Films without Oscars nods that are worth watching

+ repair, reclaim and reimagine consumption US Edition - Today's top story: Yes, #OscarsSoWhite – but there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate contemporary Black film [View in browser]( US Edition | 11 March 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Ever since I started working at The Conversation, I’ve seen the same stories crop up every awards season: The Oscars are too white. The Academy is too staid, too old, too out of touch. But Timeka N. Tounsel, a Black studies scholar at the University of Washington, thinks it does a disservice to the very real advances made by Black filmmakers and actors to focus so intently on the major awards. After delving into the history of Black exclusion and denigration in Hollywood, she explains how a separate filmmaking infrastructure emerged in the 20th century – movies made by Black people, for Black people. Now, unburdened by the shackles of Hollywood gatekeepers and the pressure of mass appeal, [Black films have thrived in the streaming era](, broadening the types of Black stories beaming into living rooms across the world. She points to two Black films from the past year – “Master” and “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul” – that won’t appear on any awards list, but are worth watching. This week we also liked articles about the [first decade of Francis as pope](, the [hot jobs market]( and how [gambling on sports can lead to threats to college athletes](. Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor Regina Hall starred in two 2022 films that reflect her versatility as an actress – and the evolution of the types of Black films that are getting made. Araya Doheny/Getty Images [Yes, #OscarsSoWhite – but there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate contemporary Black film]( Timeka N. Tounsel, University of Washington Big-name awards can certainly be a boon for Black filmmakers and actors. But they don’t reflect the breakthroughs that have been made in the types of Black stories that are getting told. A trash compactor rolls over an active dump site at Pioneer Crossing Landfill in Birdsboro, Pa. Natalie Kolb/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images [Will we eventually have to send our trash into space if we run out of room on Earth?]( Kate O'Neill, University of California, Berkeley Humans generate a lot of trash, but there are cheaper and safer ways to handle it than loading it on rockets. Americans are expected to bet $167 billion on sports in 2029. Sutad Watthanakul via Getty Images [As March Madness looms, growth in legalized sports betting may pose a threat to college athletes]( Jason W. Osborne, Miami University As sports betting becomes more prevalent, so do the risks to college athletes, gaming experts argue. - [Why employment remains red hot even as the Federal Reserve tries to put job market on ice]( Edouard Wemy, Clark University The Fed has been trying to tame employment and wages to keep inflation in check. It ain’t working. - [Francis is the first Jesuit pope – here’s how that has shaped his 10-year papacy]( Timothy Gabrielli, University of Dayton ‘I see the church as a field hospital,’ Pope Francis once said – not a place where superficial solutions will do much good. - [From grave robbing to giving your own body to science – a short history of where medical schools get cadavers]( Susan Lawrence, University of Tennessee; Susan E. Lederer, University of Wisconsin-Madison This particularly physical kind of philanthropy caught on in the mid-20th century. - [How the ‘Holman rule’ allows the House to fast-track proposals to gut government programs without debate or much thought at all]( - [Leading American medical journal continues to omit Black research, reinforcing a legacy of racism in medical knowledge]( - [Should you pay for Meta’s and Twitter’s verified identity subscriptions? A social media researcher explains how the choice you face affects everyone else]( - [How does RNA know where to go in the city of the cell? Using cellular ZIP codes and postal carrier routes]( - [Pi gets all the fanfare, but other numbers also deserve their own math holidays]( - [Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses? A religion scholar explains the history of the often misunderstood group]( - [Why Meta’s embrace of a ‘flat’ management structure may not lead to the innovation and efficiency Mark Zuckerberg seeks]( - [The West’s iconic forests are increasingly struggling to recover from wildfires – altering how fires burn could boost their chances]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Scientists say that springing forward into daylight savings time is worse for your health than what? - A. Smoking a carton of unfiltered cigarettes - B. Chugging a bottle of bourbon - C. Falling back in the autumn - D. Texting in the hour before bedtime [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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