - ['Anumeric' people: What happens when a language has no words for numbers?]( Caleb Everett, University of Miami From the Amazon to Nicaragua, there are humans who never learn numbers. What can these anumeric cultures teach us about ourselves? - [Making robots that can work with their hands]( Taskin Padir, Northeastern University For robots to be most useful when working alongside humans, we'll have to figure out how to make robots that can literally lend us a hand when our own two are not enough. Environment + Energy - [National monuments: Presidents can create them, but only Congress can undo them]( Nicholas Bryner, University of California, Los Angeles; Eric Biber, University of California, Berkeley; Mark Squillace, University of Colorado; Sean B. Hecht, University of California, Los Angeles President Trump has ordered a review of national monuments protected by his predecessors, and may try to abolish or shrink some. But four legal experts say that only Congress has that authority. - [Trump’s offshore oil drilling push: Five essential reads]( Martin LaMonica, The Conversation The industry has wanted access to offshore oil for decades, but the Arctic remains challenging. Consumers, meanwhile, seem conflicted on expanded offshore drilling. Education - [Is charter school fraud the next Enron?]( Preston Green III, University of Connecticut Enron stands as one of the most infamous scandals in business history. With a growing charter school sector and lax regulation, the same kind of corruption and fraud is rearing its ugly head. - [Federal role in education has a long history]( Dustin Hornbeck, Miami University Trump has ordered a task force to look into the federal government's role in schools. Where does this executive order fit in the country's long history of federal versus state educational policies? - [How parents can help autistic children make sense of their world]( Allyssa McCabe, University of Massachusetts Lowell People tell each other stories every day about the things they've seen and done. For many children with autism, this kind of personal narrative doesn't come easily. Here's how parents can help. Arts + Culture - [For restaurants looking to boost profits, it's often about everything but the food]( Frank T. McAndrew, Knox College The color scheme, the music, even the weight of the servers – all can play a role in getting customers to spend money. - [Is there any way to stop ad creep?]( Mark Bartholomew, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York A host of spaces that were once immune to commercial intrusion – from parks to our friendships – are now being infiltrated by advertisers. Are we being enslaved by a 'merciless master'? Economy + Business - [Cutting EPA budget puts babies at risk – and makes little economic sense]( Patricia Smith, University of Michigan An extensive amount of research has shown a direct link between air quality and fetal and infant health. Cleaner air has saved lives – and money. - [Trump's brand of economic populism gets a makeover in first 100 days]( Charles Hankla, Georgia State University A flurry of policy reversals in recent weeks suggests Trump has changed his tune from his populist campaign promises. Has he? Health + Medicine - [Why cuts in funding for UN, climate change research imperil fight against malaria]( Julio Frenk, University of Miami Malaria has long menaced the world, but gains have occurred. Those efforts could now be stymied by budget cuts, however. Here's how a disease that knows no borders could widen its deadly reach. Politics + Society - [100 days of presidential threats]( Jennifer Mercieca, Texas A&M University A scholar of rhetoric makes note of one way Trump’s language has changed since he became president. - [How Woodrow Wilson's propaganda machine changed American journalism]( Christopher B. Daly, Boston University An executive order signed in 1917 created what's been called 'the nation's first ministry of information.' The media are still feeling its impact. [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. 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