Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

Trust in our governments is low, and seems to only be getting worse. Professor Donald Kettl explains why widespread distrust plagues governments around the world, what this means for democracy, and how, if at all, governments can earn back our trust. For More on this Topic: Read Kettl's book, Can Governments Earn Our Trust? Check out the research mentioned in the episode by Professor Vesla Weaver...

Republicans and Democrats alike have complained about the speed with which the recent tax bills are going through Congress. In light of this, we're bringing you an archive episode with Professor James Curry who explains that lacking expertise, staff, and time, most members of Congress rarely get to analyze or contribute to the bills on which they vote. For More on this Topic: Read Curry's two-page...

Nicole Bedera and Miriam Gleckman-Krut stay post-interview to discuss their ideas for changing university policies on campus sexual assault.

Campus sexual assault is a problem across the country, but colleges differ widely in how they respond to these cases. PhD candidates Nicole Bedera and Miriam Gleckman-Krut lay out why national standards are changing under the Trump administration and how they are shifting protections and resources to the accused. For More on This Topic: Read Bedera and Gleckman-Krut's piece in The New York Times L...

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 Wom...

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...

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 Fu...

Inequality is on the rise in America, but what's behind it? Professor Steven Teles and Dr. Brink Lindsey lay out how federal and state policies help the rich get richer, slow economic growth, and promote inequality. For More on This Topic: Check out Teles and Lindsey's book, The Captured Economy Read their opinion piece in the New York Times Further Reading: How States Can Fight Growing Economic I...

This week we are highlighting an episode from Have You Heard , a podcast co-hosted by SSN member Jack Schneider and journalist Jennifer Berkshire. They spoke with Sally Nuamah about the long-term effects of school closures on communities, like declining voter turnout. For more on this topic: Read Nuamah's paper, The paradox of educational attitudes: Racial differences in public opinion on school c...

As Republicans move forward with their tax overhaul, this week's episode revisits Vanessa Williamson's interview on the misconception that Americans hate taxes. She outlines how anti-tax policies became popular despite the fact that most Americans support increasing taxes for services they care about.   For more on this topic: Read her brief, Who Pays America's Taxes? , with Alexander Hertel-Ferna...

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...

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 sho...

For the second act of the live show, Professors Deondra Rose and Gunther Peck dive deep into North Carolina's contentious politics, the impacts of the state's voting laws and redistricting efforts, and what these deep divides say about national politics. For More on This Topic: Read Peck's piece, Learning the Right Lessons from Defeat: Organizing a New Democratic Majority in North Carolina Listen...

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 Effecti...

Foster parents and social workers help children in difficult situations, but too often they lack the resources they need. Professor Antonio Garcia describes how this impacts foster children and what a focus on prevention could look like. For More on This Topic: Read Garcia's brief, To Counter Child Abuse, Administrators and Case Workers Need Support to Implement Evidence-Based Improvements Further...

High costs are making college unaffordable, or even impossible, for many Americans. Professor Nicholas Hillman outlines why student loan debt has become such a major issue. Professor Laura Perna highlights a potential solution -- free tuition programs. For More on This Topic: Read Hillman's brief, Designing Better Ways to Regulate Colleges with Too Many Students Who Default on Federal Loans Check...

Voting is a pillar of American democracy, but for many, the vote has been out of reach. Professor Doug Spencer explains the past and present of the right to vote in America, and how debates about voter fraud are missing the mark. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, How Surveys Can Strengthen the Voting Rights Act Further Reading: The Dismantling of the Voting Rights Act , Dewey M. Clayton, Uni...

How do policymakers sort through all the information they get? Jenni Owen discusses how she and the office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper engage with research, and offers do's and don'ts for researchers and advocates who want to inform policy.

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 f...

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...

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, Audiom...

A decade ago, the immigration debate divided Hazleton, PA when the mayor blamed a wave of immigrants for crimes and passed a harsh bill against them. Professor René Flores lays out what happened and how laws like this can actually lead to more violence. For More on This Topic: Read his brief on Hazleton and Arizona, How Restrictive Laws Can Influence Public Attitudes towards Immigrants Check out t...

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 Rac...

Millions of Americans struggle to pay their utility bills, and some families are even forced to choose between groceries or energy bills. Professor Tony Reames lays out energy's unequal burden on low-income Americans and suggests ways to move forward. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, Improving the Effectiveness of Federal Energy Assistance for Low-Income Households Check out a Q&A with Prof...

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 blo...