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Kristen de Groot
News Officer
krisde@upenn.edu
Political Science
The influence and importance of language
The influence and importance of language
Labels for what happened Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol were very different from those used to describe the Black Lives Matter movement or the 2020 election results. How much weight do individual words actually have? It depends on the context.
The state of U.S. democracy
The state of U.S. democracy
On the eve of a presidential inauguration following a historic election and its aftermath, experts from across the University weigh in on where we stand as a country.
Inauguration Day: History, meaning, and significance
Inauguration Day: History, meaning, and significance
David Eisenhower, professor at the Annenberg School and grandson of the former president, offers his observations on the historic occasion
Engaging in the election
Engaging in the election
In a collaborative English course taught by Lorene Cary in the fall, students shared their experiences with civic engagement by writing for publication, partnering with nonprofits like Vote That Jawn to share non-partisan information with other young first-time voters.
Rogers Smith on the heart and soul of America
Rogers Smith on the heart and soul of America
As a scholar, the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science is perhaps best known for challenging the view that the U.S. is fundamentally, “in its heart and soul,” a liberal democracy.
Kermit Roosevelt on incitement of insurrection and the 14th Amendment
Kermit Roosevelt on incitement of insurrection and the 14th Amendment
Penn Law’s Kermit Roosevelt explains the historical context behind Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, its relation to the current presidential crisis, and its constitutional limitations.
Capitol attack: Where does American democracy go from here?
Capitol attack: Where does American democracy go from here?
As the nation processes the unprecedented mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, many are wondering what happens now for America. Legal scholar Claire Finkelstein shares her thoughts on the siege and its effects on democracy.
Science, politics, and vaccine acceptance
Science, politics, and vaccine acceptance
As the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed across the country, new research out of the Department of Philosophy shows that knowledge about the nature of science can combat political biases.
Pussy Riot co-founder talks politics, prison time, and protests
Pussy Riot co-founder talks politics, prison time, and protests
In a virtual talk hosted by the Andrea Mitchell Center, Nadya Tolokonnikova, a co-founder of the Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot, had a wide-ranging conversation with Penn’s Kevin M.F. Platt.
‘Crisis Upon Crisis’: The coronavirus is not the only emergency we are facing
‘Crisis Upon Crisis’: The coronavirus is not the only emergency we are facing
Episode three of the SAS podcast ‘In These Times’ looks at other urgent issues of our time, and examine how they affect and are affected by COVID-19.
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In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Our democracy remains intact, thanks to our courts, free press, and right to assembly
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center wrote an op-ed about the durability of democracy in the U.S. amid polarization, disinformation, and other obstacles. “Individuals exercised constitutional freedoms, especially the mutually reinforcing ones of speech, press, petition, peaceable assembly, and the opportunity to vote—to bend the arc of the country’s history toward justice,” she wrote.
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The New York Times
Confederate battle flag an unnerving sight in Capitol
Mary Frances Berry of the School of Arts & Sciences commented on the use of the Confederate flag during the breach of the U.S. Capitol. “To see it flaunted right in front of your face, in the United States Capitol, the heart of the government, was simply outrageous,” she said.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Does Twitter’s ban violate Trump’s free-speech rights? Likely not, but it raises questions about social media platforms, Philly experts say
Diana Mutz of the Annenberg School for Communication and School of Arts & Sciences said social media hasn’t enriched the quality of elected leaders’ communication with the public. “What gains traction on social media is outrageousness,” she said. “It incentivizes precisely what we don’t want in political discourse.”
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NBC News
Joe Biden could send a message to Black Americans with this reparations bill
Mary Frances Berry of the School of Arts & Sciences said President-elect Joe Biden should support a bill that will create a commission to explore giving reparations to the Black American descendants of enslaved Africans. “Given the role that Black people played in the election, getting him nominated and saving his campaign—there’s no reason they shouldn’t support this bill,” said Berry. “This is one of the best ways to make good on their promise to attack systemic racism and white supremacy and elevate the economic and social condition of Black people.”
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Associated Press
8 Pa. House GOP members to oppose Biden’s electoral votes
Seth Kreimer of the Law School spoke about challenges to the results of the 2020 presidential election. “I have taught constitutional law for almost four decades, and I do not believe I have ever before seen American officials reject the outcome of an election with such brazenness,” he said.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Congress expected to certify Biden’s win this week—despite GOP push to subvert the vote
Kermit Roosevelt of the Law School attributed efforts to call into question the results of the presidential election to longer term political objectives. “I’m afraid that it’s going to make the next four years a lot more difficult—not that they were going to be easy, anyway,” he said. “To the extent that we’re in an era of people living in different realities, this exacerbates that.”
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