Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

Latest Episodes:

Episode 310: The Politics Behind Medicaid Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

New Medicaid rules could make it harder for millions of Americans to keep their health coverage. Professor Jamila Michener explains how work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks, and higher out-of-pocket costs could push eligible people off the program. Drawing on conversations with Medicaid recipients, she explores why politicians keep invoking fraud to justify cuts, why the people most affected have little say in how Medicaid works, and what it would take to change that.

For more on this topic:

Read Michener's op-ed in Syracuse.com, Historic Medicaid Cuts Are a Body Blow to Vulnerable Americans
Read her article in Health Affairs, The Future Of Medicaid And The Imperative Of Organized Power
Check out her book, Fragmented Democracy: Medicaid, Federalism, and Unequal Politics

Episode 309: Columbus, Indigenous Peoples, and the Stories Nations Tell Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Is it Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day—and what does that choice say about whose history America celebrates? The Trump administration has reaffirmed Columbus Day, praising Christopher Columbus as an American hero while declining to issue a separate proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day. Professor Kerri Malloy explains why the debate goes beyond a name on the calendar, how it fits into ongoing efforts to change the way U.S. history is portrayed in museums and national parks, and what we can achieve from taking a more critical approach to learning our past.

For more on this topic:

Read Malloy's commentary in The Conversation, Universities Returning Native American Remains and Artifacts Isn't Just About Physical Objects – It's About Dignity and Justice
Check out his essay in the Canopy Forum, From Doctrine to Proclamation: How Faith Still Frames U.S. Indian Policy
Read his op-ed in Cal Matters, Gov. Newsom and Pres. Trump Tell the Same Inadequate Tale About Native America

Episode 308: The Money Behind Nonprofits Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

Cuts to federal funding have made headlines for months. But what actually happens to nonprofits when that government money dries up? Professor Claire Dunning explains how federal funding helped build the modern nonprofit sector, why this money has long felt invisible, and how public and private funding have become so intertwined. She explores the ways in which philanthropy can shape nonprofits' priorities and influence which policy ideas get funded — and what that means for the people and communities nonprofits serve.

For more on this topic:

Read Dunning's commentary in Vital City, An Antidemocratic Approach to Democratic Governance
Check out her book, Nonprofit Neighborhoods: An Urban History of Inequality and the American State
Read her op-ed in The Washington Post, How the Rise of Urban Nonprofits Has Exacerbated Poverty

Episode 307: The Cost of Caregiving Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Labor Day is supposed to be about honoring workers—but what about the essential work that happens at home, often without a paycheck? Professor Jennifer Greenfield explains why caregiving, paid family and medical leave, and the rising cost of child care are not just private family concerns, but issues that affect workers, employers, and the broader economy. She explores what paid leave policies look like across U.S. states, who gets left out of the current system, and what policymakers can do to better support people caring for children, aging parents, and other loved ones.

For more on this topic:

Check out Greenfield's findings, A Colorado Guaranteed Income Program Could Help Families, but the Costs Are High, co-written with Kaitlyn Sims and Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, in The Conversation
Read her op-ed in the Denver Post, Here's How the Big Beautiful Bill Will Hurt Coloradans Most in Need of Assistance
Check out her op-ed in The Hill, Why paid leave should be kept in Build Back Better

Episode 306: When Schools Close Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

As families head back to school, many students may find themselves in a new school this year because their original school has closed. In the U.S., more than 1,000 schools closed in 2025–26. Professor Mara Tieken explains what's driving closures, why they don't always save money, and how they can reshape communities—especially rural and Black communities. She shares what communities can do when a school is threatened with closure, from fighting to keep it open to making sure the process is handled well when closure is unavoidable.

For more on this topic:

Check out Rural Schools Open, a resource toolkit created by Tieken to help communities facing possible school closures
Read her op-ed in The Hechinger Report, Shuttering Public Schools Is a Strategy That Rarely Saves Much Money and Often Leads to Test Score Declines
Read her commentary in The Washington Monthly, Don't Fall for the School Closure Temptation

Episode 305: The Politics of Reproduction Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

As the U.S. birth rate continues to decline, some politicians are calling for policies that encourage Americans to have more children, otherwise known as pronatalism—even as abortion access, contraception, and maternal health care face growing challenges. Professor Carolette Norwood explains what pronatalism is, why debates over population growth are often intertwined with race and immigration, and how these conversations intersect with reproductive justice and policy.

For more on this topic:

Read an interview with Norwood in The Hilltop, Pronatalism and the Politics of Childbirth
Check out her article, More than Abortion: Why Reproductive Justice Matters in Cincinnati Post-Roe, co-written with Thembi Carr and published in the Journal of Women, Politics & Policy
Read her paper, Forced to Birth: A Case Study of Ohio's Six-Week Abortion Ban, Its Impact on Black Women in Cincinnati and Its Relevance for Reproductive Justice in Ohio and Beyond, published in Health Matrix: The Journal of Law-Medicine

Episode 304: When Colleges Close Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

College closures are becoming an increasingly common part of higher education, largely driven by declining enrollment, shifting federal funding, and rising operating costs. As more campuses face financial strain, what happens when a college can't survive on its own? Professor Mary Churchill shares the story of Wheelock College's merger with Boston University, widely viewed as one of the most successful mergers in higher education. She explains how leaders can protect a school's mission, support students and faculty through major change, and make difficult decisions before a crisis leaves them with no good options.

For more on this topic:

Check out Churchill's book, When Colleges Close: Leading in a Time of Crisis, co-written with David Chard

Episode 303: Who Gets to Be an American? Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Birthright citizenship has been part of the U.S. Constitution for more than 150 years, but why has it become the focus of such intense political debate in recent years? Professor Anna Law breaks down the Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. Barbara, explains what birthright citizenship actually means, and traces the long history of who gets to be an American. Drawing from her new book, she separates fact from fiction on immigration, citizenship, and the Constitution, and explains why understanding that history matters today.

For more on this topic:

Check out Law's new book, Migration and the Origins of American Citizenship
Read her blog post, I Read Trump v Barbara So You Don't Have To
Read her Made by History essay in TIME Magazine, History Shows Why Birthright Citizenship is so Important

Episode 302: The Christian Women Behind MAGA Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Conservative Christian women are often portrayed as followers in American politics, but sociologist Katie Gaddini says that stereotype misses the bigger picture. Drawing on the research from her new book, she explains how these women have become a powerful force on the American right, what motivates their political engagement, and how faith, motherhood, and social media shape their growing influence.

For more on this topic:

Read Gaddini's new book, Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power the American Right
Check out her commentary in TIME Magazine, The woman whose crusade gave today's book-banning moms a blueprint

Episode 301: The Cost of Incarceration Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

For many Americans, contact with the criminal legal system comes with a hidden price tag. Without their knowledge, incarcerated people can often rack up large bills owed to the government to pay for the cost of their own incarceration. Sociologist Brittany Friedman explains how these "pay-to-stay" laws work, how civil lawsuits are used to collect that money after release, and why the push to reform these criminal legal fines and fees has drawn bipartisan support.

For more on this topic:

Read the article mentioned in the episode, Civil Lawfare, co-authored by Friedman and published in the journal Social Problems
Listen to her podcast, Exploitation Nation
Check out her book, Carceral Apartheid: How Lies and White Supremacists Run Our Prisons
Read her SSN key findings brief, Ending Modern-Day Slavery in California

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