Cobra Verde, ‘Debt’: The Week In One Song
Debt relief continues.
The latest on SB4, the Texas push to control the U.S. border
State efforts to override federal immigration policies tend to backfire, research shows.
America is less polarized by race – but more polarized about race
The pro-GOP shift among people of color is making racial attitudes more important to politics, not less.
What polls can and cannot tell us about the 2024 elections 🎧
John Sides and Michael Tesler talk about what to expect leading up to the Nov. 5 vote.
How much trouble is Joe Biden really in?
There’s precedent for an election-year boost – but it’s not guaranteed.
Can the U.S. pressure Israel to end the war?
The U.S. government has a long history of trying to restrain Israel, with mixed success.
Right-wing attacks haven’t dented Taylor Swift’s popularity
Public opinion about the pop star still isn’t that polarized.
UN court says Israel may have violated the Genocide Convention
South Africa’s case against Israel for suspected violations in Gaza may take years to resolve.
Did Biden have the authority to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen?
Let’s look at the Constitution, the War Powers Resolution, and what might authorize or constrain military action.
Will the deadly drone attack draw the U.S. into a major war?
The spiral vs. deterrence model, explained, as violence surges in the Middle East.
Good Playlist: Immigration podcasts ▶️
Hear about everything from individual immigrants' stories to the latest in policy debates.
Almost all Republicans will vote for Trump this fall
Ignore recent exit polls to the contrary. Minds will change by November.
Good to Know: Hostage taking and the rise in hostage diplomacy
Media stories spotlight the high stakes – and the pressure to bring hostages home.
Good to Know: Impeachment
With House Republicans holding an impeachment inquiry against Pres. Biden, here's what to know about this constitutional tool.
Good to Know: The U.S. commitment to Taiwan
U.S.-Taiwan relations are complicated. Here's an explainer.
Good to Know: Collective security
An explainer on collective security agreements like NATO.
Violent deaths in Pakistan jumped last year. That’s a big worry.
Outside powers may be unable to ignore the worsening turmoil in Pakistan.
Public support for the death penalty is still at its low
These 3 graphs explain why.
Why Congress’s 2023 was so dismal
And be ready for a repeat in 2024.
Will Angela Alsobrooks have a problem with Black men voters?
The Black woman candidate for Senate may face resistance from a group often expected to vote for Democrats.
How Republicans made a U-turn on impeachment
2023 isn’t 2019, it turns out.
What retired Republican members of Congress really think
Their attitudes are surprisingly different from those of Republican voters and from current Republican lawmakers’ positions.
The UN set out to protect human rights 75 years ago
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was an important start – but there’s much work still ahead.
UK’s refugees-to-Rwanda plan could undermine Northern Ireland peace
A contested policy to send asylum seekers who arrive in the U.K. to Rwanda could rattle the Good Friday agreement.
No, TikTok isn’t souring young people on the Biden economy
In some polls, young people are even more optimistic than older Americans.
Who do voters actually blame for inflation?
They see several causes at work – including some out of Biden’s control.
What the clean energy boom means for fossil fuel communities
'Uncertain Futures' reveals what makes policies and promises attractive to those upturned by a greener economy.
Back to face-to-face: What you need to know about the Biden-Xi summit
Talk between nuclear-armed superpowers is usually a good thing.
Will Congress shut down the government over aid to Israel and Ukraine?
Four experts examine how U.S. foreign policy is dividing both Republicans and Democrats.
A few good links
A Liberian presidential candidate's similarities to Joe Biden, the power of women's votes in Poland, and more.
Why Republicans have no incentive to stop denying the 2020 election
Election denial is even more prevalent in Congress than it was three years ago.
Could a GOP president take over independent government agencies?
Here's what the law actually says.
Putin’s Russia navigates Middle East conflict and war in Ukraine
Two experts discuss the broader impact of the Israel-Hamas war.
Why the U.S. border wall is getting more and more popular
There are long and short-term factors behind this trend.
Will protests over the Israel-Hamas war shift U.S. policy?
Two experts share their insights on the growing number of U.S. protest events.
What political scientists know about occupation, applied to Gaza
Experts on the politics of foreign occupations tackle big questions in this week’s Good Chat.
How Republicans can turn the House’s lights back on
But electing a speaker won’t resolve the crisis.
Why journalists are losing their jobs in record numbers
The Trump bump was fated to fade.
How should we think about a mass exodus of Palestinians from Gaza?
Governments and non-state actors use mass migration as a tool of war.
Biden will visit Israel during a war. That’s unprecedented.
The humanitarian crisis and escalation fears heighten uncertainty.
Why the Gaza hostage crisis is different
What we know about Hamas hostage-taking and Israel’s hostage recovery policy.
The political science behind the Bidens’ biting dogs
Democrats are more permissive (pet) parents.
Everything you should know about the House speakership battle
Four political scientists have a ‘good chat’ about what happened – and what comes next.
Gaza and Israel: Five things to watch
Here’s what you need to know following Saturday’s attack by Hamas.
Republicans dislike their congressional leaders. Democrats like theirs.
The Republicans' drama in Congress accurately reflects their constituents' opinions.
What the arrest warrant for Putin really means
He may never stand trial, but that’s not all that matters.
How did Congress avert a shutdown?
Just-in-time legislating is Congress’s specialty.
Who votes with Russia?
A number of countries refuse to support Ukraine in the United Nations – especially countries that import arms from Russia.
Does Putin have a vote in U.S. elections?
International relations scholars have a ‘good chat’ about U.S. elections and foreign policy.
How conservatives are boosting RFK Jr.’s campaign
Fox News coverage is a double-edged sword in a Democratic primary.
Young Americans are dovish on China
They don’t prioritize TikTok regulation – or other measures pushing back against China.
What if India really was involved in killing a Sikh activist in Canada?
The international consequences could prove modest.
Will foreign policy actually matter in the 2024 U.S. election?
It may not matter much to voters, but foreign policy is definitely on the ballot.
Biden’s hostage diplomacy, explained
It's a marriage of concessions and sanctions.
The remarkable rise of isolationist Republicans
Trump’s rise has turned back the clock to the 1930s.
Why does Biden want Saudi-Israeli normalization so badly?
The Abraham Accords may define a new regional order.
Why Democrats won’t outmaneuver Tommy Tuberville
There are risks to changing Senate rules.
‘Great power competition’ is a dangerous narrative for U.S. foreign policy
We need a more nuanced approach.
Why the president can’t just fire bureaucrats
The "unitary executive theory" has its limits
Did the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan harm U.S. credibility?
Here’s the latest research.
These were our 10 most popular posts of 2022
The Monkey Cage 2022 roundup: Top 10
Leaders around the world made bold moves in 2022. They didn’t always succeed.
The TMC 2022 roundups: The international beat
Since 2018, Republicans have lost confidence in U.S. institutions
And Amazon is no longer one of America’s most beloved institutions, our research finds.
Goodbye to the 117th Congress, bookended by remarkable events
The 2022 roundups: Congress’s year in review.
Making sense of the Supreme Court’s historic year
The TMC 2022 roundups: U.S. Supreme Court
What did we learn from the 2022 U.S. midterm elections?
The TMC 2022 roundups: U.S. elections
America and Europe are targeting Russia’s oil profits
The oil price cap makes it harder for Russia to use oil money to buy weapons and pay soldiers.
Recent WTO rulings may complicate green industrial policies
Will the WTO framework discourage countries from decarbonization plans that prioritize their own workers, supply chains and producers?
Republican attacks on LGBTQ lives may have helped elect Democrats
On abortion and LGBTQ issues, the U.S. is increasingly dividing into two nations: one that restricts and one that protects autonomy on sexuality and gender
Why authoritarian governments take hostages
It’s not just a terrorist tactic any more.
What do Africans want? Afrobarometer surveys reveal the top concerns.
This week’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit will explore collaboration on economic engagement, democracy and climate change. Here’s how Africans see the challenges.
Have we passed peak MAGA?
Data from Twitter bios suggests many of Trump’s biggest fans are backing away
The Respect for Marriage Act won’t fully protect same-sex parents
If the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell, officials in some states could again refuse to recognize the parental authority of two moms or two dads
Biden’s marijuana policy may change attitudes toward immigrants
As states decriminalize cannabis, Republicans soften toward immigrants, our research finds
For the first time, women will hold these four key congressional jobs
Women will lead the House and Senate appropriations committees in a highly contentious time. Will they do their jobs any differently than men might?
Ukraine accused Russia of torture. Here’s how to prosecute those crimes.
Ukraine’s allies can use their own courts to investigate war crimes
Russia now says it must ‘de-Satanize’ Ukraine. What?
The Kremlin seems to be trolling for support among U.S. voters on the far right
Liberal Democrats are more hawkish than you might think
They’re the ones who endorse military support for Ukraine, Taiwan and other places when there’s a threat to human rights or democracy.
Tina Kotek was elected governor of Oregon, thanks to these 3 factors
After an unexpectedly tight race, Oregon’s streak of Democratic governors continues.
What has changed between China and Taiwan?
Even before the latest surge in tensions, the risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait was on the rise
Latinos who use Spanish-language social media get more misinformation
That could affect their votes – and their safety from covid-19.
Why Americans don’t fight back when states make it harder to vote
Our research finds that few Americans realize that logistical barriers — fewer ballot drop boxes, shorter poll hours and the like — actually do stop people from voting
Global citizens want a stronger and more democratic United Nations
We surveyed people in Argentina, China, India, Russia, Spain and the U.S. to gauge public support for changes to the U.N. system
Can young voters help Democrats hold Congress?
Both Gen Z and millennials are just as motivated to vote as they were in 2018, the GenForward survey found.
How the next Congress could overturn House elections
If election deniers challenge losses, the new House majority will decide who gets seated. Here’s the history behind such challenges.
How can the U.S. help prevent more political violence?
Our research found two strategies that may help restore general social disapproval of attacks such as the one against Nancy Pelosi’s husband
Democrats aren’t saying much about reducing poverty and unemployment. Why?
Often, candidates and parties have highlighted those parts of the economy that have improved on their watch
Public support for Ukraine remains high in the U.S., survey shows
Americans see Ukraine as succeeding in its fight against the Russian invasion. That might explain the robust public support for Ukraine.
The E.U. is turning geopolitical. Is Venus becoming Mars?
E.U. diplomat Josep Borrell warned the Russian army will be ‘annihilated’ if it launches a nuclear attack. These words suggest a more assertive European Union.
What’s in Biden’s National Security Strategy?
The NSS conveys the president’s vision – and the country’s ‘grand strategy.’
Biden will pardon federal marijuana offenses. What will the states do?
Biden’s action could help some Democratic candidates for the House. But the real action on cannabis policy now rests with the states.
Most Republican candidates endorse the ‘big lie’ — even when voters don’t
We examined whether candidates’ beliefs — for and against the "big lie” — matched up with those of their state’s voters. Nope.
Americans don’t trust the Supreme Court. That’s dangerous.
Unless the court wins back support, it could have a legitimacy crisis that endangers democracy
How does the U.S. block China from getting microchips made abroad?
There is a long history behind the global control America has over semiconductors.
Biden’s broad marijuana pardon has precedents
In some ways, it looks like Jimmy Carter’s amnesty for Vietnam War draft dodgers
After the 5th Circuit’s ruling, does DACA have a future?
The decision against the Obama-era policy seems to invite other challenges to immigrant rights
Win or lose, progressive challengers have influenced the Democrats’ agenda
When ‘primaried’ by progressives, Democratic incumbents shift further left, research finds
Why have so many Americans come to mistrust the Supreme Court?
It’s not only because the justices are making unpopular decisions. Here’s what to know as the new term opens.
We know free school lunches help. What else would end hunger?
The White House is looking for solutions with this week’s Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health
How to decode Putin’s nuclear warnings
What is the risk of Russian nuclear use in Ukraine? Here’s what you need to know.