Social Sciences Division

Duplexes, fourplexes or sixplexes will soon be legal in nearly every neighborhood in nearly every city in Washington, after the state Legislature passed ambitious legislation last week overriding cities' power to restrict land to single-family homes only. The UW's James Gregory, professor of history, is quoted.

A Supreme Court ruling on Friday ensured the abortion pill mifepristone can still be purchased and used in the U.S., freezing a lower court ruling that would've effectively banned access to the pill. Scott Lemieux, assistant teaching professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Member of the University of Washington Canoe Family have spent months carving traditional paddles using only hand tools, all in preparation for this summer's Tribal Canoe Journey.

This week, attend the annual Schiedel Lecture, learn about the transactional relationship between mental health research and care, enjoy the Improvised Music Project Festival held by UW students and faculty and more.

The Department of Economics interviews Grace Du, a senior studying Economics and Law, Societies and Justice.

The Department of Economics interviews Grace Du, a senior studying Economics and Law, Societies and Justice.

The UW hosted its first Sephardic art symposium, likely the first anywhere in the U.S. The event was called "Muestros Artistas," which means "Our Artists." It featured six Sephardic artists -- a mix of musicians, writers and painters from all over the U.S. Devin Naar, associate professor of history and of Jewish studies at the UW, is quoted.

In 1932, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis applauded the role of experimentation within the states, calling them "laboratories of democracy" that could inspire reforms at the national level. Today, that dynamic is inverted, as some red states have become laboratories of authoritarianism, experimenting with the autocratic playbook in ways that could filter up to the federal government. Jake Grumbach, associate professor of political science at the UW, is mentioned.

Christopher Tounsel, associate professor of history at the UW, explains the reasons behind the violence and what it means for the chances of democracy being restored in Sudan.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing renewed scrutiny, but don't expect the lifetime appointee to face any real repercussions, experts said. Scott Lemieux, assistant teaching professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

"Republican leaders are now adopting increasingly autocratic measures, using the police powers of government to impose moralized regulations, turning private citizens into enforcement officers and expelling defiant elected Democrats just as county Republican parties, particularly in Western states, are electing militia members, Christian nationalists and QAnon believers to key posts," writes New York Times columnist Thomas B. Edsall. Jake Grumbach, associate professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

One of two Black Democratic legislators expelled by the Republican-controlled Tennessee House said, "what the nation is seeing is that we don't have a democracy in Tennessee." Chillingly, data offers some support for that contention. Jake Grumbach, associate professor of political science at the UW, is mentioned.

After Alice Ball died -- and just a year after her discovery of a treatment for leprosy -- another scientist took credit for her work. It would be more than half a century until her story resurfaced. Quintard Taylor, professor emeritus of history at the UW, is quoted.

The indictment of former President Trump isn't just about an individual but about the office of the presidency, and what the country is willing to accept from its leaders, say University of Washington political scientists James Long and Victor Menaldo,

This week, learn more about Japan's response to climate change, attend the talk on Yoko Ono and the Art of the Breakdown, enjoy music performances at Meany Hall and more.