Maxwell School News and Commentary

John Zogby ’74 M.A. (Hist) joined political scientists for the State of Democracy lecture to examine voter turnout and other top issues affecting the 2024 election.

“I think IVF is an issue that hasn't been politicized before and could be one that could get people thinking about the ways that reproductive health is connected to politics and engage them,” says Shana Gadarian, professor of political science and associate dean for research. “It may push people to the polls.”

“It was definitely always a long shot and the ruling is not surprising,” says Thomas Keck, professor of political science and Michael O. Sawyer Chair of Constitutional Law and Politics. But, he adds, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling opened up larger questions about what guardrails exist to protect US democracy.

"What makes Arizona special is that when you have this desert land, you can grow alfalfa at an incredibly fast rate because of the amount of sunshine. So, as long as you have plentiful water, you can just grow," says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment.

“Even among the Republican primary voters, there are 40% of the people in that state who preferred Haley to Trump,” says Grant Reeher, professor of political science. “So, bearing in mind that Trump is a former president, has four years of a presidential record, lost a pretty close election in 2020...there's a significant chunk of the Republican Party that is not happy with him.”

“Demand for our highly ranked M.P.A. program remains strong with increased student interest in certificates of advanced study,” says Colleen Heflin, associate dean, professor and chair of public administration and international affairs. “Particularly in the areas of data analytics for public policy, security studies, and conflict and collaboration.”

“IVF is a pretty common procedure now, and if someone directly hasn’t gone through it, it is relatively common among groups that are more likely to be conservative,” says Shana Gadarian, professor of political science and associate dean for research. “These are procedures people think of as important in their own lives and are probably separable from abortion.”

"We've seen moments where there are more heavy exits from Congress, and that it is like a canary in the coal mine," says Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. "If I'm the speaker, I'm definitely worried."

“Having a nuclear weapon in space like that permanently would be a clear violation of international norms,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs. “That can create a nuclear space race. I think that’s the bigger threat.” 

"Why Don't South Asians in the U.S. Count As 'Asian'?: Global and Local Factors Shaping Anti-South Asian Racism in the United States," co-authored by Professor of Sociology Prema Kurien, was published in Sociological Inquiry.