Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

Latest Episodes:

Episode 155: The Midterms and Beyond Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

On Tuesday, voters across the country went to the polls in one of the most watched midterm elections in decades. And now the results are in. So what does it all mean? Scholars Didi Kuo and Gabriel Sanchez break down some of the biggest trends from the 2018 midterms, like the Latino vote, what they say about our two political parties, and what we can expect for the future.

For more on this topic:

Read Kuo's brief, What History Teaches about Reforming U.S. Political Parties and Governance
Check out her piece in The American Interest, The Paradox of Party Polarization
Listen to Sanchez' previous interview on No Jargon, The Latino Vote

Episode 154: The Women Turned Away Nov 01, 2018

Show notes

Across the country, states are making abortion less and less accessible. And that means there are many people who seek an abortion but are denied one. So what does that mean for a woman's health and well being? And what impacts does this have on her children? Professor Diana Greene Foster discusses the groundbreaking Turnaway Study she led to answer these questions.

Check out Foster's SSN brief, New Evidence about Women's Experience with Abortion - Compared to Carrying Unwanted Pregnancies to Term
Visit the website for the Turnaway Study
Read the article by Foster and the article by Professor Ushma Upadhyay mentioned in the episode (paywall)

Episode 153: Good Economy, Better Jobs Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

Unemployment is very low and Americans report having strong confidence in the economy. But not everyone is benefitting equally. Professor Harry Holzer digs into why many Americans without a college degree still struggle to find jobs, especially ones that pay well, and what the government can do to help.

For more on this topic:

Read Holzer's report for Brookings, Jobs for the working class: Raising earnings among non-college graduates
Check out his SSN brief, Are Job Training Programs a Good Way to Fight Poverty?

Episode 152: Who Gets a Green Card? Oct 18, 2018

Show notes

When the US decides whether or not to grant an immigrant a green card, they look at many factors. That includes if they heavily rely on certain government programs to get by. But proposed changes at the federal level means this whole system is about to change. Professor Tiffany Joseph explains these changes and what they mean for immigrants in America.

Find the full rule online at the Federal Register, where public comments can be submitted
Check out this explainer of the public charge rule change by Vox
Read Joseph's SSN brief, How Health Reform Excludes Unauthorized Immigrants – And Why That Needs to Change

Episode 151: Students at the Polls Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

College campuses are full of conversations about politics and policy. But many of these college students don't turn out when it actually matters, on Election Day. Nancy Thomas explores what gets students to vote and how college administrators, faculty members, and students can improve voting rates on their campuses.

Check out the report co-authored by Thomas, Election Imperatives
Read her interview with The Chronicle of Higher Education, Here's How Colleges Can Get More Involved in Elections -- and Not Just the Midterms
Visit the website for the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education at Tufts University

Episode 150: Giving the Vote Back Oct 04, 2018

Show notes

Casting a ballot seems as American as apple pie. But in Florida, one in ten people have had their voting rights taken away because of a criminal conviction. Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy dives into the history of Florida's voting system, how ex-felons get their rights back, and what Florida voters can do to help.

Episode 149: Beyond Legal Marijuana Sep 27, 2018

Show notes

Thirty states have laws legalizing marijuana in some form, and come November four more states may join their ranks through ballot initiatives. But these new laws often do little to help people who have past marijuana convictions. Professor Douglas Berman describes this disconnect and what states and the federal government can do to address it.

For more on this topic:

Read Berman's SSN Brief, How States Can Ensure That Today's Marijuana Reforms Also Ameliorate Harms Inflicted on Past Offenders
Check out his essay on the topic, Leveraging Marijuana Reform to Enhance Expungement Practices

Episode 148: California Greenin' Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

In face of ongoing threats to its environment, California has taken big steps to protect its nature and wildlife. Professor David Vogel lays out California's history as an environmental leader, how it plans to continue its green streak, and what other states - and the federal government - can learn from California's policy innovation.

Read Vogel's SSN Brief, How Environmental Policies Can Promote Economic Growth
Check out his book, California Greenin': How the Golden State Became an Environmental Leader
Find his LA Times op-ed, The Trump administration wants to end California's role as an environmental innovator and his interview with Bloomberg, Why California Goes Its Own Way on the Environment

Episode 147: In Government We Distrust Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

The government fights forest fires, protects us from foreign invasion, helps people go to college, and so much more. But Americans' opinions of the government are increasingly negative. Professor Suzanne Mettler dives into why people don't believe the government benefits them, even when it does, and how to bridge this disconnect between the government and the American people.

For More on this Topic:

Read Mettler's new book, The Government-Citizen Disconnect
Check out her OpEd in the New York Times and her interview on Vox
Listen to her previous No Jargon episode, Hidden Tax Benefits

Episode 146: Different Schools, Same Tests Sep 06, 2018

Show notes

It's back to school season and for many children, teachers, and parents across the country school looks very similar. That's because in 2009, the Common Core was introduced, standardizing what K-12 students should know, and be tested on. Professor Nicholas Tampio describes what that means for public education and imagines a different way forward for America's schools.

For More on this Topic:

Read Tampio's opinion pieces in Aeon and HuffPost
Check out his book, Common Core: National Education Standards and the Threat to Democracy
Find Jesse H. Rhodes' article on education politics in Perspectives on Politics (paywall)

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