11/15
Political Science
The Democracy Project: Reversing a crisis of confidence
The Penn Biden Center, Freedom House, and the George W. Bush Institute reveal the findings of a national survey about democracy at home and abroad, which cites a crisis of public confidence in the functioning of U.S. democracy.
Examining the roots of racial discrimination
In his book ‘The Spectre of Race,’ Michael Hanchard explores xenophobia, racism, marginalization, and exclusionary policies dating back to ancient Greece.
Immersive trip exposes students to the complex narratives of Israel
15 undergraduates took part in the inaugural Encompass fellowship, a project run by Penn Hillel, with a tour around Israel examining cultural and political sites with a focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Science and politics: a Q&A with Molly Sheehan
The School of Engineering and Applied Science postdoc researcher discusses what fascinates her about science, her unique path in science and technology, and the role scientists should play in political office.
Political leanings dictate feelings about surveillance of low-income populations
New research led by Annenberg’s Joseph Turow reveals that political party and orientation matter when it comes to how Americans feel about everyday surveillance of low-income populations.
Two innovative researchers selected as 2018 Carnegie Fellows
Daniel Q. Gillion and Beth Simmons are among the 29 recipients who will receive a stipend to fund up to two years of research and writing.
Fear of losing status, not economic hardship, drove voters in 2016
Research from Annenberg's Diana Mutz challenges the discourse surrounding voter motivation in the 2016 election: Fears of economic insecurity did not drive voters to the voting booth in support of Donald Trump, as public sentiment has believed.
Q&A with Barbie Zelizer
Members of the media are unable to do their jobs due to creeping authoritarianism or totalitarian rule. The Center for Media at Risk hopes to bring together scholars and journalists to strategize about what can be done to resist it.
Poli sci prof studies why women run (or don’t run) for office
Through a detailed survey of female political aspirants enrolled in a campaign training program, a Penn political science professor examines the motivating factors behind why women do—or don't—decide to run for office.
Only one approach could plausibly have avoided catastrophe in Syria
Could the U.S. have better protected civilians from mass atrocities during the Syrian conflict in 2013? Research from political scientist Ian Lustick reveals that only one approach—persuading Assad to treat the protests as a reform movement rather than a violent revolution—might have helped.
In the News
Kennedy’s vow to take on big food could alienate his new G.O.P. allies
Mary Summers of the School of Arts & Sciences says that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stated dual missions of dismantling the F.D.A. and regulating food ingredients don’t go together.
FULL STORY →
Maryland shifted toward Donald Trump more than some other blue states, while giving Kamala Harris her second-biggest win
Matthew Levendusky of the School of Arts & Sciences says that poor turnout in heavily Democratic cities and a general voter swing for economic reasons contributed to Donald Trump’s victory.
FULL STORY →
Elon Musk wins big by betting on Trump
Cary Coglianese of Penn Carey Law says that Elon Musk might view himself as capable of “turning around the federal government.”
FULL STORY →
The view of the voting from campus
Jeffrey Green of the School of Arts & Sciences discusses the Penn Political Union, sponsored by the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy in the School of Arts & Sciences, which hosts student debates and speakers across the ideological spectrum.
FULL STORY →
How Pennsylvania’s mail ballot rules will lead to thousands of provisional ballots on Election Day
Marc Meredith of the School of Arts & Sciences and Michael Morse of Penn Carey Law say that most provisional ballots in Pennsylvania are likely to come from voters with outstanding mail ballots, rather than voters who’ve already returned deficient mail ballots.
FULL STORY →
Donald Trump, evangelicals and the 2024 MAGA coalition
Shawn Patterson Jr. of the Annenberg Public Policy Center says that Donald Trump was largely an apolitical figure in 2016 with a wide array of celebrity relationships, donations to candidates of both parties, and a career in New York real estate.
FULL STORY →