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Hello everyone!
The 2024 general election is going to be here sooner than we think, and if you’re like me, you might be a little nervous about the growing role of misinformation in US presidential elections. The issue of misinformation has become heavily politicized since the 2016 election and Cambridge Analytica’s use of Facebook data to target divisive messages at segments of the American population. In the latest episode of Things That Go Boom, host Laicie Heeley talks [ [link removed] ] to Dr. Joan Donovan about the parallels between Big Tobacco and Big Tech, and what the online misinformation landscape looks like heading into 2024. 
On Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris would pull out its ambassador, several diplomats, and 1,500 troops from Niger, two months after this West African country experienced a coup. Obiora Ikoku explained [ [link removed] ] that Niger’s coup, along with the coup in Gabon and eight other former French colonies means that the future of French counterterrorism in the Sahel is uncertain. 
Ghafira Qadir, a freelance journalist who mostly covers human rights, gender issues, education, and culture, reported [ [link removed] ] on Muslim Jogis, folk artists who sing spiritual and devotional songs and also comment on political and social issues through their music. While they are Muslim, they borrow from multiple faiths and traditions for their art, fusing Muslim and Hindu myths and sounds. Now, in the midst of growing communal violence and ethnic tension in India, Jogis worry about the extinction of their craft and their community, while continuing to voice their concerns through song.
There’s more, so check out the rest of the pieces below.
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This week on Inkstick Media:
“Tobacco, Trust, and the Artist Formerly Known as Twitter” by Things That Go Boom (Oct. 2)
We’re about a year out from a presidential election, and former President Donald Trump is leading the Republican pack in spite of his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. What does that say about the strength of misinformation? And more importantly, what does mean for the 2024 election? 
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“Chile’s Indigenous Mapuche and the Palestinian People Face Water Theft [ [link removed] ]” by Ramona Wadi (Oct. 2)
Journalist Ramona Wadi explains that the Palestinians and the Indigenous Mapuche people of Chile are two populations that face extreme levels of water theft. For these groups and others, water theft is directly linked to settler-colonialism and neoliberal policies. Both Indigenous populations have experienced dispossession and the altering of their terrain. And both groups have responded with anti-colonial resistance to counter land and water theft.
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“A How-To-Regulate-AI Guide for All [ [link removed] ]” by Yameen Huq (Oct. 3)
Proper regulation that balances benefits with costs is as necessary for GenAI as it is for any other technology. This is especially true because criminal organizations have little reason to implement harm reduction policies with regard to the use of GenAI. But leaders in private industry shouldn’t wait for regulations to arrive nor expect them to be sufficient. They should apply rules now within their own organizations to mitigate the costs of these valuable yet volatile technologies.
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“Françafrique Crumbles One Coup at a Time [ [link removed] ]” by Obiora Ikoku (Oct. 4)
In the aftermath of the French president’s announcement of pulling out the ambassador, diplomats, and 1500 troops from Niger after its coup, Nigeriens expressed a widespread sense of euphoria driven by the ousting of the French. But if the Malian and Burkinabe cases are any indication, this widespread support is unlikely to last.
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“Toward an Ecumenical Antimilitarism [ [link removed] ]” by Benjamin V. Allison (Oct. 4)
Simply put, the United States should reduce its defense spending as a means of circumscribing the power of the executive branch in general and the office of the president in particular. This approach incentivizes civil libertarians, liberals, conservatives, and leftists to back cuts to the defense budget. Such a unifying approach could also contribute to restoring a sense of bipartisan agreement in a period of intense national division. 
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“Tilting at Windmills: Part II [ [link removed] ]” by Kelsey D. Atherton (Oct. 5)
In this week’s Deep Dive, originally featured in Critical State [ [link removed] ], journalist Kelsey D. Atherton looks at research that offers an approach for thinking how a change in energy production and consumption might lead to changes in the relative autocracy or democracy of governments. After all, the big question for the 21st century is if it will be possible for the whole of the world, but especially the industrialized and massively energy consuming countries, to move away from fossil fuels.
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“Throwing Arms Control a Lifeline (Through Mentorship) [ [link removed] ]” by Mari Faines and William D. Hartung (Oct. 5)
Researchers Mari Faines from Win Without War Education Fund and William D. Hartung from the Quincy Institute write: “Far from being a distraction from other priorities or a burden to be taken on in addition to an extremely busy workload, mentoring can be an inspiring — dare we say joyous — undertaking. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it’s our best chance to build a community of individuals and organizations that can make a real difference. This field will only ever achieve its goals if we create a more equitable space that includes the next generation of voices.”
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“Transnational Repression Is Coming to a Town Near You [ [link removed] ]” by Ben Freeman (Oct. 6)
Ultimately, transnational repression is the most malign form of foreign influence. But, it’s critical to understand that the goals of transnational repression are not dissimilar from many other forms of foreign influence in America. Whether it’s through lobbyists, think tanks, sports, or even Hollywood, foreign powers spend billions to launder their reputations in the United States and, ultimately, to mold US foreign policy in their favor.
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“In India, Communal Violence Put To Song [ [link removed] ]” by Ghafira Qadir (Oct. 6)
Jumme Khan Mewati and his fellow Jogis lament that in today’s India, the cross-cultural fusion of spiritual and faith-based practices inherent in their art is increasingly under attack. As they struggle to keep their traditions alive, they also serve as a poignant reminder of the syncretic heritage that has defined India for centuries. While the Jogis are Muslim, they also follow the Hindu gods.
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–From the desk of Sahar Khan [ [link removed] ], managing editor of Inkstick Media [ [link removed] ].

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