Politics and Government

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.

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,

At the UW, Phillip Meng juggled a triple major, research, internships, journal editorship, business consulting, and more. Here's his recipe for making the most of the University.

The indictment of a former president of the U.S., Donald Trump, is history happening in real time. The Conversation asked the UW's political science professors James Long and Victor Menaldo to help readers understand the meaning of this moment in the U.S.

Former President Donald Trump may be the first U.S. president to face criminal charges, but he's hardly alone on the global stage. Plenty of other democracies have prosecuted their current or former leaders. James D. Long, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Dianne Harris, history and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Nancy Allbritton, bioengineering and dean of the College of Engineering write that we need governments, universities and private companies to come together now to grow the number of quantum-literate professionals.

James Gregory, UW professor of history, knows the subject of racism in housing well. For roughly two decades, he’s been unearthing the ugly, racist underpinnings of racial disparities in wealth and homeownership seen to this day across Puget Sound.

A new UW report raises questions about adequate janitorial services at Tacoma’s immigration detention center. The report includes internal emails among ICE staff, noting concerns about cleanliness at the facility. Angelina Godoy, professor of law, societies and justice and of international studies and director of the Center for Human Rights at the UW, is quoted.

Wolf management in Washington has been controversial. Rob Anderson, who obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Washington, explains the dynamic of managing a species through fear.

As a Congressional intern in Washington DC, UW senior Lillian Williamson was immersed in historic — and contentious — events on Capitol Hill.

In a new book, Jake Grumbach writes that states are no longer looking at each other to see what works and what doesn’t to improve the lives of their residents. Rather, he says, they’re looking to the national political parties for guidance on policy, ideology and objectives.