Social Sciences Division

Turnout for this year's November election was the lowest on record since Washington started keeping track in 1936. Statewide, 36.41% of registered voters returned their ballot in 2023. That beats the previous low of 37.1%, held in another odd-year election -- 2017, and the one before that, 38.52% in 2015. Mark Smith, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

After internal chaos earlier this month, OpenAI replaced the women on its board with men. As it plans to add more seats, Timnit Gebru, Sasha Luccioni and other AI luminaries tell WIRED why they wouldn't join. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

"Santos may be exceptional in how many lies he has told, but politicians seeking election have incentives to tell voters what they want to hear - and there is some empirical evidence that a willingness to lie may be helpful in the process of getting elected. Voters may not appreciate candidates who are unwilling or unable to mislead others from time to time," writes Michael Blake, professor of philosophy and of public policy and governance at the UW.

"Why do you tip? And have your reasons for tipping changed lately? Is there less gratitude in the mix and more – shall we say – fear?" writes columnist Peter Coy. Anthony Gill, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

"If a policy imposes costs locally to create benefits across the border, it is likely to run into local opposition. This is the story of Delhi's air pollution as well as the global slowdown in addressing climate issues," write the UW's Nives Dol?ak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

This week, attend the Diversity Lecture Series “Unveiling Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States”, celebrate the Jacob Lawrence Gallery Reopening, listen to Indigenous storytellers at Sacred Breath, and more. November 13, 3:00 – 4:30pm | Diversity Lecture Series: “Unveiling Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States: Disparities and Challenges in Women’s Health”,...

"Often, we use social media as a link –– this incredible resource to connect us to the people and places we love. As disinformation, decontextualization, and propaganda increase across X, TikTok, and other sites, users need to assess what the sources are for the information they are consuming," writes Danielle Marie Holland. Liora Halperin, professor of history and international studies, is quoted.

Over the course of some 44,000 years, humans occupying the island of Timor-Leste, just north of Australia, changed their methods of making stone tools in lockstep with climate change, according to a recent study in Quaternary Science Reviews. Ben Marwick, professor of anthropology at the UW, is quoted.

Tech welcomes big characters, and many successful founders become synonymous with their brands. The incentive structures of Silicon Valley – and the huge sums that can be gained from selling stories rather than functional products – mean that the door remains open for other people to follow in Bankman-Fried's tracks. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

This week, attend the UW Pandemic Project’s Radical Listening Session to honor each individual’s lived pandemics experiences, head to Meany Hall for Garrick Ohlsson’s piano performance, celebrate Diwali with the Burke Museum, and more. November 7, 4:30 – 6:00pm | Sharon Stein, “The University and Its Responsibility for Repair: Confronting Colonial Foundations and Enabling Different...

Police facing criminal charges for deaths caused on duty are exceedingly rare. Over the past century, just six deaths at the hands of police have resulted in criminal charges in Washington state. James Gregory, professor and associate chair of history at the UW, is quoted.

Sam Altman thinks the technology underpinning his company's most famous product could bring about the end of human civilization. The UW's Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics, and Margaret O'Mara, professor of history, are quoted.

Political Science professor James Long studies why many voters choose to participate in elections in emerging democracies despite the considerable personal cost.

What it means to be Black and Republican has changed through the years. American Ethnic Studies professor La TaSha Levy is researching a period of dramatic change for Black Republicans. 

Where do you seek information about politics and elections? In this roundtable, three faculty in the UW Department of Communication discuss the role of media in creating an informed public.