Why El Salvador’s mass arrests won’t lower the murder rate Michael Paarlberg - July 10, 2022 By promising to reduce homicides, politicians are forced to make deals with the gangs
Congress passed an important anti-lynching bill. But the U.S. is still fertile ground for vigilantes. Regina Bateson - March 11, 2022 Despite popular fascination with figures from the Lone Ranger to Batman, vigilantes are never simply trying to protect public safety
Millennial politicians are shaking up Latin America. Here’s how they differ from the old guard. Will Freeman and Paul J. Angelo - January 11, 2022 Generational turnover is getting rid of ‘los mismos de siempre’ and making politics more unpredictable.
If Biden wants to work with Mexico on migration and asylum, he might start talking to Mexican NGOs Zaid Hydari, Kelsey Norman, Kevin Cole, and Ana Martín Gil - August 16, 2021 The administration wants to encourage asylum seekers to stay in Mexico rather than continue traveling north
Why Biden’s plan to slow migration through international aid is unlikely to succeed Nicholas R. Micinski - June 3, 2021 Like the United States, most developed countries are shifting away from respecting refugees’ rights at the border to trying to prevent migration in the first place
Biden wants to halt deportations. Here’s what happens when migrants are sent back. Mateo Villamizar Chaparro, Juan Tellez, Erik Wibbels, and David Dow - March 3, 2021 No wonder so many deportees try to return.
HBO’s new show explores HIV in the 1980s. 40 years later, stigma and prejudice are still going strong. Gabriele Magni and Andrew Reynolds - February 18, 2021 Our research examines why so few people with HIV hold public office.
Biden is pursuing a pathway to citizenship. He will face two key challenges. Romelia M. Solano - January 29, 2021 One challenge: inclusion of immigrants who don’t fit prevailing norms of deservingness.
Biden just changed immigration policy. That doesn’t mean you should expect a new wave of immigration. Margaret E. Peters - January 21, 2021 Potential migrants consider many things when deciding whether to leave home. The Biden administration is targeting them with relevant information.
No, Trump is not attempting a ‘coup.’ Here’s why the distinction matters. Erica De Bruin - November 11, 2020 It’s important that we describe the crisis accurately. That will shape our response.
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
Trump is running for reelection as a ‘strongman,’ promising protection from anarchy. That might not work. Sarah Z. Daly - September 21, 2020 Citizens do elect candidates known for violence to protect them from violence — but under certain conditions
Trump’s efforts to tighten immigration ignore the contributions of foreign-born workers Harvey Lodish and Bruce Peabody - July 16, 2020 Here’s the evidence.
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
ICE said it won’t deport people for seeking medical care. Immigrants won’t believe them. Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer - March 20, 2020 Trump is still promoting the wall and border closings – which he’s now saying will stop the virus.
El Salvador’s president sent troops to occupy the legislature. Here’s what’s going on. Michael Paarlberg - February 17, 2020 Nayib Bukele is popular with the people, but not with lawmakers.
Trump has given quid pro quos a bad rap. Here’s where they actually help. Desha Girod - January 21, 2020 In development funding, donor countries say they expect aid recipients to shape up
Could U.S. actions topple Iran’s government? Alexander Downes - January 11, 2020 Here’s why it would be extremely difficult.
Latin American democracy may be in trouble. The protests are a symptom of increasing mistrust. Dinorah Azpuru - December 8, 2019 Citizens are unhappy both with their own representatives and with democracy in general.
Is China’s influence at the United Nations all it’s cracked up to be? Courtney J. Fung - October 6, 2019 Here are five things to know
Guatemala will elect a new president on Sunday. Here are three things to know. Rachel A. Schwartz - August 7, 2019 The United States might not get much from its ‘safe third country’ agreement.
Would ‘safe third country’ agreements stem migration to the U.S.? The E.U.-Turkey deal offers some clues. Kelsey Norman - July 19, 2019 But don’t expect to see a decrease in the number of asylum seekers.
How did Congress pass humanitarian aid for migrant children so quickly? Here are 3 takeaways. Sarah Binder - June 29, 2019 Congress knows a must-pass bill when it sees one.
Will the U.S.-Mexico migration deal work? Here are the 6 things you need to know. Rachel Schmidtke - June 26, 2019 People fleeing danger are likely to find new ways to get to the U.S.
Adding troops at Mexico’s border with Guatemala won’t block migrants from coming to the U.S. Here’s why. Rebecca Galemba - June 18, 2019 What’s more, human rights abuses will probably increase.
Could foreign aid help stop Central Americans from coming to the U.S.? Here’s what you need to know. Sarah Bermeo - June 17, 2019 Targeted aid might offer some solutions.
How do you create a better asylum policy? We asked the asylum seekers. Margaret Peters - April 11, 2019 They want work, dignity, a chance to rebuild their lives and the possibility of a safe return home.
Is MS-13 as dangerous as Trump suggests? Mariely Lopez-Santana, Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, and Camilo Pardo - December 7, 2018 [caption id="attachment_81146" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Police detain suspects after dismantling a
Here’s what Erick Erickson gets wrong about dictators and migration Kathryn Sikkink - December 5, 2018 [caption id="attachment_81107" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Undocumented Venezuelans are held in a
How Guatemala achieved what was once thought impossible: major reductions in homicides. Renard Sexton - November 13, 2018 [caption id="attachment_80147" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Migrants from Central American countries head
What does it take to build climate resilience — especially among the world’s most vulnerable? Chesney McOmber - November 2, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79711" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Honduran migrants in a caravan heading
Here’s what social science tells us about that migrant ‘caravan’ – and the Trump administration’s response E.J. Graff - October 23, 2018 President Trump vowed in October 2018 to reduce aid to
Democracy is in crisis in Latin America. Brazil may be the next trouble spot. Scott Mainwaring and Luis Schenoni - October 22, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79199" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man yells after listening to
Why the Nobel Peace Prize went to 2 people fighting sexual violence in war Ragnhild Nordås and Elisabeth Wood - October 8, 2018 As Islamic State forces swept through northern Iraq in 2014,
How deporting immigrants from the U.S. increases immigration to the U.S. David Leblang and Christian Ambrosius - August 22, 2018 The Trump administration’s deportation policies and rhetoric have been controversial.
Women won big in Mexico’s elections — taking nearly half the legislature’s seats. Here’s why. Magda Hinojosa and Jennifer Piscopo - July 11, 2018 While observers discuss leftist Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s victory in
Why are so many children coming to the U.S. from Central America in the first place? Rachel Schwartz - June 29, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75136" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Dozens of families fleeing from Central
Latin Americans are protesting — and throwing out — corrupt regimes. Why now? German Petersen - June 1, 2018 [caption id="attachment_37143" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Demonstrators demand the impeachment of President
In massive street protests, Nicaraguans are using Ortega’s revolutionary symbols against him Yerling Aguilera, Kai Thaler, and Eric Mosinger - May 14, 2018 [caption id="attachment_73294" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Anti-government protesters on April 21 pull
Is Russia interfering in Guatemala’s anti-corruption commission? The real story might surprise you. Rachel Schwartz - May 9, 2018 [caption id="attachment_73068" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Accompanied by Guatemala's Attorney General Thelma
The threat of impeachment can push presidents out the door. But there’s a catch. Mariana Llanos, Leiv Marsteintredet, John Carey, Javier Corrales, and Aníbal Pérez-Liñán - April 11, 2018 [caption id="attachment_72037" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski waves
What will happen to El Salvador when the U.S. ends the protected status of Salvadoran immigrants? Jesse Acevedo - February 22, 2018 [caption id="attachment_69559" align="aligncenter" width="960"] CASA de Maryland, an immigration advocacy
5 reasons the U.N. Security Council should care about the Burmese military’s sexual assaults on the Rohingya Rachel Vogelstein and Jamille Bigio - January 3, 2018 Burma’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims has been rife
Did Trump try to lose today’s United Nations vote on Israel? Erik Voeten - December 21, 2017 [caption id="attachment_67538" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the
The new U.S. plan in Afghanistan may add a local militia. That might be a bad idea. Govinda Clayton and Andrew Thomson - December 4, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66860" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Soldiers of NATO's Resolute Support Mission
No, a coup isn’t likely in Venezuela. And if one happens, it’s unlikely to bring democracy. Timothy Gill - December 4, 2017 The political and economic crisis in Venezuela has led many
Are Sri Lankan officers ordering soldiers to sexually assault Tamil detainees? Kate Cronin-Furman - November 16, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66336" align="alignleft" width="960"] A Sri Lankan soldier stands at
The odds of a military coup in Venezuela are going up. But coups can sometimes lead to democracy Ozan Varol - November 15, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66271" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man holds the new 100,000-bolivar
What the JFK assassination files can tell us about the U.S. plot to kill Castro Michael Poznansky - October 30, 2017 [caption id="attachment_65582" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Supporters of Fidel Castro welcome their
Is there a payoff from U.S. intervention to protect U.S. assets? We found few trade benefits. Paul Zachary and Alexander Downes - October 26, 2017 [caption id="attachment_65411" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Dominguez,
Guatemala’s president tried to expel the U.N. commissioner who announced he was under investigation Rachel Schwartz - September 6, 2017 [caption id="attachment_63201" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Indigenous leaders stand in support of
It’s not just Venezuela. Elected governments don’t necessarily defend democracy or protect human rights. Jimena Galindo and Christopher Sabatini - August 11, 2017 On Aug. 8, 12 countries in Latin America raised their
Is Mexico the second-deadliest ‘conflict zone’ in the world? Probably not. Brian Phillips - May 18, 2017 [caption id="attachment_58538" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A masked protester confronts police at
Egypt and Syria have been “disappearing” their citizens. This is why countries do it. Jason Scheideman - May 9, 2017 [caption id="attachment_57995" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on
5 lessons from former presidents on making good decisions Ignacio Araya - May 5, 2017 [caption id="attachment_57810" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump salutes after laying a
Trump’s border wall ignores a long history of U.S. cooperation with Mexico. That’s a problem. Kate Tennis - February 14, 2017 [caption id="attachment_54090" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Marchers in Mexico City protest Donald
The number of countries with female political leaders has plummeted Kelsey Coolidge and Curtis Bell - January 9, 2017 [caption id="attachment_49686" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Hillary Clinton makes a concession speech
The U.S. has a long history of hacking other democracies Mariya Omelicheva, Christian Crandall, and Ryan Beasley - December 20, 2016 Why do democratic governments so often engage in violent covert
The electoral college is a medieval relic. Only the U.S. still has one. Josep Colomer - December 11, 2016 The U.S. electoral college is a medieval relic. For several
Here’s what citizens who vote for authoritarians have in common Amy Erica Smith and Mollie Cohen - November 2, 2016 What leads citizens to vote for authoritarian candidates? In recent
Sunday, Colombians vote on the historic peace accord with the FARC. Here’s what you need to know. Katy Collin - October 1, 2016 [caption id="attachment_47022" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos, front
The sky fell on the U.S. poultry industry last year. But NAFTA and the TPP helped protect U.S. exports. Chad Bown - August 30, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45785" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Cage-free chickens forage at an
The Colombian peace agreement has a big emphasis on the lives of women. Here’s how. Roxanne Krystalli - August 19, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45432" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Women celebrate the signing of a
To understand Donald Trump’s law-and-order appeal, look south of the border Dinorah Azpuru - August 17, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45374" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Donald Trump speaks at a campaign
Guatemala’s civil war ended 20 years ago today. Here are 4 things to know about its path to democracy. Kiran Alwani and Corrin Bulmer - April 16, 2016 [caption id="attachment_39094" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Protesters in Guatemala City celebrate on
Donald Trump’s foreign policy views are actually pretty mainstream Joshua Shifrinson - February 4, 2016 [caption id="attachment_35230" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks
Here’s this year’s (flawed) Corruption Perception Index. Those flaws are useful. Dan Hough - January 27, 2016 On Wednesday, Transparency International (TI), the world’s leading anti-corruption organization, is
How the world is proving Martin Luther King right about nonviolence Maria Stephan and Erica Chenoweth - January 18, 2016 [caption id="attachment_34516" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman (right, white
This is why the two leading candidates for Guatemala’s presidency came to the U.S. to campaign Michael Paarlberg - September 10, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29244" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Why is television comedian and Guatemalan
This is why the two leading candidates for Guatemala's presidency came to the U.S. to campaign - September 10, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29244" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Why is television comedian and Guatemalan
Lessons from the destruction of Iraq’s marshes Ariel Ahram - August 17, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28587" align="aligncenter" width="724"] Using a type of tar and
Lessons from the destruction of Iraq's marshes - August 17, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28587" align="aligncenter" width="724"] Using a type of tar and
Why the Rohingya will continue to flee Myanmar, even if we try to deter them Rebecca Hamlin - May 28, 2015 [caption id="attachment_25439" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Asylum seekers from Myanmar wait to
A recent shift in immigration law will change less than you think Dan Hopkins - November 7, 2014 In light of the GOP victories Tuesday, immigration reformers are
Understanding rainy seasons, malnutrition, & community health in Sierra Leone Richard Mallett - September 16, 2014 [caption id="attachment_15452" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A woman sells peanuts in Freetown,
Understanding rainy seasons, malnutrition, & community health in Sierra Leone Richard Mallett - September 16, 2014 [caption id="attachment_15452" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A woman sells peanuts in Freetown,
Invited military interventions meet some limited success Aila Matanock - July 2, 2014 [caption id="attachment_12532" align="aligncenter" width="495"] A French soldier talks with young
How should we count the war dead in Syria? Lionel Beehner, Laia Balcells, and Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl - May 1, 2014 [caption id="attachment_10009" align="aligncenter" width="810" special=""] Photo by Manu Brabo (AP)[/caption]
How America Exports Its Gun Problems Henry Farrell - September 26, 2013 [caption id="attachment_264" align="aligncenter" width="600" special=""] (Carlos Jasso/AP Photo)[/caption] American debates
I don’t think we get much out of framing politics as the Tragic Vision vs. the Utopian Vision Andrew Gelman - June 10, 2013 Ole Rogeberg writes: Recently read your blogpost on Pinker's views regarding
Call for Writers for Coming Election Reports Joshua Tucker - July 7, 2011 I was very pleased to receive a lot of positive
Lou Dobbs hires illegal immigrants Andrew Gelman - October 7, 2010 This news story (from Isabel Macdonald; I followed the link
Elaborating on the statement that “elections are inherently more unstable when more than two candidates are involved” Andrew Gelman - June 7, 2010 One fun thing about posting on 3 blogs is that
Update on estimates of war deaths Andrew Gelman - December 22, 2009 I posted a couple days ago on a controversy over
Conflict over conflict-resolution research Andrew Gelman - December 20, 2009 Mike Spagat writes: I hope that this new paper [by