Maxwell School News
Anthropology Alumna Publishes Distinction Research
Hold Harmless for Whom? The Impact of COVID Era Policies on School Funding, Teachers, and Students
Veterans for Public Office Program Opens Applications March 17 for Aspiring Candidates
See related: Government, School History, Student Experience, United States, Veterans
Political Climate’s Role in Association Between Political Conservatism, COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
See related: COVID-19, Political Parties, United States, Vaccines
Griffiths Quoted in Newsweek Article on Growing Support in Some States for Seceding from the US
“The key factor driving this interest in secession is polarization. Whether it is the Red-State secessionists, the BlueExiters, the California Independence Party or the Texas Nationalists, they all point to unstoppable polarization and political dysfunction as the reason secession is necessary,” says Ryan Griffiths, professor of political science.
See related: Government, Political Parties, United States
In Memoriam: Laurence Thomas
Thomas, professor emeritus of political science and philosophy at Maxwell and the College of Arts and Sciences, passed away on Dec. 27 at age 76.
See related: In Memoriam
Ekbia Weighs In on the Rise in Election-Related Activities of Big Tech Companies in CNN Article
“The recent surge in election-related activities of big tech companies such as Palantir and OpenAI can be understood as preemptive measures against potential fallouts from the election,” says University professor Hamid Ekbia. “Palantir, in specific, is in a vulnerable position because of recent revelations about its heavy involvement with ICE activities.”
See related: Artificial Intelligence, Congress, Political Parties, U.S. Elections, United States
Tradeoffs are Domain Dependent: Improving Accuracy and Fairness in Property Tax Assessments
Encouraging Naturalization: The Broader Effects of DACA on U.S. Immigration
New RAISE Program Expands Student Opportunities in Economics
Spearheaded by Kristy Buzard, the effort seeks to broaden interest in the field of economics, especially among first-generation students and those from low-income households.
See related: Student Experience
Gretchen Purser Honored With 2026 Public Sociology Award
The award is given by the Eastern Sociological Society to recognize sociologists whose innovative research is paired with meaningful public engagement.
See related: Awards & Honors
Sultana Speaks With Al Jazeera About the National Election in Bangladesh
Today’s election is “the first genuinely competitive national vote in nearly two decades,” making it a “historic” moment for Bangladesh, and today's polls “mark a real break from the era of contested, non-credible polls and authoritarian entrenchment,” under Sheikh Hasina’s rule, says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.
See related: Elections, Government, South Asia
Cohen Quoted in Marketplace Article on How Tariff Rates are Calculated by the Trump Administration
The U.S. is placing tariffs on other countries for making successful products—not because they’re acting unfairly toward the U.S., says Andrew Wender Cohen, professor of history. “Imagine there's a country that's producing something very inexpensively that people make a lot of use out of. You're basically saying, ‘Well, we want to punish you for that.’”
See related: Federal Government, International Affairs, Tariffs, Trade, United States
Are the Kids Alright? Maxwell Expert Panel Examines Youth Mental Health
The public event in Washington, D.C., capped a day-long gathering that included conversations on research findings and meeting with lawmakers.
See related: Children, Adolescents, Mental Health, United States
Reforming Primary Elections: Voters, Campaigns, and the Future of Congressional Politics
Maxwell School alumnus and Assistant Teaching Professor Richard Barton ’15 M.A. (PSc) has co-edited a book that examines how primary elections have changed over the past decade and why they often yield extreme or unpopular candidates.
See related: Political Parties, State & Local Government, U.S. Elections, United States
Rubinstein receives 2026 Sol Tax Distinguished Service Award
Robert Rubinstein has been awarded the 2026 Sol Tax Distinguished Service Award by the Society for Applied Anthropology for his long-term, outstanding service to the Society.
Estévez-Abe Discusses Japan’s Parliamentary Elections With Agence France Presse and The Independent
“Now she [ Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi] doesn't have to worry about any elections until 2028, when the next upper house elections will take place,” says Margarita Estévez-Abe, associate professor of political science. “So the best scenario for Japan is that Takaichi kind of takes a deep breath and focuses on amending the relationship with China.”
See related: East Asia, Elections, Government, International Affairs
Latin American Studies Association Honors Gladys McCormick With Book Prize
The Howard F. Cline Book Prize in Mexican History recognizes outstanding scholarship and will be presented in Paris this spring.
Thorson Weighs In on How People Feel About AI ‘Slop’ in BBC Article
“If a person is on a short-video platform solely for entertainment, then their standard for whether something is worthwhile is simply ‘is it entertaining?’,’ says Emily Thorson, associate professor of political science. “But if someone is on the platform to learn about a topic or to connect with community members, then they might perceive AI-generated content as more problematic.”
See related: Artificial Intelligence, Media & Journalism, United States
Self-Reported Survey vs. Wastewater-Based Epidemiology Measures of Cocaine Use on a College Campus
The study, co-authored by Dessa Bergen-Cico and David Larsen, both professors of public health, was published in PLOS One.