Social Sciences Division

Washington had the smallest rightward shift of any state in the 2024 presidential election, an Axios analysis finds — although, after three weeks of vote counting, it's no longer true that the state trended slightly more blue. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

When he isnât lecturing at the University of Washington or pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of California, Davis, Tory Johnston (Quinault) co-hosts a global Indigenous radio show, Sounds of Survivance.

"Climate policy should not become associated with halted mobility, dark and cold buildings, and spoiled food in refrigerators. An important collective (as opposed to household) level response to outages is to strengthen grid resilience via undergrounding power lines," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

In the aftermath of the 2024 election, Democrats are confronting a possible existential threat: The erosion of support among important demographic groups, particularly Latinos. Sophia Jordán Wallace, professor of political science at the UW, is interviewed.

Exciting. Confusing. Inspiring. Intimidating. Being a first-generation college student can bring many challenges and emotions. If you are a first-gen student, know that you are in good company. Here, ten UW Arts & Sciences students/alumni who've been in your shoes offer their thoughts on surviving — and thriving — as a first-generation student at the UW. 

Democrats faced heavy losses nationwide on Election Day, with many districts turning away from the party as Republican Donald Trump won another term as president. Experts say Democratic leaders should take pointers from U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Assessing the size of the homeless population is full of challenges and has often led to undercounts, but a team of researchers at the University of Washington has developed a system that they say fills in those gaps. Zack Almquist, a UW associate professor of sociology, and Amy Hagopian, professor emeritus of health systems and population health, are interviewed.

The extraordinary pace of Microsoft’s ascent is what stands out in retrospect. The company, which is marking its 50th anniversary next year, was well on its way to dominating its industry by the time it arrived in the Seattle region from Albuquerque in 1979. Seven years later, in March 1986, the company made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange, at a market value of more than $500 million. So what can be learned from a fresh look at Microsoft’s startup years? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

The free trade era that has defined the U.S. economy for decades made clear winners and losers. It tanked the Rust Belt, but sent the Pacific Northwest’s global economy to new heights. Washington state has always benefited from its international companies and the free flow of talent across borders. So what does the potential end of the free trade era mean for our economy? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.

After a week of vote counting, Washington still appears to be the only state that got slightly bluer in the 2024 presidential election — and political observers have several theories why. Victor Menaldo and Mark Smith, professors of political science at the UW, are quoted.

Silicon Valley didn’t shift right. It just wants to be left alone. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

The UW's political science professors James Long and Victor Menaldo are interviewed on whether the U.S. election was the latest eruption of populism across the globe.

"While voters overwhelmingly rejected I-2117 by a 62%-38% margin (that is, voted to continue cap-and-invest), they narrowly supported I-2066 by a 51% - 49% margin (that is, they opposed transitioning from gas)," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

The prescription to fix the Democratic Party after a historic loss in the presidential race, likely won’t be found in Washington State. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.