How much trouble is Joe Biden really in? John Sides and Michael Tesler - March 19, 2024 There’s precedent for an election-year boost – but it’s not guaranteed.
How Black women get their political news matters for this election Nadia E. Brown, Camille Burge, and Christine M. Slaughter - February 29, 2024 A new study investigates the ways Black women use social media, TV news, and other sources to engage with politics.
The challenges facing Black leaders Nadia E. Brown and Terri Givens - January 12, 2024 Terri Givens' book Radical Empathy offers next steps for Harvard and other institutions.
Human rights in the U.S. and around the world in 2023 Kelebogile Zvobgo and K. Chad Clay - December 18, 2023 An expert explains some big developments in human rights this year.
Will protests over the Israel-Hamas war shift U.S. policy? Marc Lynch, Jeremy Pressman, and Jay Ulfelder - October 27, 2023 Two experts share their insights on the growing number of U.S. protest events.
It’s been a great nine years for TMC political science analysis Kim Yi Dionne, John Sides, and Henry Farrell - December 31, 2022 We’ve published thousands of articles. Here are some of our editors’ favorites.
When do communities of color favor more policing? Marcus Board, Jr. - May 18, 2022 New York Mayor Eric Adams argues that Black Lives Matter should support police, who protect New Yorkers from gun violence. Many Black, Latino and working-class New Yorkers voted for him.
Abortion rights protests have been peaceful. Will that change? Deana A. Rohlinger - May 10, 2022 Here’s what scholars know about when protesters are more likely to turn confrontational — or even violent.
Black motherhood shapes leadership in unique ways Andrene Z. Wright - May 6, 2022 Black mothers face distinct challenges that can lead to a commitment to caring for a broad community.
The House might pass a long-ignored bill to study reparations for slavery. Why now? Katherine Tate - March 22, 2022 My research looks at how Black legislators changed the Democratic Party — and how becoming party insiders changed them.
Congress finally passed a federal anti-lynching bill — after 120 years of failure Justin Peck and Jeffery Jenkins - March 9, 2022 For decades, a small, intensely committed Senate minority was able to use Senate rules to block change and maintain the Jim Crow system in the South
The Canadian truckers’ ‘freedom convoy’ disrupted life and blockaded borders. Did the protest succeed? David Meyer - February 24, 2022 The trick, for activists, is to get authorities and other audiences to focus on their issues as well as their tactics.
No, antifa didn’t ‘infiltrate’ Black Lives Matter during the 2020 protests. But did it increase violence? Kerby Goff and John D. McCarthy - February 8, 2022 Trump and others keep blaming extremist violence on these ‘radical left people.’ Here’s what our research found.
Virginia’s new lieutenant governor is a Black Republican woman. That identity is more common than you may think. Andra Gillespie - January 21, 2022 Winsome Sears represents a persistent minority viewpoint in Black politics.
These were our 10 most popular posts of 2021 E.J. Graff - December 29, 2021 Readers were very interested in Jan. 6, the former guy’s hold on the Republican Party, and race
Critics claim BLM protests were more violent than 1960s civil rights ones. That’s just not true. Kerby Goff and John D. McCarthy - October 12, 2021 But the media coverage of the two eras was quite different
The pandemic actually helped bring Americans together – briefly Matthew Gentzkow, Levi Boxell, James N. Druckman, and Jacob Conway - August 23, 2021 Having a common enemy can unite a nation — until something like the Black Lives Matter protests reminds citizens of their profound differences.
Isaac Hayes, ‘By The Time I Get to Phoenix’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - August 5, 2021 A federal investigation of the Phoenix police.
How Black Lives Matter demands accountability on Twitter — and when it works Rosa Castillo Krewson and Lorita Copeland Daniels - July 28, 2021 Twitter offers a new way to apply collective pressure toward social change
Don’t expect mass Black Lives Matter protests again this summer Geneva Cole - July 11, 2021 My research investigated what pushed White people to join last year’s protests
Not all of last year’s Black Lives Matter protesters supported Black Lives Matter Maneesh Arora and LaGina Gause - June 23, 2021 The largest, broadest and most sustained protests in U.S. history brought out many people who were protesting other things, our research found
Would having more female officers improve policing? Miyeon Song, Kelsey Shoub, and Katelyn E. Stauffer - June 11, 2021 Our study suggests that, on average, women are less likely to unnecessarily search cars or people.
Did last year’s Black Lives Matter protests push cities to defund police? Yes and no. Joshua Ferrer and Joyce Nguy - June 11, 2021 We’ll keep looking to see which trend continues
Rising Democratic star Val Demings wants to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio. Could she win? Pearl K. Dowe and Ashley Daniels - May 24, 2021 Her network of Black women’s civic organizations would give her a critical boost
When Black women use motherhood’s power to advocate for Black lives Aidan Smith - May 6, 2021 There’s a history behind putting a mother’s love to political use after a Black person is killed
Americans want police to release body-cam footage. But there’s a bigger worry. Étienne Charbonneau and Daniel E. Bromberg - May 5, 2021 Without disclosure requirements, police body cameras might simply expand surveillance without oversight.
When are police aggressive — and when are they respectful — toward Black Lives Matter protesters? Monique Newton - April 26, 2021 The neighborhood — along with leadership — makes a difference
Rep. Maxine Waters voiced the anger of many Black Americans. That’s important, politically. Gregory John Leslie, E.J. Graff, Davin L. Phoenix, and Christopher Stout - April 24, 2021 When elected officials voice community anger, citizens feel heard — and get more politically involved.
Skinny Puppy, ‘Guilty’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - April 22, 2021 Derek Chauvin is found guilty.
In Columbus, police killed a Black teenage girl. That fits a rarely discussed pattern. Sally Nuamah - April 22, 2021 Most White Americans think Black girls are older and more dangerous than their peers, new research finds. Police behave accordingly.
Derek Chauvin’s murder trial puts local governments on the stand Valerie Martinez-Ebers, Diego Esparza, and Andrea Silva - April 14, 2021 Violent policing damages trust in local government, our research finds
The Capitol siege shows how White Americans can express anger that Black Americans cannot Davin L. Phoenix - January 14, 2021 Angry Whites are far more likely to take political action.
There’s a double standard in how news media cover liberal and conservative protests Summer Harlow - January 13, 2021 But the Capitol riot might change that.
These were our 10 most popular posts of 2020 E.J. Graff - December 31, 2020 Readers were very interested in elections, successions, and a virus we hadn’t heard of just a year ago.
Biden has picked a retired general for defense secretary. Here’s why it matters. Risa A. Brooks, Michael Robinson, and Heidi A. Urben - December 9, 2020 The move marks back-to-back administrations tapping retired generals to fill high-level government positions
There’s a long history behind Stacey Abrams Henry Farrell - November 7, 2020 For two centuries, Black women have fought for voting equality in America
The Trump campaign claims it wants a foreign policy debate. That’s not what we’re likely to get. Elizabeth N. Saunders - October 21, 2020 But foreign policy will definitely be on the ballot on Nov. 3
Some people want a U.S. truth commission. But truth commissions have limits. Kelebogile Zvobgo and Claire Crawford - October 21, 2020 Our research explains what these commissions can and cannot do
After this summer’s protests, Americans think differently about race. That could last for generations. Sam Winter-Levy and Bryan Schonfeld - October 11, 2020 A rich body of research finds major events can create sustained changes in attitudes
Research shows just how much more power White voters wield in local politics Raymond J. La Raja, Jesse H. Rhodes, and Brian F. Schaffner - September 2, 2020 That’s true even when Blacks and Latinos are in the majority
Americans don’t support the idea of defunding the police Paige E. Vaughn, Kyle Peyton, and Gregory A. Huber - August 30, 2020 But while large majorities oppose reducing police budgets, they do support supplementing police efforts with additional social services
Three things to know about military endorsements for the 2020 campaign Zachary E. Griffiths and Michael Robinson - August 28, 2020 Retired military figures offer endorsements in every presidential election. But these testimonials may not have much effect.
Are Black Lives Matter protesters peaceful or violent? Depends on whom you ask. Yuan Hsiao and Scott Radnitz - August 23, 2020 Committed nonviolent leader Martin Luther King Jr. was seen as dangerous and radical in his day
History tells us there are four key threats to U.S. democracy Henry Farrell - August 13, 2020 American democracy is in crisis, but not for the first time
Do vice-presidential picks matter? Kyle Kopko and Christopher J. Devine - August 13, 2020 Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate. Here’s what we know about whether that will help him.
Will Kamala Harris’s multiracial background help or hurt in attracting voters? Danielle Casarez Lemi - August 13, 2020 Both, new research suggests. It depends on who’s looking.
George Floyd’s killing is changing how some white evangelicals talk about race Nancy D. Wadsworth - August 10, 2020 Here’s the history to this shift.
How the coronavirus pandemic helped the Floyd protests become the biggest in U.S. history Maneesh Arora - August 4, 2020 People who lost money or jobs because of the pandemic response were more likely to protest with Black Lives Matter
Was slavery a ‘necessary evil’? Here’s what John Stuart Mill would say. David Lay Williams - July 30, 2020 Mill’s lesson: The winners in unjust systems always want the oppressed to assume their fate was inevitable.
Here’s what Martin Luther King Jr. would say to Sen. Tom Cotton about American history Michael McKoy - July 29, 2020 King called for a “multiracial patriotism.” Here’s what it looks like.
In Portland and beyond, city and national leaders respond very differently to protests. This explains why. Thomas Ogorzalek - July 26, 2020 City leaders want to keep their denser geographies peaceful and productive. Rural and national leaders, not so much.
‘Defund the police’ is a debate over how to prevent crime. What do Americans believe? Kevin H. Wozniak - July 14, 2020 Here’s what makes whites less — and more — likely to support community investment
Do U.S. policing programs help boost the militarization of foreign police forces? Benjamin Kenzer - July 10, 2020 Joint police/military training is a feature of some U.S.-funded programs.
Black Lives Matter beyond America’s big cities Lara Putnam, Jeremy Pressman, and Erica Chenoweth - July 8, 2020 Here’s the new geography of youth activism
The politics of D.C. statehood follow a well-worn path. Here’s why. Paul Frymer - July 6, 2020 Race also featured in past statehood debates
The George Floyd protests generated more media coverage than any protest in 50 years Michael T. Heaney - July 5, 2020 Yes, these are historically significant demonstrations.
House Democrats are sending dead-on-arrival bills to the Senate. There’s a good reason. Jeremy Gelman / Managing Editor - July 3, 2020 They’re not just scoring political points; they’re setting up their agenda for a Democratic win in November.
Think racial segregation is over? Here’s how the police still enforce it. Nikita Lalwani and Mitchell Johnston - June 29, 2020 We interviewed Monica Bell about her important new paper
How do black people channel their anger about racial injustice? Here’s what we found. Ismail K. White, Brian D. McKenzie, and Antoine J. Banks - June 28, 2020 They’re most likely to look first to protests and black-focused groups, not electoral politics.
Colin Kaepernick is back in the news. Here’s how black athletes can inspire activism. Robert A. Bennett III, Nyron N. Crawford, and Christopher C. Towler - June 25, 2020 Our research found a measurable effect.
June’s rallies for Black transgender lives can change attitudes and policies. Here’s how. Chaya Crowder / Managing Editor - June 25, 2020 My research finds that calling for “intersectional solidarity” does awaken and mobilize allies.
Right-wing websites are demonizing ‘antifa.’ Here’s how they portray the threat. Curd Knüpfer - June 24, 2020 My research found that 27 right-wing websites were strikingly in sync in creating the impression of a menacing, indistinct threat
America’s classrooms shut down this spring. Civics lessons shifted to the streets. Matthew Nelsen - June 21, 2020 This is what protests teach about political engagement.
Under the Insurrection Act of 1807, here’s what a U.S. president can and cannot do Steve Vladeck - June 19, 2020 Invoking this statute to deploy the U.S. military would raise constitutional questions
If Trump tried to steal the election, would enough Americans support him? Here’s what we know. Christopher Federico and Ariel Malka - June 19, 2020 Watch the people who are both culturally conservative and want economic protections — in other words, Trump’s populist base
What helps non-black people support Black Lives Matter? A signal from someone in their own ethnic group. Maneesh Arora, Kelsy Kretschmer, and Christopher Stout - June 17, 2020 Our surveys uncover how this messaging works
Trump is going back to holding rallies. He might be helping Biden. Jordan Peterson and Boris Heersink - June 17, 2020 His campaign visits in 2016 also mobilized donations by Democrats
Prosecutors claim that a ‘boogaloo’ killed two cops. What’s a boogaloo? Yonatan Lupu, Rhys Leahy, and Nicolás Velásquez Hernandez - June 16, 2020 The loosely organized far-right movement is associated with a distinctive look and discordant politics
Four ways Donald Trump is already manipulating the U.S. elections Spencer Piston and Nic Cheeseman - June 15, 2020 Biden said Trump will try to steal the election. That’s already underway.
The white press has a history of endangering Black lives going back a century Ming Francis - June 15, 2020 In 1919, the white national press spread a false story that covered up a white massacre of African Americans in Arkansas
Legally, Confederate statues in public spaces aren’t a form of free speech Nathan T. Carrington and Logan Strother - June 14, 2020 Who’s likely to make this claim? People who have unfavorable views of black Americans.
Many whites are protesting with Black Lives Matter. How far will their support go? Jennifer Chudy - June 14, 2020 My research finds white sympathy has its limits
Protesters want justice — including on social, economic and climate demands Parrish Bergquist, Matto Mildenberger, and Leah C. Stokes - June 12, 2020 Our surveys suggest the public supports green stimulus plans
Black people have protested police killings for years. Here’s why officials are finally responding. LaGina Gause - June 12, 2020 People are risking more to protest during a pandemic. That matters.
How to teach about Black Lives Matter Ray Block, Jr., Nadia E. Brown, and Christopher Stout - June 11, 2020 Scholars of race and politics put together this short course.
Will the Floyd protests lead to police reform? Here’s what we know. Maneesh Arora and Davin L. Phoenix - June 11, 2020 We’ve tracked policing-related bills in all 50 states since 2013
George Floyd’s killing was just the spark. Here’s what really made the protests explode. Jamila Michener - June 10, 2020 Racial discrimination pervades nearly every aspect of American life. Here’s the data, from health care to housing.
Black Americans support the Floyd protests. Whites are divided. Here’s why. Josh Pasek, Hakeem Jefferson, and Fabian G. Neuner - June 9, 2020 Whites are more likely to think police behave fairly -- and so their suspects are probably culpable.
Obama is right. The Floyd protests will change public policy. Daniel Q. Gillion - June 9, 2020 Protests from the 1960s civil rights movement to the 1991 Los Angeles riots changed policies, my research finds
Some lawmakers are calling for truth commissions on racial violence. How do these work? Kelebogile Zvobgo and Carla Winston - June 8, 2020 These factors help commissions create effective solutions
The Floyd protests have changed public opinion about race and policing. Here’s the data. Michael Tesler - June 8, 2020 Until recently, most whites thought that blacks no longer face much discrimination in the United States. That’s changed.
The Floyd protests are the broadest in U.S. history — and are spreading to white, small-town America Lara Putnam, Jeremy Pressman, and Erica Chenoweth - June 6, 2020 That will influence the election — and future policy.
The Pop Group, ‘Forces of Oppression’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - June 5, 2020 Force and threats of force in the wake of the George Floyd protests.
Congress can’t easily pass police reforms. Here’s why. Sarah Binder - June 5, 2020 Public attention will shift — and the Republican Senate will ignore House action.
U.S. officials are talking about urban warfare. Here’s what urban warfare really involves. Margarita Konaev and Kirstin J.H. Brathwaite - June 4, 2020 How do you ‘mass and dominate the battlespace’ in a U.S. city?
The secretary of defense spoke out against Trump’s approach to the protests. Yes, this is a big deal. Elizabeth N. Saunders - June 3, 2020 And he did it on TV, which will reach a broad audience
The George Floyd protests will not help Trump win reelection. Here’s why. Michael Tesler - June 2, 2020 Let’s check the polling.
Is Trump hurting the military? Elizabeth N. Saunders - June 2, 2020 Using the military as a political prop may have these three consequences.
Yes, Trump can send the military to shut down protests. Here’s what you need to know. Lindsay P. Cohn - June 2, 2020 These laws, regulations and limits govern using the U.S. military on U.S. soil.
Joseph Hill & Culture, ‘Police Man’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - May 29, 2020 A grim scene in Minneapolis.
Local budget shortfalls alter the racial disparities in traffic stops - January 1, 1970 Data from Missouri reveals financially strapped jurisdictions have started issuing more traffic tickets to White drivers