There has always been a symbiotic relationship between media, sports, and athletes. Sports provides content for media, which in turn promotes the performances of athletes. But the advent of social media has disrupted this traditional connection. Rather than relying solely on media to be the gatekeeper of sports news and information, athletes are now controlling their own narratives through Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. At the Olympic Games, this has become the new normal for keeping up with athletes. But does the use of social media help or hinder an athlete’s performances at the Olympics? Social media offers a host of benefits for athletes. They are able to stay connected with…

Argentina's President Mauricio Macri attends the three-day World Economic Forum on Latin America in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 6, 2017. Xinhua/SIPA USA/PA Images. All rights reserved. Heavy fisted approaches to public security are making a come-back across the Americas, including in Argentina. Despite registering some of the lowest rates of criminal violence in Latin America, the country´s new government wasted no time to applying so-called "mano dura" strategies to fight organized crime. In 2015, just weeks after getting into office President Macri issued a state of "public emergency" (which was extended into 2016). He came to power vowing to eradicate organized crime. His initial efforts suggest he´s made some headway.…

New research shows racism can be learned by children as young as 4. By preschool, children may have already internalized harmful racist attitudes. The good news is that exposure to different races at an early age can greatly reduce a child’s bias. In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, 4- to 6-year-old Chinese children were asked to use an app that challenged them to recognize black faces. After two sessions, researchers saw a reduction in their implicit bias. The study has been embraced by doctors and researchers who see early involvement in sports as an effective tool for breaking down racism in kids. Dr. Angel Brutus,…

24-year-old Cynthia Jepkosgey Muge won the Kilibwoni Ward on an independent ticket in Nandi. Photo: Courtesy. The recent Kenyan general elections have filled the international news with contestation around the presidential results. The legacy of the 2007/8 post-election crisis meant that these are likely to be one of the most observed general elections globally. In addition to national teams there were at least seven regional and international observer groups, resulting in over four thousand observers. Largely unexamined outside Kenya is the fact that five other elections accompanied the presidential ballot. These included voting for a constituency member of parliament and a series of seats created under the current devolution governance…

This fall has seen another tragic death due to hazing. Maxwell Gruver, an 18-year-old Phi Delta Theta pledge at Louisiana State University, died hours after participating in a mock quiz designed to get pledges disturbingly drunk – fast. Charges have been have beeen brought against 10 fraternity members, one a negligent homicide charge. Gruver participated in the facetiously named “Bible Study” quiz, taking a snort of 190-proof alcohol each time he gave a wrong answer to questions about Phi Delta Theta’s history. It’s a drinking game associated with prior fraternity deaths at several universities. It is true that fraternities, bands, and team sports provide a welcoming atmosphere for students who…

Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Jon Corzine, former Goldman Sachs Group Inc.co-chairman, attending a news conference on Capitol Hill, 2001.MCT/ABACA/Press Association. All rights reserved. openDemocracy is a media partner of the World Forum for Democracy 2017: the subject this year is 'populism'. In the run-up to that event in early November, we asked what kind of media and politics we need "to re-connect to citizens, make informed choices and function optimally in 21st century democracy." Andries du Toit was one of three rapporteurs summing up the debate in the event's closing session. Good morning, Director-General, colleagues and friends. Thank you for the opportunity to speak about my impressions and thoughts…

If nothing else, the Philadelphia Eagles’ thrilling and unexpected 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII should put to rest one hoary NFL trope: that political activism is a hindrance to winning. The idea that any behavior or speech from a player that isn’t narrowly limited to football itself is a “distraction” to be eliminated altogether has been a longstanding NFL shibboleth. Coaches and NFL media alike have employed the term in reference to a wide range of off-limit topics — like, say, protests during the national anthem — with the potential to throw a wrench into the military-like discipline needed for success on the field.  But during the 2017…

The Soviet statue at the UN in New York of St. George slaying the dragon, a powerful statement on the potential for agreement on nuclear disarmament. The dragon is made of parts from the scrapped Soviet and US intermediate nuclear missiles. UN Photo/Milton Grant. Is the west’s own example more persuasive than admonitions and threats? To me, this is the missing question in the ominous brinkmanship over North Korea’s nuclear arms threats and looming crisis over Iran’s nuclear options, should the nuclear agreement crumble under pressure. If we think nuclear arms are our ultimate assurance of security, why shouldn’t other countries think the same? A critical look at the role…

If you thought the debate over whether or not NFL players should kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality would die down as soon as they left the field, then you’d be wrong. Former San Francisco 49ers star Colin Kaepernick was the first to take a knee last season when a reporter noticed he was sitting out the national anthem. When asked why he didn’t stand with the rest of his teammates, Kaepernick explained, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” These days, Kaepernick and his then-teammate Eric…

Claudio Agosti: "During the French elections, our users (a,b,c,d,) were following the same news media sources and access to Facebook at the same time per day, one per hour. Despite all having 0 friends and only different 'likes', Facebook displayed different posts to these users in that hour." All rights reserved. In a democracy, the way information circulates is a power in itself. The landscape of the so-called ‘fourth estate’ has metamorphosed out of all recognition in the last 15 years. Currently, social networking is the technology that is used to share our perceptions of the public space. Given the addict-like compulsion to adopt such technologies, we have endowed those…