SCOTUS ruling hints at why religious freedom means living with views we don’t like
While the ruling in the Maine case is unsurprising given the court’s recent decisions around freedom of religion, some of the rhetoric around the case misrepresents the role of constitutional protections for religion in a pluralistic society, said John Inazu, expert on law and religion at Washington University in St. Louis.
Poll shows abortion ruling leak did little to change Americans’ voting intentions
A forthcoming study conducted by researchers at Olin Business School and UCLA suggests the recent leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion did not significantly influence how Americans intend to vote.
What Goes Without Saying
Navigating Political Discussion in America
Why are political conversations uncomfortable for so many people? The current literature focuses on the structure of people’s discussion networks and the frequency with which they talk about politics, but not the dynamics of the conversations themselves. In “What Goes Without Saying,” Taylor N. Carlson and Jaime E. Settle investigate how Americans navigate these discussions […]
Florida’s attack on Disney violates the First Amendment
If Florida’s action to strip Walt Disney World of its status as a special tax district is indeed retaliatory against the company for its opposition to the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, then Florida has plainly violated the First Amendment, says a constitutional law expert at Washington University in St. Louis.
Perception matters: How fear about crime impacts presidential approval
Using Gallup survey data from 2000-2019 spanning across four presidential administrations, political scientists in Arts & Sciences find anxiety about crime, race and the president’s political party influence whether Americans hold presidents accountable for crime.
Global instability and the timing of Russia’s attack on Ukraine
Analyzing more than 200 years of conflicts, David Carter in Arts & Sciences finds revisionist states — like Russia — have made territorial claims when the great powers that dominate the international system are embroiled in crisis.
China, Ukraine and the limits of ‘no limits’
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently declared that their nations’ friendship had “no limits.” But that partnership has been sorely tested by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, argues Washington University’s Zhao Ma.
Unpacking the crisis in Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine took much of the world by surprise. On March 9, a group of WashU faculty will attempt to sort through the roots of the conflict, as well as the latest developments, in the virtual panel discussion “Crisis in Ukraine.”
Honoring a dying wish
Mike Yochim spent his final months writing a book about the effects of climate change on national parks. Bill Lowry, professor emeritus of political science in Arts & Sciences, ensured his friend’s final words would be heard.
Research demonstrates importance of consistent branding in political television ads
An analysis of television ads from the 2016 presidential election shows messages that are centrist and consistent with the candidate’s primary messages lead to increased online word of mouth chatter and higher daily poll ratings.
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