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As a Conversation editor, I’ve sadly worked on many stories about domestic abuse and violence against women. A recurring theme in research on this topic is that survivors of abuse are often blamed for their treatment, asked: “Why didn’t you just leave?”
A new study turns this question on its head, revealing the complexities of emotional abuse and the patterns that trap people in harmful relationships. In this article, researcher Mags Lesiak lays out the findings: a psychological playbook of how abusers use emotional intimacy and “trauma bonding” to control their victims. It’s an important read for our understanding of abuse and coercive control, and one that all too many people will find familiar.
Elon Musk is launching Grokipedia, an AI-driven rival to Wikipedia. He claims that the volunteer-written free encyclopedia is biased, and his model will be more accurate. Is he right? Professor of technology and society Taha Yasseri explains that in fact, yes, Wikipedia is biased – but Grokipedia is unlikely to be any better.
If you recoiled at the sound of me cracking my knuckles to write this newsletter, you may want to read this article, about a new study on misophonia (an extreme emotional response to particular sounds) and its links to mental inflexibility.
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Avery Anapol
Commissioning Editor, Politics + Society
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AYO Productions/Shutterstock
Mags Lesiak, University of Cambridge
Perpetrators used emotional connection to create a sense of closeness early in the relationship, later using it against their victims.
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Shutterstock/Miss.Cabul
Taha Yasseri, Trinity College Dublin
Musk’s new WIkipedia rival aims to offer the same service but without the political bias.
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Bana Balleh/Shutterstock.com
Helen E. Nuttall, Lancaster University
Is misophonia related to inflexible thinking?
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World
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Natasha Lindstaedt, University of Essex
From Charlie Kirk to Martin Luther King, martyrs are powerful tools for political movements, democratic and authoritarian.
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Aviva Guttmann, Aberystwyth University
Israel’s spies have a well-deserved reputation for ingenuity and ruthlessness, Not so well known is that they often rely on other countries’ intelligence.
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Politics + Society
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Francesco Grillo, Bocconi University
The EU should make more of its emissions successes as a diplomatic tool.
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Athina Vlachantoni, University of Southampton; Maria Evandrou, University of Southampton
The extent to which parents rely on others to care for children reflects embedded cultural norms and expectations.
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Arts + Culture
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Lynn Hilditch, Liverpool Hope University
The biggest Lee Miller show since 2007, this new exhibition tells her complex story through 250 modern and vintage prints, including previously unseen images.
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David Cook, Nottingham Trent University
In a world increasingly dominated by digital platforms and ephemeral content, these little plastic figures can remind us that tangible artefacts still matter.
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Business + Economy
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Kathy Hartley, University of Salford
Beyond the damage to workers or employers, revenge quitting is a sign of serious problems in a workplace
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Environment
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Ligin Joseph, University of Southampton
Wilder, not wetter: climate change means extreme downpours are becoming far more common.
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Neil Ward, University of East Anglia
Modelling shows that we will need to change not just how we farm, but what farming produces and what we eat.
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Health
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Dan Baumgardt, University of Bristol
At least 80% of us develop acne. How you treat it makes all the difference.
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Rahul Sidhu, University of Sheffield
The technique represents a new way of thinking about Alzheimer’s treatment.
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Science + Technology
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Antonio Cerella, Nottingham Trent University
Over-reliance on chatbots could be eroding our language and critical thinking skills.
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