Political Science | Penn Today

Group of students face camera, arm in arm, in front of Perry World House

Empowering refugees through education

The student-led group Penn for Refugee Empowerment offers tutoring and helps refugee-resettlement organizations with after-school programming, child care, home setup, and event assistance.

Man in sunglasses with earbuds walks throught a field covered in campaign posters

Three things to know about the fall midterms

Political scientist Marc Meredith shares his thoughts on redistricting, turnout, and races to watch.

Elected officials shouldn’t do redistricting

John Kromer of the School of Arts & Sciences wrote an opinion piece arguing that redistricting should be managed by an independent commission and not elected officials, who, he says, “have a built-in conflict of interest with respect to the reshaping of election districts.”

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt sits in a chair and gestures while speaking to NYT's Clay Risen

Sweden’s ex-Prime Minister talks Ukraine, effects on Europe

In a Perry World House chat with New York Times reporter Clay Risen, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt offers his assessment on everything from the history of the conflict to the effects of IKEA leaving Russia.

For Meghan Garrity, experience plus academics equals policy

Garrity worked with the International Rescue Committee in Jordan and Turkey from 2012 to 2016. Now she’s exploring ways to prevent some refugee crises, by examining what causes states to expel mass groups of people.

A president navigates how to ask for painful sacrifices from Americans for Ukraine

Carolyn Marvin of the Annenberg School for Communication spoke about President Biden’s efforts to unify the country in support of Ukraine. “It’s economic pain. It’s unfortunate, it’s difficult—but it’s not the sacrifice that brings all the warring factions together,” she said. “But the kind of sacrifice that really is meaningful to people is loss of life of their own group. And that’s not what’s on the table for Americans at this point.”

On the screen of a tablet (l), the website of the Russian TV channel RT can be seen. On the right, the screen of a smartphone shows the official Twitter account of Ukrainian President Selenskyj

Cyberattacks, Russia, and the changing face of war in the 21st century

Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, a visiting fellow of Perry World House, shares her expertise in cybersecurity and how cyber methods are being utilized during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Four people seated on stage at Perry World House.

‘War in Europe: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine’

In an expert briefing hosted by Perry World House and moderated by Lightning Scholar Jane Vaynman, former NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow, political science professor Rudra Sil, and Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Trudy Rubin discussed sanctions, the humanitarian crisis, and whether diplomatic solutions are realistic.

A line of people wearing winter coats and hats extends down a sidewalk in St. Petersburg, Russia, as they wait to use an ATM

Q&A

The West’s sanctions on Russia

Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, professor of economics and director of the Penn Initiative for the Study of the Markets, discusses the severity of the sanctions, the effects so far, and the potential reverberations for the rest of the globe.

Jens Stoltenberg and Volodymyr Zelensky at a NATO press conference.

Claire Finkelstein discusses Ukraine, NATO, and U.S. ethics and cybersecurity

The Algernon Biddle Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy runs down the reality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and asks what ethical and legal responsibility NATO has, and what risks could NATO incur, from intervention.

Filters