Free speech and judicial independence in the age of revolution
The right to free speech and judicial independence — two foundational values our nation is built upon — were born of the founders’ distrust of unchecked power, according to Andrew D. Martin, chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis and an expert in judicial politics.
Why the First Amendment’s forgotten right of assembly matters more than ever
WashU’s John Inazu argues that the ability to gather with others is essential to a healthy democracy — particularly at a time of deep social and political division. He was among the faculty presenting as part of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics course “1776: Then and Now.”
How Thomas Jefferson’s Quran became test case for religious liberty
Tazeen Ali, an assistant professor of religion and politics at Washington University in St. Louis, says Thomas Jefferson’s Quran confronts us with the question of what the founders themselves knew they couldn’t avoid: Will the promises of 1776 stop at the edge of our own religion, or will they extend to Muslims and beyond?
Research explains Trump’s influence on primary contests
Research by Daniel Butler, a professor of political science in WashU Arts & Sciences, suggests that candidates aligned with President Trump are advancing, in part, because disappointed 2024 Republican voters are opting out of this year’s intraparty contests.
Health-related ballot measures more likely to pass
As voters are increasingly asked to decide complex health policy questions at the ballot box, new research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis finds that healthcare-related ballot measures draw more voters to the polls and are more likely to pass than other initiatives — but they’re also especially sensitive to opposition spending by special interest groups.
Strawbridge named 2026 Andrew Carnegie fellow
Michael Strawbridge, an assistant professor of political science in WashU Arts & Sciences, is among 24 scholars named 2026 Andrew Carnegie fellows by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Study reveals how, when political parties communicate with citizens in multiple languages
Analyzing 4 million Facebook posts made by 800 political parties from 87 countries around the world, including the U.S., WashU political scientists find candidates’ linguistic choices often mirror the parties’ choices.
Political Polarization and the Future of Democracy
Is polarization a threat to democracy or one of its inherent features? WashU’s Sandro Galea sits down with Johns Hopkins University’s Lilliana Mason to discuss the deep divides that define today’s political landscape.
Lilliana Mason
Cross-Border Commerce
How is e-commerce shaping our global economy? And what role will it play in the future of U.S.-China relations? Professor Lizhi (Liz) Liu, of Georgetown University, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss the booming political economy surrounding e-commerce in China.
Lizhi (Liz) Liu
SCOTUS decision could prove catastrophic for minority political power
The Supreme Court on April 29 struck down a voting map in Louisiana, creating a path for other states to redraw congressional maps that could affect elections for years. The result may be disastrous for racial minority political power in the United States, says an expert on voting rights law at Washington University in St. Louis.
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