Department of Political Science

The Labor Archives of Washington is creating an online resource called the Minimum Wage History Project to document the 2013-2014 campaign that succeeded in mandating a $15 minimum hourly wage.

Legislative Explorer is an interactive tool that lets you explore what actually happens in Congress -- which bills are introduced, where they go, and what their ultimate fate is. UW political scientists Nicholas Stramp and John Wilkerson developed it.

Last month, two UW political geeks were honored by Communication Arts for a program they developed called Legislative Explorer. Seattle Weekly talks with "the brains behind the cool new tool," John Wilkerson, associate professor of political science.

The online Legislative Explorer, the big-data policy project by John Wilkerson and Nicholas Stramp of the UW political science department, has been named an award of excellence winner in interactive design by Communication Arts.

This episode of Speakers Forum presents a debate focused precisely on the role public sector unions play in the overall health or weakness of the labor movement.

KUOW talks with Mark Smith, professor of political science, about "dark money" and how that fits into campaign financing.

The Oregonian interviews professor Tony Gill about the religious makeup of the nation's top representatives.

Emeritus professor Ellis Goldberg on the differences between Egypt and Tunisia after the Arab Spring.

By Thursday morning, the online #CrimingWhileWhite campaign that some saw as a show of solidarity had become another source of division. Christopher Parker, associate professor of political science, is quoted.

Some of President Obama's biggest financial backers in the Latino community already are throwing their support behind Hillary Clinton. Matt Barreto, associate professor of political science, is quoted.

The '90s battle over illegal immigration helped remake California's political landscape. Matt Barreto, professor of political science, is quoted.

There may be no better place than California to measure the contradictions, crosswinds and confusion that come with trying to change immigration law. Matt Barreto, professor of political science, is quoted.

Far from settling matters, President Obama's unilateral action on immigration all but ensures at least two more years of fierce and angry debate. Matt Barreto, professor of political science, is quoted.

Initiative 594, the ballot measure to close the "gun show loophole," enjoys a 2-to-1 lead and surprising strength on both sides of the Cascades, according to KCTS-9 Washington Poll. Barreto and colleague Christopher Parker were principal investigators in the survey.

Christopher Parker participates in a debate with a panel including Pulitzer Prize-winner George Will. They discuss the "toxic" American political atmosphere.