Political Science News and Events

“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.”

There’s been “a real rupture in the way we think about how the world order, if we want to call it that, functions,” says Daniel McDowell, Maxwell Advisory Board Professor of International Affairs. In moments of instability, he explains, buying gold has historically been a sort of “psychological reaction” for some hoping to find a safe place for their money.

The Maxwell associate professor was an invited lead discussant for the organization as it prepares to update its Social Institutions and Gender Index, a widely used measure of international gender inequality.