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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is the world’s fourth most common mental disorder and among the most disabling. Our latest Insights long read contains highly personal accounts of a less recognised aspect of this disorder, obsessional thoughts – including those of the article’s author, Eva Surawy Stepney.
On a quest to understand her struggle to diagnose and (eventually) treat her OCD, Eva has researched the history of the disorder – and why it is so widely mischaracterised as “all about handwashing and checking”. She reveals how research decisions made by a group of clinical psychologists in south London in the 1970s are a key reason why so many people still struggle to recognise and make sense of their obsessional thoughts. And why OCD sufferers with non-visible presentations often go undiagnosed for years.
North Korea’s recent elections have prompted speculation that its current leader, Kim Jong-un, is preparing one of his daughters, 11- or 12-year-old Ju-ae, to be a future supreme leader. An expert in the country’s affairs charts the history of this most mysterious family dynasty.
And we bring you a review of The Peasants, a “visual masterpiece” of a film (based on the novel by Polish author Wladyslaw Reymont) for which every frame was filmed, then painstakingly recreated by a team of oil painters.
It sometimes feels that a similar amount of work goes into bringing you our carefully researched and edited articles every day. We want to continue this work so, if you’re able, please consider donating to The Conversation. Thank you.
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Mike Herd
Investigations Editor, Insights
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Eva Surawy Stepney, University of Sheffield
Research decisions made by clinical psychologists in the 1970s can help explain why so many people, myself included, struggle to make sense of our obsessional thoughts.
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Sojin Lim, University of Central Lancashire
North Korea’s succession is secretive and complicated. But it appears that Kim Jong-un’s young daughter is being groomed to take over on her father’s death.
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Katarzyna Zechenter, UCL
The powerful beauty of The Peasants comes from the setting of the film against famous Polish and European paintings.
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Politics + Society
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Robert M. Dover, University of Hull
Israel’s intelligence services had collected and dismissed some detailed evidence about a possible Hamas attack.
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Matthew Flinders, University of Sheffield
The former prime minister and his allies have dodged questions and passed the buck in an inquiry that is meant to give the public confidence that lessons will be learned for the future.
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Jonathan Este, The Conversation
A selection of the best of our coverage of the conflict from the past fortnight.
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Environment
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Steven R. Smith, University of Surrey; Caroline Zimm, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA); Tim Lenton, University of Exeter
One positive change can lead to another.
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Dhanapal Govindarajulu, University of Manchester
When forest communities have secure rights and tenure, the results can be miraculous.
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Science + Technology
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Hannah Watson, Lund University
Research shows providing food for birds not only stops them going hungry, it may help them fight off infection too.
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Ben Rider-Stokes, The Open University
A Japanese spacecraft is expected to reach Martian orbit in 2025 to collect material from the surface of the moon Phobos before returning to Earth by 2029.
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Cameron Shackell, Queensland University of Technology
Could Chomsky have foreseen where his contributions would lead us?
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Cities
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Patrick Quinn, UCL; Iain Borden, UCL
Of the first purpose-built skateparks, from the 1970s boom years of the sport’s second wave, very few remain. Preserving them is about more than sporting history.
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Health
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Conor Meehan, Nottingham Trent University
Norovirus, sometimes known as the “winter vomiting bug”, is common this time of year.
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Arts + Culture
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Nicky Grimaldi, Northumbria University, Newcastle
Early restoration decisions were influenced by changing fashions and politics, or practical necessities such as difficulty with cleaning.
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Business + Economy
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Emma Macdonald, University of Strathclyde ; Rosina Watson
How to lay the foundations for success when companies collaborate with charities.
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Stephanie Giamporcaro, Nottingham Trent University; Jean-Pascal Gond, City, University of London
The UK is joining the small club of countries with sustainability labels for investment products.
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Podcasts
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Gemma Ware, The Conversation
Brazil’s rainforest is a massive carbon store, so its severe drought could be a tipping point for the global climate. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
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11 December 2023
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Manchester
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12 December 2023
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Manchester
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