Political Science News

Elizabeth Cohen cited in NY Mag article on ICE, McKinsey & Company

A passage from Elizabeth Cohen’s forthcoming book, Illegal: How America's Lawless Immigration Regime Threatens Us All, was cited in the New York Magazine article "ICE Didn’t Need McKinsey’s Help to Abuse Detainees." Cohen reveals that abusive approaches were also in place during both the Clinton and Obama administrations, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection obstacles.

Gueorguiev article on China, dictatorship published in Washington Post

Earlier this fall, Mike Bloomberg said that Chinese President Xi Jinping is “not a dictator,” and that the long-ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) "listens to the public." Dimitar Gueorguiev weighs in on Bloomberg's comments and explains why China is still a dictatorship in his article "Mike Bloomberg said China isn’t a dictatorship. Is he right?," published in the Washington Post's Monkey Cage blog.

Reeher comments on the political impact of impeachment in the Hill

"On paper, you would say it has to hurt him [Trump] and there are public opinion data that back that up," says Professor Grant Reeher. "But there are different ways this might be spun that we can’t predict right now. It could be that this mobilizes a set of voters in a way that helps Trump." Reeher was interviewed for the Hill article "The Memo: Will impeachment hurt Democrats or Trump?"

McDowell discusses history of the Washington Consensus on WPR podcast

Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science, was a guest on World Politics Review's latest Trend Lines podcast where he discussed the history of the Washington Consensus and why it continues to spark controversy around the world 30 years after the term was coined.

Jackson shares her perspective on racial acts on campus in Wash Post

"These events force us to confront the thin line between our beliefs and our practices," writes Jenn Jackson, assistant professor of political science. Her article, "I teach at Syracuse University. Racist acts on campus have left me scared, tired and more motivated than ever," was published in the Lily, a publication of the Washington Post.

Jackson talks about fighting bigotry during the holidays in Teen Vogue

In her article titled "It's Your Responsibility to Challenge Bigoted Relatives Over the Holidays," published in Teen Vogue, Jenn Jackson explains why it's important to fight bigotry. "The issue of racism is tangled up with a host of other issues, including gender and sexuality, class, and education," writes Jackson. "Starting the conversation can seem daunting, but it can also be a gateway to a host of other meaningful interactions about systemic prejudices and inequality."

Keck weighs in on the future of American democracy in the NY Times

Tom Keck was interviewed for the New York Times article "The Democracy Doomsayers Consider 2020." Keck said drastic measures might be needed such as term limits for new justices and keeping open the possibility of expanding the [Supreme] court’s size. "It may be our least-bad option in restoring the court’s role as a democratic guardrail," said Keck.

Thorson quoted in CT Mirror article on Connecticut's tax myth

"With policy perceptions, it’s not about what a candidate did or didn’t do," says Emily Thorson, assistant professor of political science. "Misconceptions about a particular policy, these are pretty common." Thorson was interviewed for the CT Mirror article "Debunking Connecticut’s enduring tax myth."

Abdelaaty paper on refugees, guesthood in Turkey published in JRS

"The refusal to designate certain populations as asylum seekers or refugees enables Turkey to opt in or out of what might otherwise appear to be generally applicable, national-level policies," writes Lamis Abdelaaty, assistant professor of political science. Her article, "Refugees and Guesthood in Turkey," was published in the Journal of Refugee Studies.

Veterans Week 2019 Stories of Service, EMPA student Dan Cordial

For U.S Army veteran Daniel Cordial, as he stepped foot onto the Syracuse University campus, he was taking advantage of a second chance at working towards the life he wanted. Cordial graduated with a degree in political science in 2018 and was accepted to the Executive Master’s in Public Administration program at the Maxwell School.

Jackson weighs in on women's bodily autonomy in Washington Post

Jenn Jackson was interviewed for the Washington Post article "Rapper T.I. says he takes his teen to the gynecologist to confirm her hymen is ‘still intact’." "[Harris] is an adult...so why is he still invested in what she does with her body?" says Jackson. "These are the types of ways young girls are socialized to understand their bodies do not belong to them, that they are a societal possession."

Elliot J. Stamler ’60 makes legacy gift to support academic excellence

Elliot J. Stamler ’60 BA (PSc) has named the University as a beneficiary of a portion of his estate, totaling $5,480,000, to be directed to multiple recipients on campus to support academic and research excellence. His newly announced bequest reflects his own loyalty to his undergraduate professors and his love for the University.

Gadarian discusses voter turnout, local elections on WAER

Central New Yorkers face an election in November with dozens of local offices on the ballot for positions that decide things such as tax rates, education policy, and district lines. But voter turnout in elections with primarily local races has been historically low. Shana Gadarian joined WAER's Syracuse Speaks to discuss the importance of local elections and voter engagement.

Weschle paper on revolving door employment published in PSRM

"Campaign finance legislation and the supply-side of the revolving door," written by Simon Weschle, was published in Political Science Research and Methods. Weschle argues that one important institutional factor that shapes politicians' willingness to leave office for a private sector job is campaign finance legislation.

Reeher weighs in on the race for Onondaga County executive in Politico

Tony Malavenda has launched an aggressive campaign to unseat incumbent Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, which Grant Reeher says could backfire on him. Criticisms of pay raises and the compensation paid to county officials have been raised in previous elections and haven't gained much traction, Reeher says. He was interviewed for the Politico article "A rare brawl breaks out in race for Onondaga County executive."

Bybee speaks to CNY Central about the rise of political incivility

Some acrimony is typical, particularly in an election year, when politicians will use "tactical or strategic incivility" to attract attention or publicity, explains Keith Bybee. "The bigger concern is whether there's some kind of deeper problem here and whether we are...at the threshold of civil war," he says. Bybee was interviewed for the CNY Central article "The 2020 election could solidify a new standard of political incivility."

White discusses his recent book on WWII and racial politics on NBN

Steven White spoke with the New Books Network about his recently published book World War II and American Racial Politics: Public Opinion, the Presidency, and Civil Rights Advocacy (Cambridge University Press, 2019). White offers an extensive analysis of rarely used survey data and archival evidence to assess white racial attitudes and the White House response to civil rights.

Reeher weighs in on Trump's removal of US troops in Syria in the Hill

Grant Reeher was quoted in the Hill article "The Memo: Trump's sea of troubles deepens." "Even among his customary allies and supporters, there has been pretty blunt criticism, not only of the policy choice but of the way it was done and the way it is continuing to be done," says Reeher of the troop withdrawal in Syria.

Elizabeth Cohen discusses her book Citizenship on New Books Network

Elizabeth Cohen spoke with the New Books Network about her recently published book Citizenship (Polity Books, 2019), co-authored with Cyril Ghosh. The book takes the reader through the authors' approaches to the concept of citizenship and begins by highlighting how it is not always or often consistently applied and understood.

Thompson examines the meaning of success in religious life in GSR

"So as we look ahead to where religious life is going," writes Margaret Susan Thompson, "can we overcome an unfortunate and perhaps even unconscious obsession with size and numbers and instead focus on the inspiration that should be central to our understanding of "success," even — or especially — in religious life?" Thompson's article, "'Success' in religious life: What is it?," was published in Global Sisters Report.

Jackson discusses forgiveness after violence on WNYC's The Takeaway

"The expectations have remained relatively rigid," says Jenn Jackson. "What's happening, at least in my research, is that young people have been organizing for a great deal of time. And what they've been saying is that, you know, enough is enough." Jackson was interviewed on WNYC's The Takeaway for the segment titled "The Expectations of Forgiveness from Black Americans in the Aftermath of Violence."

Gadarian speaks to Spectrum News about the impeachment inquiry

"This is bigger than a partisan fight," says Shana Gadarian, associate professor of political science. "This is really about the nature of what is the presidency and what can it be used for." Gadarian was interviewed for the Spectrum News segment "Misso, Balter See Impeachment As Important, But Not Focus of Campaigns."

Reeher quoted in Globe and Mail article on impeachment

Grant Reeher was interviewed for the Globe and Mail article "The Democrats’ impeachment play could backfire." Reeher says the whistle-blower revelations aren’t really telling people anything they didn’t already know about Mr. Trump. "How many times,” Reeher says, "can you regenerate the outrage?"

Reeher quoted in The Hill article on impeachment, polarization

"One of the risks for Democrats in 2020 — especially at the presidential level — is that the impeachment process will suck up all the oxygen that otherwise might have been available to make the affirmative case for election," says Professor Grant Reeher. He was interviewed for The Hill article "The Memo: Will impeachment create an even more polarized nation?"

Faricy reviews the impeachment inquiry on CNY Central

"It’s damning by any account just for the mere fact that he asked a foreign leader to investigate private citizens for potential personal political gain is egregious," says Chris Faricy. "The question, what else is out there that we are not aware of, either with the Ukranian President or even other countries and leaders." Watch the full interview via the CNY Central website.

Reeher discusses NY Dems, support for impeachment in Daily Star

Whether Democrats favor impeachment or are resisting it is now a "litmus test" within the party, says Professor Grant Reeher. "The more moderate Democrats are recalculating, thinking they have to get on board with this or face primaries" from left-leaning insurgents. Reeher was interviewed for the Daily Star article "Most N.Y. Dems back push to impeach Trump over Ukraine call."

PSc PhD students publish op-ed on the Brexit battle in Washington Post

Claire Sigsworth and Nathan Carrington, PhD students in political science, used survey research to analyze Brexit and its impact on the UK Supreme Court. Their article, titled "The Brexit battle has reached the U.K. Supreme Court. Here’s what you need to know," was published in the Washington Post. Their data suggest the overall legitimacy of Britain’s highest court will remain intact.

White quoted in NY Post article on Warren's segregationist gaffe

Steven White was cited in the New York Post article "Warren had her own segregationist gaffe during Washington Square rally." "Regarding [Elizabeth] Warren’s use of [Frances] Perkins in her speech tonight: I just want to note that this is something Perkins said near the end of her life, was buried in an extremely long academic oral history interview, and isn’t really public knowledge," says White.

Gueorguiev comments on US-China trade talks, Huawei in Wash Examiner

"If differentiating the Huawei issue into trade and security strands makes it politically more palatable for the Trump administration to make a limited deal that lifts the ban on non-security related Huawei transactions, it is hard to see what the Chinese side stands to gain from not playing along," says Dimitar Gueorguiev. He was interviewed for the Washington Examiner article "Beijing backs away from including Huawei in trade talks."

Maxwell announces new faculty members, department chair

The academic year begins at the Maxwell School with the arrival of twelve new faculty members. In addition, Tom Perreault, professor of geography, is the new chair of the Department of Geography.

Gadarian discusses attitudes on immigration in Quartz article

Shana Gadarian was interviewed for the Quartz article "The Bahamas ferry confusion is the perfect encapsulation of America under Trump." Gadarian says the fact that Trump has turned immigration into such a partisan issue has likely increased support for immigrants among many Americans." On the whole, people’s attitudes have become more supportive of immigration," Gadarian says.

Zoli op-ed on Taliban peace talks published in Newsday

Corri Zoli, research assistant professor of political science, provides commentary on the US-Taliban peace negotiations in her article titled "Second thoughts about Taliban peace talks," published in Newsday.

Taylor weighs in on recent Moscow elections in Vox article

"The authorities made a calculation back in the summer: that it was better to keep the actual opposition candidates...off the ballot and take the protests over the summer, than it would be to steal the elections in September and face protests over that," says Professor Brian Taylor. "And they may have calculated right on this." Taylor was interviewed for the Vox article "Moscow’s elections dealt a blow to Putin’s party. But it’s complicated."

Jackson featured in Medium article on imposter syndrome

Jenn Jackson, assistant professor of political science, was featured in the Medium article "For Women of Color, Imposter Syndrome Begins in the Classroom." "By labeling every single moment of self-doubt expressed by women, primarily those of color, as impostor syndrome, we flatten the complexities and pervasiveness of White Supremacy and patriarchy," Jackson writes.

Elizabeth Cohen evaluates the concept of citizenship in new book

The Maxwell School is proud to announce the publication of Citizenship, a new book by Elizabeth F. Cohen and Maxwell alumnus Cyril Ghosh ’05 MA (PSc)/’08 PhD (PSc), associate professor of political science at Wagner College. Citizenship is an introduction to the concept of citizenship and an evaluation of the idea’s continuing relevance in the 21st century.

Reeher comments on Trump's approach to immigration in The Hill

Grant Reeher was interviewed for The Hill article "The Memo: Dangers loom for Trump on immigration." "His supporters value his consistency but the overall numbers don’t bode terribly well," says Reeher. Trump’s rhetoric, Reeher adds, "just takes all the things that people criticize him for and puts it right there in their face."

Maxwell announces promotions, tenure for six faculty

The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is pleased to announce the promotion of six distinguished individuals from Geography, Public Administration and International Affairs, Political Science, and Sociology.

Maxwell Professor Emeritus G. Matthew Bonham remembered

G. Matthew Bonham, professor emeritus of political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, died on Aug. 14. Bonham taught at Syracuse University for 25 years and was instrumental to the creation and development of the International Relations Program as a separate interdisciplinary endeavor.

McDowell op-ed on Lagarde's tenure as IMF director published in WPR

In his latest piece for World Politics Review titled "Lagarde Leaves the IMF Better Off, but New Troubles Loom for Her Successor," Daniel McDowell surveys the accomplishments (and controversies) of Christine Lagarde's tenure as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and looks ahead to the challenges that will face her successor.

White book examines America’s participation in WWII, racial politics

World War II and American Racial Politics: Public Opinion, the Presidency, and Civil Rights Advocacy, a new book by Steven White, assistant professor of political science at the Maxwell School, was published on August 15 by Cambridge University Press.

Taylor comments on the Moscow pro-democracy protests in Vox article

Professor Brian Taylor was interviewed for the Vox article "The pro-democracy protests rocking Moscow, explained." "We do seem to be seeing a ramping up in tension around this rather than a successful repression of protest on the part of authorities so far," says Taylor.

Zoli comments on US travel warnings in WZTV article

Corri Zoli was interviewed for the WZTV article "Japan joins list of countries warning of U.S. travel, Venezuela lists Tennessee city." "There is likely a political message embedded in especially Venezuela’s travel alert in light of President Trump’s announcement on Monday of expanding US sanctions, which will freeze all Venezuelan government assets and ban all Americans from doing business with Maduro's administration," says Zoli.

Reeher weighs in on Obama's criticism of Trump in The Hill

"Obama can say things that will be heard differently from the Democratic candidates for president," says Professor Grant Reeher. "He has the role of former president and that de facto gives you a statesmanlike role. And he fills that role in the way he expresses himself." Reeher was interviewed for The Hill article "The Memo: Obama throws down challenge to Trump."

Thompson quoted in NY Times article about nuns and slavery

"A lot of communities now are very committed to dealing with issues of racism, but the fact is their own history is problematic," says Margaret Susan Thompson."They’re beginning to confront their own racism, and their own complicity in the racism of the past," she says, "but it’s a very long road." Thompson was interviewed for the New York Times article "The Nuns Who Bought and Sold Human Beings."

Reeher comments on Trump's efforts to help A$AP Rocky in USA Today

Grant Reeher was interviewed for the USA Today article "Trump and Sweden don't see eye to eye – on anything." In July, President Trump offered to come to the aid of A$AP Rocky, an American rapper who has been charged with assault in Stockholm, Sweden. "We're headed into a campaign year, and it may be no coincidence that the person Trump is advocating for is a popular African-American rapper," says Reeher.

Student veterans prepare for success at Warrior-Scholar Project

Last week, for the fifth year in a row, Syracuse University hosted the esteemed Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP), a no-cost academic boot camp for first-year student veterans. WSP at Syracuse University is a collaborative effort of the OVMA and the College of Arts and Sciences. Several Maxwell School faculty members taught during this year's program.

Thompson speaks with ABC radio about presidential racial rhetoric

In the wake of President Trump's recent tweets about four Democratic congresswomen of color, Margaret Susan Thompson was interviewed on ABC Radio about the history of the use of racist language by US presidents. According to Thompson, coded racial language began to be used as a political strategy under President Richard Nixon.

Maxwell alums featured in WSYR-TV series Victory Over Violence

Abdul Saboor '18 BA (PSc)/’19 EMPA/CAS Conflict Resolution, was recently featured in a story by WSYR-TV as part of a series called “Victory Over Violence.” Abdul is Community Navigator at Center for New Americans. The story also includes Olive Sephuma ’12 EMPA, who is the center’s director. This refugee resettlement agency in Syracuse is part of Interfaith Works of CNY.

Zoli discusses economic warfare with Iran in WAER article

"In a war, you can hurt certain areas of a country, but you usually don't grenade the entire economy. Whereas with economic warfare, you truly can," says Corri Zoli, director of research in the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism. She was interviewed for the WAER article "SU National Security Expert: "Economic Warfare" With Iran, Others Might Achieve Results."

Reeher quoted in Press-Republican article on NY, Trump's tax returns

"This represents a new escalation in the level of political polarization that we're seeing," with states taking an active role in differing with the Trump administration, said Professor Grant Reeher. He was interviewed for the Press-Republican article "New York clears way for access to Trump's state tax records."

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