Maxwell School News and Commentary

"How legislators and court systems promote or prohibit justice-enabling policies is vitally important. Civil courts are a venue through which citizens pursue substantive rights when no other authority exists," writes Ph.D. candidate Eric van der Vort '13 M.A. (PSc).

William Banks discusses the legality of a congressman serving in Congress if convicted of assault. Banks tells that the U.S constitution does not stop " a convicted member of Congress from continuing to serve, even for felony convictions, short of treason." 

"I'm not sure that WikiLeaks has made people more critical consumers of news as much as less trusting in authority," says Shana Gadarian, associate professor of political science.

A new scholarship, funded by alumni Sarah Laditka '94 M.A./'95 Ph.D. and Jim Laditka '98 M.P.A./'02 Ph.D. (PA), provides scholarships for undergraduates in all the social sciences, with preference to first-generation college students and others from under-represented groups. "Our Maxwell educations opened many doors for us. We hope the students who are supported by this scholarship will have similar opportunities,” the Laditkas said in a joint statement.

Corri Zoli, director of research for the Institute for Security Policy and Law, says that John Katko is "a very bipartisan member of the house who is remarkably productive and prolific in terms of authoring more bills than any freshman in his class. He's actually doing his work, and many of his laws are bipartisan."

"The supreme leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] might have the ultimate say on all major decisions," says Mehrzad Boroujerdi, professor of political science. "But he’s not a leviathan that everyone obeys without question."