Social Sciences Division

"Both New York and Seattle are in the process of electing their mayors. Because these cities are very liberal, the key election to watch for is the Democratic primary. Unless something unexpected were to occur between now and November, the candidate winning the Democratic primary will become the next mayor. In both cities, mayor hopefuls are focusing on crime, policing and homelessness. Climate change does not seem to be on their agendas. Why is this surprising?" write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

This week at the UW, attend gallery exhibitions, watch recorded events, and more.

As many as 60% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have gone unreported, and the coronavirus has infected nearly 1 in 5 Americans, according to a new model out of the University of Washington. The UW's Nicholas Irons, a doctoral student in statistics, and Adrian Raftery, professor of statistics and of sociology, are quoted.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the U.S. may have been undercounted by as much as 60%, researchers at the UW have found. Adrian Raftery, professor of statistics and of sociology at the UW, is quoted.

Every year, the U.S. Supreme Court, the nation’s highest court, issues several high-profile decisions that can have dramatic impacts on society. But much of what it does garners few headlines. Scott Lemieux, assistant teaching professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

"The present regime in Afghanistan is unstable, and some experts estimate it may collapse within the year. If it does so, the resulting power gap would likely be filled by the Taliban, whose history of human rights abuses include violence against women and children. There are significant moral costs at stake in either remaining in or withdrawing from Afghanistan," writes Michael Blake, professor of philosophy and of public policy and governance at the UW.

"A GoFundMe campaign is a poor — and unfair — substitute for functional social programs. The crowdfunding business, to which hundreds of thousands of people turned for help with rent and other basic needs during the pandemic, may well be a platform for 'inspiring acts of kindness,' but every donation also dictates who is being left behind," write Nora Kenworthy, associate professor of nursing and health studies at UW Bothell, and Mark Igra, a graduate student in sociology at the UW.

"I have worked in and on Myanmar for more than 30 years. Everyone I know there is either infected or caring for an infected person. No hospitals accept patients anymore, not even the priciest private ones. Some of the COVID-infected die on the steps in front of hospitals that reject them. They undoubtedly go untested, with death certificates likely reading 'pneumonia' as cause of death," writes Mary Callahan, associate professor of international studies at the UW.

Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, talks about the relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington lawmakers and the role of social media platforms in the spread of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation.

Michael Pearce, a doctoral student in statistics at the UW, and Adrian Raftery, PhD, a professor of sociology, discuss how long humans coild live.

University of Washington Provost Mark A. Richards today announced Dianne Harris will become dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, beginning Sept. 1.

"J.D. Vance, author of the briefly relevant memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy,' is now running for the Republican nomination for the Ohio Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman. It’s a tough race, and Vance is starting well behind in the polls. Feeling the pressure, Vance felt compelled this past weekend to dredge up one of the most hackneyed clichés in the conservative playbook," writes Scott Lemieux, assistant teaching professor of political science at the UW.

Seattle-based health data company Truveta today announced $95 million in fresh funding and the addition of three new participating health care systems, bringing its total to 17. Tyler McCormick, associate professor of statistics and of sociology at the UW, is quoted.

The UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science, write about Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos: "The rich want to do stuff that the unwashed masses cannot: own the biggest yacht, the most expensive house, the masterpiece by a famous painter and so on. Add becoming an astronaut to the wish list ... Both [also] want to be recognized as climate leaders."

The Internet Association once brokered deals on tech legislation. But its role has shrunk amid the industry’s divides and changes under a new CEO. Margaret O’Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.