Maxwell School News and Commentary

The way the administration has framed its raids is an attempt to shape public perception by driving the narrative that “immigrants are criminals” who “don’t belong in the United States,” says Shana Gadarian, Merle Goldberg Fabian Professor of Excellence in Citizenship and Critical Thinking.

Prema Kurien, professor of sociology, examines the political mobilization strategies of people of South Asian and Indian descent in the United States. She also traces how immigrants reshape the host society, both conforming to aspects of that society while also transforming it to meet their unique needs. (Oxford University Press, 2025)

This Maxwell X Lab study uses a randomized controlled trial to examine which email format is the more salient option when recruiting for a teacher training program designed for diverse, underrepresented students. Published in the Journal of Behavioral Public Administration.

William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs, says the flights are possible because of Trump’s emergency declaration at the border. “In doing so, he evoked a series of statutes under something called the National Securities Act. Gives him additional authorities beyond his everyday authorities,” he says.

In the U.S., the most common source of developmental disability is fetal alcohol exposure, which can be prevented during pregnancy. Yet supports for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and their families are few and far between, writes Sarah Hamersma, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.

Professor of Sociology Andrew London and his co-author examine whether having a sibling and/or a parent on active duty in the military is associated with suicidality among 12- to 17-year-old adolescent girls and boys in the United States. Published in Military Medicine.

“There’s so much more on the table in terms of the overall portfolios of some of these organizations,” says Gladys McCormick, Jay and Debe Moskowitz Endowed Chair in Mexico-U.S. Relations.

In this study, Assistant Professor of Sociology Haowei Wang and co-authors investigate how the experience of speech problems before age 16 are associated with the risk of dementia among older adults aged 50 and older. Published in Innovation in Aging.

“Because there's some evolutionary benefit in groups, I think one of the ways that politicians are quite effective at making people fearful is to make them fearful of groups that are different than themselves,” says Shana Gadarian, professor of political science and associate dean for research.

“The same terms that were agreed to by Hamas and Israel were available at least eight months ago and likely a similar deal could have been achieved late last year...Instead, the Biden administration’s vociferous support for Israel’s 15-month military campaign has had a profound impact on America’s standing in the world,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history.