Beijing's 'bread and circuses' Olympics

+ male or female: the costs of sex designation at birth US Edition - Today's top story: Beijing Olympics may get points for boosting China's international reputation, but Games are definitely gold for Xi Jinping's standing at home [View in browser]( US Edition | 4 February 2022 [The Conversation]( By the time you see this, the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will have come and gone. The extravaganza in the Bird’s Nest featured flashy performances, the Parade of Nations – and a diplomatic boycott from the Biden administration. But while the ceremony may have been geared to dazzle an international audience, the Games themselves are more important to China’s ruling elite as a tool of domestic propaganda. From international opposition to China’s human rights abuses to a slowing economy and Communist Party internal rivalries, the upcoming year will test China’s leadership. Hence the leaders’ appetite for the “bread and circuses” diversion of the Olympics, China scholar David Bachman at the University of Washington writes. “Chinese media coverage of the Games will be [highly nationalistic and laudatory, aimed at impressing the Chinese people](,” he explains. “To this home audience, the spectacle of the Games reinforces government propaganda about China’s success and progress toward achieving the ‘Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.’” Also today: - [Civil rights lessons for today’s voting rights activists]( - [How to win at Wordle, the popular word game]( - [Become more mindful with walking meditation]( Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society Skiers practice at the Olympic cross country venue in Zhangjiakou, China on February 1, 2022. Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images [Beijing Olympics may get points for boosting China’s international reputation, but Games are definitely gold for Xi Jinping’s standing at home]( David Bachman, University of Washington A strong turnout by Chinese teams during the 2022 Winter Olympics could help build national pride in China — and, in turn, help Xi Jinping’s bid for a third term this year. Health + Medicine - [Not everyone is male or female – the growing controversy over sex designation]( Carl Streed, Boston University; Frances Grimstad, Harvard Medical School Millions of people do not fit neatly into male or female sex designations at birth, and wrong identification can set them up for a lifetime of physical and mental harm. Arts + Culture - [Want to master Wordle? Here’s the best strategy for your first guess]( Derek Horstmeyer, George Mason University Whether you want to win with as few guesses as possible, or you just want to figure out the right word before running out of turns, a scholar offers some tips. Politics + Society - [What America’s voting rights activists can learn from past movements for civil rights]( Anthony Siracusa, University of Colorado Boulder Digging deeply into the nation’s past can help illuminate the racial setbacks facing the US today. - [Islamic State leader killed in US raid – where does this leave the terrorist group?]( Haroro J. Ingram, George Washington University; Amira Jadoon, United States Military Academy West Point; Andrew Mines, George Washington University Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi had led the terrorist group since 2019. His death may lead to uncertainty over who will replace him but may not signal the group’s demise. - [Afghan women face increasing violence and repression under the Taliban after international spotlight fades]( Mia Bloom, Georgia State University The Taliban’s recent abduction of 40 people, and gang rape of eight women, has not captured Western media attention. But activists inside Afghanistan point to worrying levels of violence. - [New forms of advertising raise questions about journalism integrity]( Michelle A. Amazeen, Boston University When news outlets also publish so-called ‘native advertising,’ their journalistic reputations suffer – and their news coverage shies away from the companies that paid for the ads. Science + Technology - [Experts suggest US embassies were hit with high-power microwaves – here’s how the weapons work]( Edl Schamiloglu, University of New Mexico High-power microwave weapons are useful for disabling electronics. A new report says they ‘plausibly explain’ some ailments suffered by US diplomats and CIA agents in Cuba, China and other countries. Economy + Business - [Cryptocurrency-funded groups called DAOs are becoming charities – here are some issues to watch]( Sean Stein Smith, Lehman College, CUNY As decentralized autonomous organizations with philanthropic aims begin to form, it’s unclear whether they can operate without breaking IRS rules. Ethics + Religion - [What is walking meditation?]( Brooke Schedneck, Rhodes College The late Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh popularized the contemplative practice around the world. Podcast 🎙️ - [South African scientists on the inside story of discovering omicron – and what their experience offers the world about future variants]( Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation Plus, is the human emotional response to music innate or is it shaped by a person’s culture? Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast. From our international editions - [Has Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour been found? Debate rages, but here’s what’s usually involved in identifying a shipwreck]( - [The African Union at 20: a lot has been achieved despite many flaws]( - [Why are we seeing more northern lights this year?]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠About how many countries permit return-free filing, in which the government notifies taxpayers of taxes owed or a refund? - 5 - 15 - 30 - 50 [Click here for the answer.]( Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( Enjoy reading The Conversation? Share us with your three closest friends: [Click here to share](mailto:Insert%20your%20friends%27%20emails?subject=Check%20out%20The%20Conversation&body=I%27ve%20been%20reading%20this%20fact-based%20news%20source,%20and%20definitely%20think%20you’d%20find%20it%20interesting%20as%20well.%20It%20has%20academic%20experts%20writing%20understandably%20about%20stories%20in%20the%20news,%20based%20on%20their%20research.%20I%20learn%20something%20new%20every%20time%20I%20read%20it.%0D%0DYou%20can%20check%20it%20out%20here:%20%0D 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](