Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon (The Scholars Strategy Network)

Professor Garth Heutel lays out a potentially cost-effective way to reduce global temperatures to stave off global warming. But solar geoengineering is not a silver bullet. While the benefits are clear, the costs are much more uncertain.

Building healthy and equitable communities is a tough challenge, but it’s one that public policy is well position to address. In this episode, produced in collaboration with the Health Policy Research Scholars program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, two PhD candidates share their research on what can be done to improve the health of both patients and their providers. First, Kristefer Stojanovski reveals why the fight to eradicate HIV must include a push to address bias among doctors. Next, Yaminette Diaz-Linhart outlines how the stresses of the job impact health care workers, and what this means for their patients.

For more on this topic:

• Check out the Health Policy Research Scholars program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Find the profiles for Kristefer Stojanovski and Yaminette Diaz-Linhart

Is the U.S. Constitution about to change? Professor David Marcus lays out why some states are calling for a constitutional convention to introduce amendments. And Professor David Robertson delves into the history behind this founding document.

For More on This Topic

• Read Dave Robertson’s book, The Original Compromise: What the Constitution’s Framers were Really Thinking
• Checkout David Marcus’s blog post, “The Misguided Article V Convention”

Further Reading

• Why U.S. Conservatives Shape Legislation across the Fifty States Much More Effectively than Liberals, Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Columbia University, Theda Skocpol, Harvard University
• How The Roberts Court Undermines U.S. Democracy, Stephen E. Gottlieb, Albany Law School

For more of Tova Walsh’s work:

Check out her recent opinion article published in NBC News: As COVID surges, health officials must remember that in-person postpartum care is essential 

Listen to her interviews about the experience of early parenting during the pandemic, on Wisconsin Public Radio and Slate’s parenting podcast.

In 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the first African American president in this country’s history after a momentous election. But for many in this country, that election was anything but joyous. Soon after, a movement that became known as the Tea Party took shape on the right in opposition to this president and his policies. Fast forward 8 years and a very familiar story seemed to play out, but this time on the left. It became known as The Resistance. PhD candidate Leah Gose explains what similarities and differences exist between these two groups and what we can learn by looking at the two of them together.

• Check out the Upending American Politics book
• Read the SSN brief by Theda Skocpol and Vanessa Williamson, Making Sense of the Tea Party

We all want innovative policies that propel our nation forward. But getting things done in DC isn’t always easy. This week, Thomas Kalil joins us to share some of the practical lessons he learned during his years working in the White House—have a concrete plan of action, make it easy, and don’t worry about who gets the credit.

For more on this Topic:

• Read Kalil’s essay, Policy Entrepreneurship at the White House
• Check out his TEDx talk on 21st Century Moonshots

Further Reading:

• Episode 96: Informing Policy, Jenni W. Owen, Duke University
• Regulation, Participation, and Policy Design, K. Sabeel Rahman, Brooklyn Law School

Having a warm and comfortable home is important for health and well-being. But with rising rent prices and growing inequality, it can be tough – if not impossible – to find a place to live. Professors Rosie Tighe and Megan Hatch explain why the U.S. has such a shortage of affordable housing, how government programs help, and why they often fall short.

• Read Tighe and Hatch’s SSN brief, How Fair Housing Programs Can be Bolstered by Laws Prohibiting Source of Income Discrimination
• Check out their piece with Joseph Mead in Shelterforce, Section 8 Allowed
• Find Joseph Mead’s New York Times opinion piece on their nuisance ordinance research

As the federal government ramps up deportation efforts, myths about sanctuary cities are widespread. Professor Tom Wong shows how local sanctuary policies lead to safer and economically stronger communities and explains what they can and cannot do.

For More on this Topic:

• Check out his research discussed in The Washington Post and San Diego Union-Tribune.
• Read his new book, The Politics of Immigration.

Further Reading:

• How Young Immigrants, Communities, and States Benefit from President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Tom Wong, Spotlight, August 2015
• Should Local Police be on the Front Lines of Immigration Enforcement?, Doris Marie Provine, Arizona State University
• What Does the Supreme Court's Deadlocked Decision on Deferring Deportations Mean for Immigrant Families?, Heide Castañeda, University of South Florida

In a democracy, government is supposed to represent the people. But Congress doesn’t exactly look like your average American. In fact, lawyers make up a huge number of our federal representatives, but only a small percentage of the American population. Professor Adam Bonica unravels why we have so many lawyers in office, what fundraising has to do with it, and what it all means for how our government functions.

For more on this topic:

• Read this Vox piece on Bonica’s research, There are too many lawyers in politics. Here’s what to do about it.
• Check out his academic articles, Professional Networks, Early Fundraising, and Electoral Success and Why Are There So Many Lawyers in Congress?

Professor Deana Rohlinger talks about five decades of American abortion battles and analyzes the successes and failures of groups on both sides. Rohlinger is a Professor of Sociology at Florida State University.a State University.

Lawyers, doctors, engineers, and bankers are among America’s most respected professionals, and most are middle-aged white men. So what are the experiences of black men who join their ranks? Adia Harvey Wingfield describes how black men in high-powered professions navigate race and gender in the workplace, and what their experiences say about our changing economy.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Wingfield’s brief, Constructive Steps to Further Workplace Diversity
• Find her book, No More Invisible Man: Race and Gender in Men’s Work
• Check out her Slate article on black men in the field of nursing

America is getting more diverse, and that means more children of color are students in our schools. But teachers are still overwhelmingly white, so many of these students rarely see teachers who look like them. Professor Michèle Foster tells the little-known story of why America lost many of its black teachers, what that means for students, and what can be done to change things.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Foster’s brief, Why America Needs More African-American Teachers and How to Recruit and Retain Them
• Check out her feature in an episode of Revisionist History on black teachers after Brown v. Board of Education.

This episode originally aired on June 14, 2018.

Public policy influences just about every part of our lives, and perhaps one of the most important is our health and well-being. In this episode, produced in collaboration with the Health Policy Research Scholar program by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, two PhD candidates share their research on some unintended consequences at the intersection of health and policy. First, Tyler Jimenez explains how existential threats, like the fear of death, can affect people’s support for policies meant to address health inequalities. Next, Amy Jones lays out how the lives of students of color are impacted by our push for diversity on campuses, and what this means for their health.

For more on this topic:

• Check out the Health Policy Research Scholar program by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Find the profiles for Tyler Jimenez and Amy Jones

Professor Chris S. Parker details why, given America’s racial history, the election of Donald Trump is not a surprise. Reactionary parties have always appealed to voters beyond just the rural, working class, and Trump supporters are no exception.

Residents are experts on their neighborhoods, but their voices often go unheard in local decision making. Professor Tia Gaynor discusses initiatives that bridge the gap between local governments and citizens – and explains how some have fallen short.

For More on This Topic:

• Read her article for the PA Times on the Los Angeles Fire Department
• Check out her brief, The Unmet Challenge of Fighting Racially Discriminatory Practices in Local U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies

Further Reading:

• Episode 16: Local Agents of Democracy
• Varieties of Civic Engagement in Contemporary America, Paul Lichterman, University of Southern California
• How Emergency Managers and Community Organizations Can Cooperate to Handle Disasters, Scott E. Robinson, University of Oklahoma

Come to the first-ever LIVE taping of the Scholars Strategy Network’s podcast, No Jargon.

To celebrate No Jargon’s 100th episode, Avi will be joined by researchers from across the country to talk about America’s divided politics, how we got here, and what comes next. Buy tickets at scholars.org/liveshow.

In three acts, Avi and his guests will explore our nation’s politics today, and then zoom in on battleground North Carolina and bright blue Massachusetts. Audience members will have the chance to ask the researchers their own questions.

Guests for the show include: Sandy Darity, René Flores, Erin O’Brien, Gunther Peck, Theda Skocpol, and Peter Ubertaccio.

Martin Luther King Jr. holds a special place in the American consciousness and is one of the few people to have a federal holiday celebrating his legacy. But what exactly is MLK’s legacy? From immigrants rights groups to gun rights activists to politicians, the history of the civil rights movement and MLK’s work and words have long been used, and contested, by many different people. Drawing from her new book, Professor Hajar Yazdiha explained why MLK holds such a prominent place in our shared memory, how politicians and social movements have used his legacy for their own causes, and how all this has impacted policy decisions.

For more on this topic:

• Read Yazdiha’s book, The Struggle for the People’s King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement

• Check out her opinion piece in TIME Magazine, The Problem With Comparing Today’s Activists to Martin Luther King Jr.

Professor Nicholas Carnes explains the consequences of having mostly white-collar elected officials - a government by the rich, for the rich. Working class Americans and their interests are underrepresented, but Carnes highlights ways to help them run.

Professor Hahrie Han discusses how the most effective civic organizations reach out to the public and develop leaders. Han is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The US Congress is a bedrock of American democracy, but as it stands, it often seems to be stuck in the dark ages. With more and more technology emerging to help connect people, ideas, and information across the country, Congress often still works as if the internet didn’t exist. Dr. Lorelei Kelly dives into the problems facing Congress, what it takes to bring this institution into the 21st century, and how a few members are leading the way.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Kelly’s report, Modernizing Congress: Bringing Democracy into the 21st Century.
• Read her opinion pieces for The Hill and TechCrunch.

Professors all across the country have expertise that can improve public policy, but how can they get their research into the hands that matter? Professor Lee Badgett provides the tips and tools scholars need to make these connections in the new year and tells the stories of a few successful public professors.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Badgett’s book, The Public Professor
• Find her two-page brief, How Scholars Can Become Influential Public Professors
• Check out SSN’s new policy engagement workshop

Further Reading:

• Episode 96: Informing Policy, Jenni Owen, Duke University
• Building Public Trust and Improving Policy Through Deliberative Engagement Between Officials and Citizens, Daniel Patterson, University of Utah

Professor Theda Skocpol discusses changes in and around the Republican Party and explains how conservatives are reaching out to new constituencies. Skocpol is a Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University.

Knowledge is power. Or at least that’s how the saying goes — but when it comes to climate change and its causes, that knowledge hasn’t translated into action. Postdoctoral Fellow Matthew Motta discusses why climate research is often disregarded, where Americans’ suspicion of scientists comes from, and how our interest in science affects our trust in scientists.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Motta’s SSN brief, How Interest in Science Boosts Trust in Climate Scientists
• Check out his radio interview on the rise of anti-intellectualism

Political rumors are spreading across the country and the widening divide between parties is only making them more potent. Professor Adam Berinsky discusses where these rumors come from and what, if anything, can be done to combat them.

For More on This Topic:

• Read Berinsky’s brief, What Works - and What Doesn’t - To Discredit Harmful Rumors And Correct Information
• Check out his feature and a web extra on an episode of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

Further Reading:

• How a Citizen’s Initiative Review Improve Elections Where Voters Directly Decide on Policy Issues, John Gastil, Pennsylvania State University
• Episode 13: The Misinformation Age, Brian G. Southwell, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Quality of healthcare for women in jail varies widely, but it is the only place in the U.S. where they have a legal right to it. Professor Carolyn Sufrin outlines the policies that led to the contradictory system and suggests ways to move forward.

For More on This Topic:

• Read her 2-page brief, Unsettling Realities Of Care – Especially For Pregnant Women – In U.S. Jails
• Look for her upcoming book, Jailcare: Finding the Safety Net for Women Behind Bars

Further Reading:

• How "Tough on Crime" Hurts Families, SSN Spotlight, September 2016
• Measuring the Social Impact of Mass Imprisonment on America's Black and White Families and Communities, Hedwig Lee, Tyler McCormick, Margaret T. Hicken, Christopher Wildeman
• Promising Results from a Program That Trains Women Leaving Jail to Work as Birth Doulas, Monica R. McLemore, University of California, San Francisco

Professor Robert Pollin gives three reasons why a $15 minimum wage is feasible for the fast food industry and shows how it is better for workers and the economy overall. Pollin is a Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

The 2020 election is quickly approaching and there is no lack of challenges for election administrators to overcome. From a pandemic that’s made finding poll workers difficult, to a massive influx of vote-by-mail ballots that are likely to delay results, to perhaps the biggest challenge of them all: the false rhetoric coming from the White House around the validity of the entire process. In this special episode, Professor Thessalia Merivaki lays out how election administrators are addressing these challenges, what we can expect come November, and what types of voter suppression to watch out for.

For more on this topic:

• Read Merivaki’s piece in The Conversation, Poll workers on Election Day will be younger – and probably more diverse – due to COVID-19
• Read her piece in Forbes, Building Civic Engagement Capacity From The Ground: Voter Registration On College Campuses
• Check out her SSN brief, What Provisional Ballots Tell Us about the Remaining Challenges in America's Local Voting Systems
• Find her new book, The Administration of Voter Registration: Expanding the Electorate Across and Within the States

The decades-long childcare crisis in America -- worsened by the pandemic -- continues to deepen: parents all across the nation have been facing immense challenges in finding quality, affordable childcare, all while childcare providers continue to deal with poor working conditions and cripplingly low wages. This month, we spoke to labor economist Mary King, who focuses on the public provision of high quality preschool and childcare. During our conversation, Dr. King offered a detailed examination of the crisis and explained the many advantages of creating a universal preschool program.  

For more of Mary King’s work:

• Check out her article in The American Prospect: On Universal Preschool, Multnomah County, Oregon, Moves to the Head of the Class

Read her three SSN briefs on this topic: New Preschool Program in Oregon is a Model for the Nation -- But Challenges Remain, The Labor Force for Needed Investments in Public Childcare Already Exists, and To Address the Childcare Crisis, Talk to Low Wage Moms

Despite an ongoing impeachment inquiry, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been signaling that a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada is in the final stages of negotiations, and Congress could be ready for a vote in the near future. In this archive episode, Professor Alyshia Gálvez dives into the often overlooked consequences of this trade agreement on food and health in both the U.S. and Mexico. 

For more on this topic:

• Check out Alyshia’s SSN brief, How the North American Free Trade Agreement Contributed to Health Setbacks in Mexico
• Read her book, Eating NAFTA: Trade, Food Policies, and the Destruction of Mexico

Back-to-school season is upon us, and back as well are some familiar debates. From charter schools to voucher programs, education in America is becoming more privatized than ever - and some communities are pushing back. Professor Janelle Scott reveals why so many schools are shifting toward privatization, why these reforms are so controversial, and what they mean for inequality in America’s education system.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Scott’s research paper with Jennifer Holme on this topic (paywall)

With a near-total abortion ban that was recently passed in Texas and Mississippi’s request to overturn Roe v. Wade making its way to the Supreme Court, many are asking what the uptick in abortion restrictions in the US will mean for reproductive health and justice. On this latest episode, Professor Amanda Stevenson draws on her new research to show how abortion bans lead to an increase in pregnancy-related deaths and steps policymakers can take to expand greater access to reproductive health services. 

For more on Amanda Stevenson’s research and this topic:

Check out her latest opinion piece published in Salon: Pregnancy is Much More Dangerous Than Abortion -- Meaning Abortion Bans Like Texas’ Will Be More Deadly

Take a look at the CDC”s Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System page that provides stats on pregnancy-related deaths.

What should the next 10 or 20 years look like in the United States? Many Americans say we need to go back to the future. They want to restore something, or protect something they’re worried the United States is losing. And that’s not just the Make America Great Again crowd. But others argue that it’s not time to restore democracy -- it’s time to realize democracy. Dr. K. Sabeel Rahman explains what it would take to make America’s democracy work for everyone  and why the time for big, structural change is now.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Rahman’s article, Realizing Democracy Demands Addressing Deeper Structural Roots of Failure and Possibility of Shared Power, and the full Realizing Democracy series in the Stanford Social Innovation Review
• Visit the Demos website

The neighborhoods we live in help shape our mental and physical health. Professor Antwan Jones explains what happens when some neighborhoods benefit from private and public investments while others are left behind, and what can be done to change this.

For more on This Topic:

• Check out Jones’ brief, The Health Consequences of Moving from Place to Place
• Read his opinion piece in The Baltimore Sun

Further Reading:

• Episode 19: Changing Neighborhoods for Better or for Worse, Jackelyn Hwang, Stanford University
• Have Reforms in U.S. Housing Assistance Reduced Neighborhood Poverty?, Ann Owens, University of South Carolina

Since the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police at the end of May, the United States has been rocked by weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality, and it doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon. Professor Vesla Weaver dives into how this movement is different from protests of the past, what brought us to the current situation, how our nation’s police system has affected Black and Brown people’s lives and understanding of our democracy, and what to make of calls for changes, such as abolishing the police.

For more on this topic:

• Check out the Portals Policing Project and the research coming out of it
• Read Weaver’s pieces in The Washington Post and Vox
• Find her two SSN briefs, How Harsh Policing and Mass Imprisonment Create Second-Class American Citizens and How Mass Imprisonment Burdens the United States with a Distrustful Civic Underclass

Note: This episode includes some explicit language.

It’s back to school season and for many children, teachers, and parents across the country school looks very similar. That’s because in 2009, the Common Core was introduced, standardizing what K-12 students should know, and be tested on. Professor Nicholas Tampio describes what that means for public education and imagines a different way forward for America’s schools.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Tampio’s opinion pieces in Aeon and HuffPost
• Check out his book, Common Core: National Education Standards and the Threat to Democracy
• Find Jesse H. Rhodes’ article on education politics in Perspectives on Politics (paywall)

In face of ongoing threats to its environment, California has taken big steps to protect its nature and wildlife. Professor David Vogel lays out California’s history as an environmental leader, how it plans to continue its green streak, and what other states - and the federal government - can learn from California’s policy innovation.

• Read Vogel’s SSN Brief, How Environmental Policies Can Promote Economic Growth
• Check out his book, California Greenin’: How the Golden State Became an Environmental Leader
• Find his LA Times op-ed, The Trump administration wants to end California’s role as an environmental innovator and his interview with Bloomberg, Why California Goes Its Own Way on the Environment

Across the country, states are making abortion less and less accessible. And that means there are many people who seek an abortion but are denied one. So what does that mean for a woman’s health and well being? And what impacts does this have on her children? Professor Diana Greene Foster discusses the groundbreaking Turnaway Study she led to answer these questions.

• Check out Foster’s SSN brief, New Evidence about Women's Experience with Abortion - Compared to Carrying Unwanted Pregnancies to Term
• Visit the website for the Turnaway Study
• Read the article by Foster and the article by Professor Ushma Upadhyay mentioned in the episode (paywall)

The 2020 election was already shaping up to be one of the most consequential and contentious in recent memory, and then came the COVID-19 pandemic. While much about the future is uncertain, we know this: the election cannot be run as originally planned. Professor Amel Ahmed lays out what policymakers can do to ensure that all voters can exercise their right to vote, what research can tell us about these various proposals, and how we can ensure that the public knows everything they need to vote before November comes.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Baker’s policy recommendation, Ensure Safe Elections for All
• Read her SSN brief, When Election Rules Undermine Democracy

At the beginning of his campaign for president, Donald Trump disparaged Mexican immigrants coming to the US and since then, immigration has been a centerpiece of his administration. But to say that America’s immigration debate started with Donald Trump is simply not true. Professor James Hollifield highlights the long history of immigration policy in this country and argues that the conversation won’t be going away any time soon, no matter what happens in 2020.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Hollifield’s paper, The Migration Challenge
• Read his essay, What Makes Immigration Reform So Hard

Professor Laura Tach discusses the Earned Income Tax Credit and explains why it is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in America. Tach is an Assistant Professor of Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University.

Everyone needs healthcare. But Americans can’t agree on how to fix our troubled healthcare system. Now, the Trump Administration and a number of states are pushing one idea — require people on Medicaid to work. Professor Philip Rocco explains what’s behind these new requirements, what they would mean for people on Medicaid, and why they should really be called paperwork requirements.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Rocco’s two-page brief, Why Work Requirements Will Not Improve Medicaid

For undocumented youth, the chance to receive legal status would be a life changer. Professor Amy Hsin shows how legalization could encourage young immigrants to get a college degree and even reduce the national deficit, all without threatening the wages of U.S. born workers.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Hsin’s opinion piece in The Hill, How the DREAM Act Can Actually Lower the Deficit
• Check out an Econofact memo on her research, The Economic Gains from Legalizing DREAMers

Further Reading:

• How Restrictive Immigration Measures Undermine the Mental Health of Latino Migrants, Whitney L. Duncan, University of Northern Colorado
• Educational Aspirations and Realities for the Children of Immigrants in France and the United States, Amy Lutz, Syracuse University, Yaël Brinbaum, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers

For the final act of the live show, Professors Erin O’Brien and Peter Ubertaccio tackle Massachusetts politics. They dig into the character of the Democratic and Republican parties in the state, and show how the state isn’t as deep blue as many think.

For More on This Topic:

• Check out O’Brien, Ubertaccio, and other scholars on WGBH’s MassPoliticsProfs blog
• Watch the live show video to see full show and audience Q&A

Further Reading:

• Massachusetts as a Surprising Pioneer in the Turn to Mandatory Sentencing as a Response to Crime, Charles Houston Decker, Yale University
• Episode 2: Voter Fraud or Voter Suppression?, Erin O’Brien, University of Massachusetts Boston

Fueled by misinformation, some parents are wary of vaccinating their kids. But this seemingly personal choice can cause disease outbreaks. Dr. Matthew Woodruff explains the science behind vaccines and how we can better educate people on their value.

For More on This Topic:

• Read his brief, Why "Personal Belief" Vaccine Exemptions Place Many Vulnerable Americans at Risk
• Check out his podcast, Audiommunity

Further Reading:

• Assessing the Effectiveness of the U.S. Vaccine Injury Compensation Court, Anna Kirkland, University of Michigan
• Restoring Trust in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mark A. Rothstein, University of Louisville School of Medicine
• The Harm Done By Media Coverage of Political Disputes about Public Health Measures, Erika Franklin Fowler, Wesleyan University, Sarah Elizabeth Gollust, University of Minnesota School of Public Health

With a global climate strike on September 20th and waves of protests surrounding the UN summit on climate change, public interest in science seems to be on the rise. And scientists are answering the call, with more researchers than ever taking to social media to share their work with the public and each other. Professor Sara Yeo discusses how different audiences perceive science communication, the ways in which emotions can factor into it, and how scientists can make the most of engaging online.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Sara’s SSN brief, Adapting Science Communication to the Changing Media Landscape
• Read her pieces for The Scientists and The London School of Economics blog on academics’ use of social media

What do Iran’s elections and Trump’s international trip mean for the nuclear deal and US-Iran relations? Professor Kevan Harris discusses the history behind the latest news and paints a different picture of Iranian politics than usually seen in America.

For More on This Topic:

• Look for his upcoming book, A Social Revolution: Politics and the Welfare State in Iran

Further Reading:

• Attacking Iran's Nuclear Facilities Would Likely Radicalize the Islamic Republic's Government and Politics, Matthew Gratias, University of Southern California
• History Shows that President Obama is Wise to Retain a Military Option to Cripple Iran's Nuclear Facilities, Matthew Kroenig, Georgetown University

The scene is so common it’s almost cliche: two beautiful young people meet at a rowdy college party and drunkenly fall into bed together. American pop culture is fascinated by college hookups, but is casual sex really as widespread as it seems? Professor Lisa Wade breaks down who participates in hookup culture, what they get out of it, and as more students speak up about the problem of on-campus sexual assault, what role universities have to play in shaping their sexual cultures.

For more on this topic

• Check out her book, American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus
• Read her opinion pieces in The Guardian, Time, and The Conversation

This special episode tells the story of a professor who helped to inform local policy: Tamara Kay corrected misleading statistics about a labor law in New Mexico. For context, Professor Raymond Hogler provides the history and impact of right-to-work laws.

Professor Saher Selod explains how 9/11 changed the lives of Muslims in America. This small and diverse group faces hostility, discriminatory policies, and Islamophobic rhetoric in the media and now the 2016 election in the name of national security.

It’s no secret. Our political future is uncertain and unpredictable. Author and scholar Yascha Mounk outlines how economic inequality, a backlash against increasing diversity, and the rise of social media all threaten democracies across the globe—and what we can do to save them.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Mounk’s new book, The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It
• Check out his interview in The Atlantic

Further Reading:

• How Today's Populism Dismantles Democracy Worldwide, Erica Frantz, Michigan State University
• Episode 81: On Tyranny, Timothy Snyder, Yale University

Real estate agents help us navigate the housing market, get the best prices, and find the perfect house to call a home. But they also help decide who gets to live where, and not everyone gets the same options. Professor Elizabeth Korver-Glenn shares her research on the hidden ways real estate agents keep neighborhoods segregated, and what can be done to change their ways.

For more on this topics:

• Read Korver Glenn’s brief, How America’s Real Estate Brokers Still Use Practices That Reinforce Racial Segregation
• Check out her conversation with the CEO of the real estate company Redfin

Congress is on the verge of passing major tax reform that many say is tilted in favor of the wealthy. This week we’re looking back at an episode with Professor Rick Hasen to explore why the wealthy often enjoy such outsized benefits and power in American politics - and how changing the Supreme Court is the best way to fix that.

For More on This Topic:

• Check out Hasen’s book, Plutocrats United
• Read his piece in The LA Times on Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch

Further Reading:

• Evidence that Legislators Grant Special Access to Donors, Joshua Kalla, University of California, Berkeley, David Broockman, Stanford University
• Why Campaign Finance Reforms That Weaken U.S. Parties Promote Extreme and Unresponsive Politics, Raymond J. La Raja, University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Episode 1: The Kochs, Americans For Prosperity, and the Right, Theda Skocpol, Harvard University

Professor Nicholas Hillman discusses the burden of student debt and dispels common misconceptions. Hillman is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ballot questions let voters decide on big issues. But with ad campaigns and special interests, reliable information can be hard to find. Professor John Gastil outlines an innovative solution—give a small group of citizens all of the information they need to make up their minds and share their findings with fellow voters.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Gastil’s two-page brief on Citizens’ Initiative Reviews.
• Check out his piece in The Washington Post

Further Reading:

• Building Public Trust and Improving Policy Through Deliberative Engagement Between Officials and Citizens, Daniel Patterson, University of Utah
• How Do Effective Associations Spur Citizen Engagement?, Hahrie Han, University of California, Santa Barbara

While news over Britney Spears’s 13-year conservatorship turned what was a largely unfamiliar term into one most Americans now know, involuntary care over adults with certain types of disabilities or severe mental illness is nothing new in the United States. In fact, the contentious battle between civil rights and health care needs goes back decades. Professor Alex V. Barnard explained the history of conservatorships in the state of California, examined the government’s role in overseeing involuntary care, and proposed ways the conservatorship system can be improved for those it seeks to help.

For more on this topic:

Check out Barnard’s recently published book, Conservatorship: Inside California’s System of Coercion and Care for Mental Illness. 

Read his OpEd on this topic: California needs new rules as it forces more mentally ill people into treatment.

Over the last few decades, minority enrollment at America’s colleges and universities has increased exponentially. These institutions, many predominantly white, like to tout enrollment rates as evidence of their commitment to racial diversity. But do these numbers tell the whole story? Professor Bedelia Richards details how black students still frequently experience discrimination on campus, what this means for their education and wellbeing, and how universities can make change to help create more inclusive campuses.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Richards’ brief, How to Create Inclusive Environments for Black Students on Predominantly White College Campuses
• Check out her post for Inside Higher Ed, Is Your University Racist?

Climate change is threatening our world, that much is becoming more and more apparent every year. And often it seems like little is happening on a policy level to address this impending crisis. But, in 2008, a group of states in the Northeast managed what seemed nearly impossible. They put in place a robust, multi-state system to put a price on carbon. Professor Leigh Raymond explains how they were able to overcome obstacles that have doomed so much other climate policy, how exactly this system works, and what lessons can be learned for other climate proposals.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Raymond’s SSN brief, Building Political Support for Carbon Pricing
• Read his book, Reclaiming the Atmospheric Commons

Colleges highlight how affirmative action increases diversity on campus. Professor Natasha Warikoo discusses new investigations into school admissions and how focusing on diversity ignores the real reasons for affirmative action.

For More on This Topic:

• Read her brief, How the Ways College Authorities Talk about Diversity Can Undercut Efforts to Fight Racial Inequality
• Check out her recent piece for The Boston Globe
• Read this article for an in-depth look at the effects of the affirmative action ban on the University of California system

Further Reading:

• Can Universities Maintain Diversity without Directly Considering Race in Admissions?, Mark C. Long, University of Washington
• Will U.S. College Aid Continue Its Proud Track Record of Enlarging Opportunity and Reducing Inequality? Deondra Rose, Duke University

Border crossings coming into the United States are at some of their highest levels in recent history. Cities like Chicago and New York are struggling to provide services while the immigration system is running out of funding and faces a massive backlog of asylum applications. The situation is looking tough for many asylum seekers, but what happens when individuals make it through the system and are granted refugee status?

Enter refugee resettlement agencies – organizations that provide food, shelter, and of course, job placement to newly arrived refugees. But according to sociologist Dr. Nicole Kreisberg, their current strategy of job placement is deeply flawed: prioritizing immediate yet low-wage work over long-term reliable employment. In this archive episode, originally released in August 2022, Kreisberg spoke to us about the harms of this strategy and what needs to be done to truly support incoming refugees.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Nicole Kreisberg’s SSN brief, co-written by Els de Graauw and Shannon Gleeson: Refugee Settlement Should Look Beyond First Job Placements
• Read their research paper: Explaining Refugee Employment Declines: Structural Shortcomings in Federal Resettlement Support

The outsized influence of money is a problem in U.S. politics. Sean McElwee and Professor Tabatha Abu El-Haj describe how donors skew policy and how getting more people to vote could counter big money in politics where repealing Citizens United cannot.

For More on this Topic:

• Check out McElwee’s study, Whose Voice, Whose Choice?
• Read Professor Abu El-Haj’s two-page brief, The Inevitable Limits of Campaign Finance Reform, or her article, Beyond Campaign Finance Reform.
• Find the recommended articles by Professor Theda Skocpol in Vox and the New York Times.

Further Reading:

• Making Sense of the Koch Network, Theda Skocpol, Harvard University
• Rising Economic Inequality and Campaign Contributions from Very Wealthy Americans, Adam Bonica, Stanford University, Howard Rosenthal, New York University

This week we are showcasing an episode from The Measure of Everyday Life, a podcast hosted by SSN member Brian Southwell. He spoke with Professor Deondra Rose about the policy moves that helped opened doors for women in higher education.

For More on This Topic:

• Read Rose’s piece for Inside Higher Ed in defense of “me” studies
• Check out Rose’s brief, How Federal Government Policies Have Helped Women Earn College Degrees
• Read her piece in Talking Points Memo on women in higher education

Further Reading:

• What We Know - and Need to Learn - about Progress against Sex Discrimination in Higher Education, Celene Reynolds,Yale University
• Why Higher Education is a Must for Low-Income Mothers, Lisa Dodson, Brandeis University, Luisa S. Deprez, University of Southern Maine

El Paso, Texas. Dayton, Ohio. These two cities are the latest in a long string of communities that have experienced horrific mass shootings. And once again, the news of these shootings bring up many questions. Dr. Sierra Smucker lays out what we know about mass shooters and the connection to domestic violence, what gun regulations are already on the books and whether or not they seem to be effective, and what more can be done to prevent future shootings. 

For more on this topic:

• Read Sierra’s SSN brief, Why the United States Remains Hobbled in Protecting Women from Gun Violence.
• Check out her opinion piece for The American Prospect
• Find the RAND project on Gun Policy in America

Generative AI has sparked excitement, curiosity, and a lot of unease. For schools, is it a groundbreaking tool for education, or a high-tech shortcut some might call cheating? In this episode, Professor Justin Ballenger takes us on his journey from middle school science teacher to trailblazer in STEM teacher preparation. Along the way, he breaks down what generative AI is, how schools are using it today, and the game-changing ways it could transform learning in the future.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Ballenger’s opinion piece about AI in the classroom in Higher Education Digest.

• Read SSN’s member spotlight about how his work is shaping the future of education. 

Professor Tracey Meares discusses why building community trust must be at the foundation of police reform. Departments can strengthen legitimacy by looking beyond the goal of reducing crime to focus on citizen engagement and addressing past injustices.

As policymakers on Capitol Hill work to expand America’s safety net in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, it’s becoming increasingly clear that it might not be enough. So where can we look for guidance on what more needs to be done? Perhaps another deadly virus, HIV, where a separate and robust safety net has been established to support those who have been diagnosed. Professor Celeste Watkins-Hayes explains what the HIV/AIDS safety net looks like, what we can learn from this previous effort to combat a deadly virus, and how the inequalities of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are playing out with coronavirus.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Watkins-Hayes’ book, Remaking a Life: How Women Living with HIV/AIDS Confront Inequality
• Read her SSN brief, How Neighborhoods Can Help Poor Black Women Fight AIDS

The death penalty has a long and controversial history in the US. And 30 states still have it on the books. But in 2018, the Washington State Supreme Court decided to ban this punishment after seeing evidence of deep racial inequalities. Doctors Katherine Beckett and Heather Evans lay out what their research says about the death penalty in Washington, how they got involved in this case, and what it was like defending their work with life and death on the line.

For More on This Topic:

• Read Beckett’s feature in the Seattle Times, Meet the UW Professor who just killed the death penalty.
• Check out Beckett and Evans’ paper, Race, Death, and Justice: Capital Sentencing in Washington State, 1891-2014

Immigration enforcement measures used to be concentrated on America’s borders. But as Professor Yalidy Matos outlines, federal agencies are increasingly partnering with local law enforcement to carry out deportations, leaving immigrant communities uncertain about their futures.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Matos’ brief, How America's 1996 Immigration Act Set the Stage for Increasingly Localized and Tough Enforcement

Further Reading:

• Will State and Local Crackdowns Prevent Immigrants from Fitting In to American Society?, Helen B. Marrow, Tufts University
• The Deportation Crisis for Latino Immigrant Men and Their Families, Tanya Golash-Boza, University of California, Merced
• Episode 73: Sanctuary City Limits, Tom K. Wong, University of California

The Founding Fathers made sure to put checks in place that would prevent a president from becoming a king. But Professor Larry Jacobs explains that when it comes to foreign policy, the president goes largely unchecked. Next, Professor Frances Lee outlines the ways Congress has rebuked presidential power, even under the current administration. And finally, Professor Keith Whittington takes us to the courts, which have been skeptical of many of President Trump’s executive orders.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Jacobs’ book, Who Governs? Presidents, Public Opinion, and Manipulation
• Find Lee’s book, Insecure Majorities: Congress and the Perpetual Campaign
• Check out Whittington’s book, Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy: The Presidency, the Supreme Court, and Constitutional Leadership in U.S. History
• Find more on the website for the conference, A Republic, If We Can Keep It, organized by the Cornell Center for the Study of Inequality with lead organizer Suzanne Mettler.

We are living in the midst of an epidemic. Over the past 15 years, the number of Americans dying from opioid-related overdoses has skyrocketed by more than 200%. Facing a mounting death toll, policymakers have proposed solutions from needle exchanges to reducing the availability of prescription opioids. But the crisis seems to rage on. Professor Keith Humphreys digs into how we got here, what we know about which policy responses actually work, and what might be next in the never ending fight against addiction.

For more on this topic:

• Check out his SSN brief, How America Can Effectively Fight the Opioid Crisis
• Read his opinion pieces for The Washington Post
• Find the Vox article mentioned in the episode on the rise of meth and cocaine overdoses

Americans across the political spectrum are questioning the integrity of U.S. elections and democracy. Professor Amel Ahmed walks through threats that can erode democracies and encourages protecting institutions, even the controversial Electoral College.

For More on this Topic:

• Check out her piece defending the electoral college in The American Prospect.
• See the controversial New York Times graph Avi mentioned and a rebuttal in the Washington Post.
• Read her two-page brief and her book, Democracy and the Politics of Electoral System Choice: Engineering Electoral Dominance.

Further Reading:

• How Government by the Privileged Distorts Democracies, Nicholas Carnes, Duke University, Noam Lupu, Vanderbilt University
• How International Election Observers Can Help Fledgling Democracies, Leslie E. Anderson, University of Florida

US politics is built around two parties, but recently there have been growing rifts between and within them. First, Professor Eliot Cohen explains why some Republicans, like himself, left the party after the 2016 election. Next, Professor Didi Kuo highlights the importance of political parties for democracy and why many voters feel disconnected from them.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Cohen’s articles in The Atlantic and Foreign Affairs
• Check out Kuo’s article in The American Interest, The Paradox of Party Polarization

On Tuesday, voters across the country went to the polls in one of the most watched midterm elections in decades. And now the results are in. So what does it all mean? Scholars Didi Kuo and Gabriel Sanchez break down some of the biggest trends from the 2018 midterms, like the Latino vote, what they say about our two political parties, and what we can expect for the future.

For more on this topic:

• Read Kuo’s brief, What History Teaches about Reforming U.S. Political Parties and Governance
• Check out her piece in The American Interest, The Paradox of Party Polarization
• Listen to Sanchez’ previous interview on No Jargon, The Latino Vote

Professor Anna Law lays out meaningful and responsible reforms that the next President could use to address immigration. Law encourages the incoming administration to look beyond the undocumented population and learn from history’s failures and successes.

Professor Jan Leighley walks through the factors that influence voter behavior from age to party to voting laws. Elected officials and campaigns are responsive to groups with high turnout and encourage them to vote. The opposite is also true.

Many transgender Americans report being denied a job because of their identity, but that’s just one result of the discrimination they face. Professors Eric Grollman and Lisa Miller explain how unfair treatment also harms their mental and physical health.

For More on This Topic:

• Read Miller and Grollman’s two-page brief, Discrimination as an Obstacle to Wellbeing for Transgender Americans
• Check out the blog that Professor Grollman mentions, Conditionally Accepted -- and the blog post by Professor Alex Hanna -- and read their OpEd in USA Today.

Further Reading:

• How Discrimination Hurts Health and Personal Wellbeing, Eric Anthony Grollman,  University of Richmond

• How Fighting Discrimination Can Enhance Well-Being For Aging Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Americans, Gilbert Gonzalez, Vanderbilt University, Carrie Henning-Smith, University of Minnesota
• The Health Consequences of Moving from Place to Place, Antwan Jones, George Washington University

In 1965, the passage of the Voting Rights Act helped secure equal access to the ballot, and it has enjoyed bipartisan support ever since. Right? Professor Rhodes shows how, over the years, politicians who publicly supported this law worked behind the scenes to dismantle it.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Rhodes’ book, Ballot Blocked
• Check out his opinion piece in The Washington Post

Further Reading:

• The Dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, Dewey M. Clayton, University of Louisville
• Episode 97: Who Has the Right to Vote?, Douglas Spencer, University of Connecticut

Professor Marcus Anthony Hunter explores the geography of the Black American experience and gives historical context to Black politics and Black Lives Matter. Hunter is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In the first of three acts for the 100th episode live show, Professors Theda Skocpol and René Flores discuss the role of national and local organizations on the 2016 election outcome, the Trump presidency so far, and what comes next.

For More on This Topic:

• Read Skocpol’s briefs, Making Sense of the Koch Network and Why U.S. Conservatives Shape Legislation across the Fifty States Much More Effectively than Liberals
• Check out Flores’ brief, How Restrictive Laws Can Influence Public Attitudes Towards Immigrants

Further Reading:

• Episode 57: Election Autopsy, Theda Skocpol, Harvard University
• Episode 93: Melting Pot, Boiling Pot, René Flores, University of Washington
• Donald Trump and the Dynamics of American Public Opinion about Racial Profiling, Deborah Schildkraut, Tufts University

Professor Paru Shah discusses why electing people of color is hindered by segregated districts, voter bias, and election rules and timing. Drawing on her experience as an elected school board member, Shah explains the hurdles for minority candidates.

Imagine a nation where the political rules are unfair. In this imagine nation, there are two parties. The Big Country party has its strengthen in rural areas and gets a big head start in every election - they get to win if they earn around 46 percent of the vote. The other party, the party of the city people, gets held back - to win, they need to earn about 54 percent of the vote. As it turns out, this is not an imaginary nation at all, it’s the United States of America. Professor Jonathan Rodden dives into the research from his book on why cities lose when it comes to elections, what that means for our political system, and what can be done to change the situation.

• Read Rodden’s book, Why Cities Lose: The Deep Roots of the Urban-Rural Political Divide
• Check out his opinion piece for The Washington Post, and The New York Times Upshot article highlighting this research.

Professor Brian Southwell explains why people tend to believe false information and discusses strategies for correcting the public perception of misinformation. Southwell is a professor of Mass Communication at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Thirty states have laws legalizing marijuana in some form, and come November four more states may join their ranks through ballot initiatives. But these new laws often do little to help people who have past marijuana convictions. Professor Douglas Berman describes this disconnect and what states and the federal government can do to address it.

For more on this topic:

• Read Berman’s SSN Brief, How States Can Ensure That Today’s Marijuana Reforms Also Ameliorate Harms Inflicted on Past Offenders
• Check out his essay on the topic, Leveraging Marijuana Reform to Enhance Expungement Practices

Professor Dana Fisher shows that policymakers only hear scientific information about climate change that reaffirms their own positions. Fisher is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland.

The 2018 midterms are rapidly approaching and voters want to believe they’re going to make rational choices at the polls. But as Professor Casey Klofstad explains, there is an unexpected factor influencing voter behavior and affecting our elections—the tone of a candidate’s voice.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Klofstad’s article in The Scientific American, How Voice Pitch Influences Our Choice of Leaders
• Check out his book, Civic Talk: Peers, Politics, and the Future of Democracy
• Find his brief, Talking about Politics Boosts Civic Participation

Further Reading:

• Why Beards and Mustaches are Rare for Modern American Politicians, Rebekah Herrick, Oklahoma State University
• To Win Elections, Do Women Candidates Have to be Better Qualified than Men?, Sarah Andrea Fulton, Texas A&M University

Title IX protects against sexual assault and gender discrimination at universities. Celene Reynolds discusses the state of Title IX today, and how a law meant for employment discrimination landed at the center of a movement against campus sexual assault.

For More on This Topic:

• Read her two-page brief, What We Know - and Need to Learn - about Progress against Sex Discrimination in Higher Education.

Further Reading:

• The Dangers of Invoking Cultural Explanations in the Fight Against Sexual Assaults on College Campuses, Meg Mott, Marlboro College
• How Federal Government Policies Have Helped Women Earn College Degrees, Deondra Rose, Duke University

On November 6th a historic number of women and women of color were elected to Congress. And that means important changes could be coming to Capitol Hill. Professor Kelly Dittmar dives into the role of congresswomen in Washington DC, how women in the capitol view themselves, and what the election of more women to office means for our country’s future.

For More on this Topic:

• Read Dittmar’s new book with professors Kira Sanbonmatsu and Susan J. Carroll, A Seat at the Table
• Check out their CNN OpEd, What Hasn’t Changed About Women in Power Since Anita Hill
• Listen to their interview on the New Books Network

The presidential race for 2020 is already well underway and two of the biggest policies Democratic hopefuls are pushing include a $15 minimum wage and Medicare-for-All. Professor Jeannette Wicks-Lim lays out the costs and benefits of each and what these massive policy changes would mean for the country—and for inequality.

For more on this topic:

• Read Wicks-Lim’s brief, Why Fast Food Employers Can Adjust to a $15 minimum wage without Shedding Jobs
• Check out her research reports on the $15 minimum wage and Medicare-for-All

Daniel Alpert explains how the opening of the global market ​has reduced the bargaining power of workers at home and ​encouraged a global cycle of booms and busts. Alpert is a Fellow at The Century Foundation and a Managing Partner at Westwood Capital.

No Jargon is on break this week. It’s the beginning of the semester and professors and SSN chapters are starting up for the new year. If you need your scholarly fix, read a brief on affirmative action in colleges at www.scholars.org/backtoschool.

An unexpected surgery can cost a worker thousands in medical bills. And in states without paid family and medical leave, they also have to go without a paycheck while recovering. Professors Randy Albelda and Alan Clayton-Matthews explain why paid family and medical leave is important to small businesses, workers, and their families, and how Massachusetts tackled this policy problem with help from their research.

• Read Clayton-Matthews and Albelda’s SSN brief, Why Massachusetts Can Afford to Require Paid Family and Medical Leave for All Workers
• Check out this Boston Globe article about the Massachusetts policy

In cities and towns across the country, protests have erupted following the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and others. While many of the protests remained peaceful, others turned violent, with buildings being destroyed or looted and clashes breaking out between the police and protestors. In this archive episode, Professor Ashley Howard explains the history behind these protests, why protests sometimes turn violent, how governments often respond, and what the role of social media is in all of this.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Howard’s interview in The Chronicle of Higher Education and her multiple pieces in The Black Scholar.
• Read her SSN brief, How U.S. Urban Unrest in the 1960s Can Help Make Sense of Ferguson, Missouri, and Other Recent Protests

This episode originally aired on February 14, 2017.

Since the emergence of ChatGPT in late 2022, new artificial intelligence models have captured the attention and fascination of the world. Some Americans are still acquainting themselves with the tools while for others, these models are already becoming an essential part of their workplace. Professor Jim Samuel explained what generative AI is, how it functions, and its ethical concerns. Importantly, Professor Samuel laid out why AI tools like ChatGPT require more transparency and regulation–and what that should look like. 

For more on this topic:

Read Samuel’s SSN policy brief: The Critical Need for Transparency and Regulation Amidst the Rise of Powerful Artificial Intelligence Models. 

Read his other SSN brief: A Call for Proactive Policies for Informatics and Artificial Intelligence Technologies.

Professor Shauna Shames lays out why running for office often comes with additional costs for women and leads many to stay away from politics. Hillary Clinton has overcome the odds and may inspire others to run, but she is more of an outlier than the norm.

Professor David Schultz explains that only a tiny sliver of the American population - the voters in just 10 swing states - will truly matter in the November presidential election. Schultz is a Professor of Political Science at Hamline University.

Every February students across the country learn about Black History Month, including the civil rights movement. But educating children on the civil rights movement takes on a special role when you’re located in Birmingham, Alabama. Professor Tondra Loder-Jackson dives into the history of civil rights activism in Birmingham’s schools and what teachers today should know as they tackle this important topic in their classrooms.

For more on this topic:

• Read Loder-Jackson’s SSN brief, How Alabama Can Earn a Straight "A" in Civil Rights Education
• Check out her book, Schoolhouse Activists: African American Educators and the Long Birmingham Civil Rights Movement

Professor Sofya Aptekar explores the gift economy through Freecycle, a network of groups where people can give and receive used items. Aptekar examines how income inequality and consumption patterns impact the organization, people, and the environment.

College campuses are full of conversations about politics and policy. But many of these college students don’t turn out when it actually matters, on Election Day. Nancy Thomas explores what gets students to vote and how college administrators, faculty members, and students can improve voting rates on their campuses.

• Check out the report co-authored by Thomas, Election Imperatives
• Read her interview with The Chronicle of Higher Education, Here’s How Colleges Can Get More Involved in Elections -- and Not Just the Midterms
• Visit the website for the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education at Tufts University

With rent prices and mortgage rates continuing to skyrocket, finding and keeping stable housing is getting increasingly challenging for many  Americans. But according to sociology professor Prentiss Dantzler, those challenges are amplified for members of marginalized groups, such as Black Americans. Professor Dantzler spoke to us about the ways racial discrimination persists in the housing market, despite laws - such as the Fair Housing Act of 1968 - that were put into place decades ago to prevent it. He emphasized that having a home should not be viewed as a privilege, but rather a human right, and offered policy solutions to help achieve that vision.  

For more on this topic:

Read Prentiss Dantzler’s paper, Making Our Way Home: Housing Policy, Racial Capitalism, and Reparations.

Check out a paper written by two of his colleagues, Elizabeth Korver-Glenn and Junia Howell, mentioned in the episode: The Increasing Effect of Neighborhood Racial Composition on Housing Values, 1980-2015.

Trump’s cabinet is the wealthiest in U.S. history. In light of this news, this episode revisits Professor Nicholas Carnes' interview on the effects of a government run by the rich, for the rich, and ways to get working class Americans a seat at the table.

For More on this Topic:

• Check out the New York Times graphic and article on the financial disclosures of the White House.

• Read his briefs, How Government by the Privileged Distorts Economic Policy and How Government by the Privileged Distorts Democracies.

Further Reading:

• Why Politically Active Billionaires Threaten the Health of Democracy, Darrell M. West, Brookings Institution

• Who Gets What They Want from Government?, Martin Gilens, Princeton University

David Dagan outlines the GOP’s journey from being “tough on crime” to embracing prison reform. Despite falling crime rates, the party could only change from the inside - with key Republicans leading the way after experiencing prison for themselves.