Media and journalism reccomendations from the staff of The College Voice
Dana Gallagher:
“America’s Red-Blue Split isn’t About Ideology or Culture. It’s Economics,” The Washington Post. Red and blue America are separated by sharp differences in how their economies have developed over the past half-century. These geographically separate economies have produced very different ways of living — and, crucially, very different personal identities.The changing dynamics of the older industrial economy and the newer ideas economy explain how the current U.S. electoral map came to be.
“What the Ebbs and Flows of the KKK Can Tell Us About White Supremacy Today,” NPR. With the rise of racist mass violence in recent years, it’s helpful to consider past waves of white supremacist activity in the United States and the conditions that caused those surges.
Saadya Chevan:
“George Bush and the Obituary Wars,” The New York Times. Frank Bruni analyzes criticism of a Tweet from TV writer Bryan Behar expressing admiration for the late President Bush as an example of why we need greater complexity and nuance in speaking our political preferences today.
Max Amar-Olkus:
“French Protests: Footage of Students ‘Humiliated’ by Police,” BBC. In recent weeks, France has experienced waves of protests on scales unseen since the late 1960s in response to President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial proposal to increase taxes on fuel. Thousands of riot police have been deployed around the country to keep the peace and prevent the “yellow vest” protesters from causing more property damage. While those protesting fuel price increases have dominated the media coverage, students across France have also been protesting against plans to reform the University entrance exam, which they say will stifle opportunity and breed increased inequalities. In a demonstration at a school outside of Paris, non-violent student protesters were forced by riot police to kneel with their hands behind their heads, a move many have called “humiliating” and “unacceptable.”
Jacee Cox:
“The Strongest Evidence Yet for a Highly Controversial Addiction Treatment,” The Atlantic. As addiction crises ravage communities around the country and overdose deaths climb, the need for effective treatment and prevention is more urgent than ever. A particularly controversial treatment method, “heroin-assisted treatment,” has been the subject of conversation in the field. This method allows for patients to continue to inject a medical-grade version of the drug under supervision. There is ongoing debate as to whether this provides an efficient and morally acceptable form of treatment for those suffering from severe addiction.
