Politics and Government

Once in a decade, America comes together to count every person in every home on every block in every neighborhood, coast to coast. In theory. Politics and a pandemic have made this year’s count extra fraught, says Sara Curran, director of the UW’s Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology and professor of international studies, of sociology and of public policy and governance. [This is the second segment in the Dec. 2 episode of the “The Record.”]

Annie McGlynn-Wright, sociology PhD graduate, explains the results of a new study she worked on exploring the consequences of early interactions between police and Black youth.

Dr. Angelina Godoy, director of the Center for Human Rights, discusses the Northwest Detention Center's practice of solitary confinement.

A federal appointment for Gov. Inslee would set off a cascade of political moves here in his home state. Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Angelina Godoy, director for UW’s Center for Human Rights, explains the center's new report on solitary confinement practices at Tacoma's Northwest Detention Center.

Aseem Prakash, professor of political science, explains Biden's choice of John Kerry as his presidential climate envoy.

Researchers have found that a small group of social media accounts are responsible for the spread of a disproportionate amount of the false posts about voter fraud. Ian Kennedy, a doctoral student in sociology at the UW, is quoted.

“Beyond damage repair, Biden has big plans for American energy. In my view, not all of them are realistic. Yet their actual purpose may be as starting points for negotiation,” writes Scott Montgomery, lecturer of international studies at the UW.

The country’s fishing fleet would not be able to sustain itself – or its geopolitical and surveillance role – without the hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies it receives. Tabitha Grace Mallory, affiliate professor of international studies at the UW, is quoted.

Brian Leung, PhD student in political science, is quoted in this article discussing the future of Hong Kong's democracy movement.

The governors of Iowa and North Dakota recently announced mandates that require people to wear masks in public. Both leaders previously resisted mask rules but issued them in the past week as daily COVID-19 cases spiked in their states, overrunning hospitals and intensive care units. Christopher Adolph, associate professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

One of the last things that Lilienne Shore Kilgore-Brown did during her senior year of high school before the pandemic was travel to Olympia, the capital of Washington, to advocate for state-wide comprehensive sex education. In March, the Washington state legislature passed the legislation that Kilgore-Brown and her peers had advocated for. Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

“The Bezos Earth Fund (BEF) is giving away $791 million to support climate action. Much of this money will go to well-established NGOs ... Yet, if BEF wants to change climate action’s playbook, it needs a new theory of change that tackles the key barrier to climate action. Funding these NGOs does not achieve this objective,” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.

The 2020 census has been subject to court fights, shifting deadlines and pandemic-related process adjustments. Sara Curran, director of the UW Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, explains the developments with this year’s count.

“The Bezos Earth Fund (BEF) is giving away $791 million to support climate action. Much of this money will go to well-established NGOs ... Yet, if BEF wants to change climate action’s playbook, it needs a new theory of change that tackles the key barrier to climate action. Funding these NGOs does not achieve this objective,” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.