Editor's note
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Today, voters in Alabama go to the polls to choose a new senator in a race that’s too close to call. Turnout among black voters could be decisive for Democrat Doug Jones. But scholar David Elcott expects the evangelical vote to go to Republican Roy Moore – despite allegations of child molestation raised against him. Elcott explains how Christians can believe that Moore is guilty and still see him as the moral choice.
Yesterday morning, an explosion on the New York City subway injured three victims plus the suspected bomber. The Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the attack and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has called it an “an attempted terrorist attack.” Given the accepted definition of terrorism, some mass killers are called terrorists, and not others. Ethicist and scholar of terrorism Jessica Wolfendale asks whether the distinction is a fair one and what its moral implications are.
“The Last Jedi,” which will be released in the U.S. later this week, is expected to be a huge critical success, continuing a streak of hit Star Wars films that started with “The Force Awakens.” SUNY-Binghamton marketing professor Subimal Chatterjee – who has researched the key differences between good and bad sequels – explains why the recent spate of Star Wars films has been so much more beloved than the prequel trilogy. (Jar Jar Binks is only partially to blame.)
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Emily Costello
Deputy Editor/Politics + Society Editor
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Top stories
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Evangelicals are supporting Roy Moore despite the allegations against him. But would liberals make similar compromises?
Reuters/Jonathan Bachman
David Elcott, New York University
A scholar who has interviewed hundreds of Christians across the country explains how he sees religious beliefs and values intertwining with pragmatic concerns.
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Who is a terrorist?
Evan McCaffrey/Shutterstock.com
Jessica Wolfendale, West Virginia University
A scholar asks: If two acts of violence kill similar numbers of people, have similar effects on victims and communities, and spread fear and terror, should they not be seen as equally abhorrent?
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Actor Mark Hammill reemerged in ‘The Force Awakens’ and ‘The Last Jedi.’
Nick Lehr/The Conversation via Lucasfilm
Subimal Chatterjee, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Why did most fans shun the prequel series, but embrace the recent spate of 'Star Wars' films? A recent study offers some clues.
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Politics + Society
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Nicholas Syrett, University of Kansas
It is possible for minors in all 50 states to get married. A scholar explains the long history of child marriage, mostly of young girls, in the US.
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Tilly Alcayna, Harvard University
From California's fires to the Rohingya, headlines can be overwhelming these days. But that doesn't mean we should neglect so-called 'silent crises,' which can quickly erupt into global disasters.
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Benigno Alarcón, Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB)
Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party won 39 of 40 major mayoral races on Dec. 10. A victorious President Nicolás Maduro is now likely to call a snap presidential election early next year. Can he win?
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From our international editions
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Andrew Pask, University of Melbourne
The new Tasmanian tiger genome reveals some fascinating facts about this extinct marsupial, including why they were so similar to dogs, and how they were growing more vulnerable to genetic disease.
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John Quiggin, The University of Queensland
Bitcoin has been viewed as a liberating path out of the corporate monetary system. But the process of 'mining' the cryptocurrency is a massive energy drain - and potential environmental disaster.
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Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham
The past 12 months provided further evidence of the danger of democratic backsliding in Africa. But it also saw powerful presidents suffer embarrassing setbacks in a number of countries.
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Steven Lehrer, Queen's University, Ontario; Weili Ding, Queen's University, Ontario
The rapid growth of genetic testing and data-gathering could revolutionize health and medicine if governments work to protect people against privacy and societal risks.
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