Politics + Society – The Conversation – US Presidential election, Congress and political issues

Several ships appear with a motorboat on a stretch of ocean.

Several ships appear with a motorboat on a stretch of ocean.

The danger of US-Iran ceasefire agreement is what it leaves out

Monica Duffy Toft, Tufts University

Handwritten text of the Declaration of Independence on aged parchment

Handwritten text of the Declaration of Independence on aged parchment

I study the Declaration of Independence, and here’s why the colonists’ grievances are surprisingly relevant, 250 years later

Robert Parkinson, Binghamton University, State University of New York

How the US Supreme Court decides its cases – a step-by-step guide

Paul M. Collins Jr., UMass Amherst

Several people holding umbrellas stand in front of a federal building with white columns.

Several people holding umbrellas stand in front of a federal building with white columns.

Medication abortion: Decisions from federal courts, the FDA or Trump’s Department of Justice could try to end access via telehealth

Rachel Rebouché, The University of Texas at Austin

One row of medication boxes is stacked on top of another.

One row of medication boxes is stacked on top of another.

In deep-red Idaho, even Republicans break with Trump on farm labor

Lisa Meierotto, Boise State University; Matthew May, Boise State University, and Rebecca Som Castellano, Boise State University

Workers in a field sort and pack freshly picked corn into crates.

Workers in a field sort and pack freshly picked corn into crates.

Why thousands of federal lawyers leaving government service matters for everyone in the justice system

John E. Jones III, Dickinson College

Geometric illustration of a group of multicolored people holding together in friendship

Geometric illustration of a group of multicolored people holding together in friendship

Trump doesn’t own the government – even though he acts as if Congress is not his equal in constitutional power and authority

Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Boise State University

A man in a dark suit climbs a staircase to an airplane emblazoned with the seal of the U.S. president.

A man in a dark suit climbs a staircase to an airplane emblazoned with the seal of the U.S. president.

Americans keep voting for scandal-prone candidates because they just don’t want the other party to win

Charlie Hunt, Boise State University

A man speaks on a stage in front of hundreds of people.

A man speaks on a stage in front of hundreds of people.

How political leaders use combat spectacles to symbolize national power and purpose

Scott Atran, University of Michigan

A shirtless man in gym shorts shaking hands with a man in a blue jacket and white baseball cap.

A shirtless man in gym shorts shaking hands with a man in a blue jacket and white baseball cap.

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The White House & Congress

A list of potential potential Democratic presidential candidates on the predictions market site Polymarket.

A list of potential potential Democratic presidential candidates on the predictions market site Polymarket.

Prediction markets are opening many new opportunities for unregulated insider trading and unethical bets – in the name of making a game out of politics

Matt Motta, Boston University and Robert Ralston, University of Birmingham

Trump’s US-Iran ceasefire deal is a costly return to prewar conditions – and resolving nuclear questions will run into the ‘indivisibility problem’

Farah N. Jan, University of Pennsylvania

Motorists drive through a city square.

Motorists drive through a city square.

How money exchanges between House members shape the balance of power in Congress

Mayank Kejriwal, University of Southern California

An American flags in front of a large federal building.

An American flags in front of a large federal building.

US indictment of Raúl Castro comes amid a long history of American aggression against Cuba

Kevin A. Young, UMass Amherst

A man in a suit and tie speaks at a lectern as five people stand behind him.

A man in a suit and tie speaks at a lectern as five people stand behind him.

Race, Identity & Society

A Black man crawls on a country road.

A Black man crawls on a country road.

Conspiracy theories that emerged from a civil rights shooting 60 years ago resonate today

Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis

How Fox News viewership increases belief in the anti-immigrant great replacement theory

Adam Eichen, UMass Amherst; Jesse Rhodes, UMass Amherst, and Tatishe Nteta, UMass Amherst

Several lawmakers stand outside a large federal building.

Several lawmakers stand outside a large federal building.

Who was the first transgender person?

Ky Merkley, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Nick Winters, Northwestern University

statue of a sphinx

statue of a sphinx

Pepper pot stew was survival food for the poor and a path to freedom for Black women in early Philadelphia

Carolyn Zola, California State University, East Bay

Painting of Black woman ladling out soup as white customers surround her and eat it

Painting of Black woman ladling out soup as white customers surround her and eat it

Courts & the Constitution

A man reviewing a printed interpreting schedule posted in an office

A man reviewing a printed interpreting schedule posted in an office

The Constitution promises an interpreter for fair trials – US courts often can’t deliver

Carol Rose Little, University of Oklahoma

Can kids go to prison? A legal expert explains how young people can be tried and sentenced as adults

Jay Blitzman, Northeastern University

A judge in a black robe bangs a gavel on a desk.

A judge in a black robe bangs a gavel on a desk.

Racial gerrymandering may be here to stay

Claire B. Wofford, College of Charleston and Jordan Ragusa, College of Charleston

A large white, columned building shadowed by red and blue and the US Capitol building.

A large white, columned building shadowed by red and blue and the US Capitol building.

Why a landmark Supreme Court ruling has failed to keep racial bias out of jury selection

Austin Sarat, Amherst College

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington

America 250

A collage of the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights with a Quill.

A collage of the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights with a Quill.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, The Federalist remains an indispensable guide to understanding the constitutional system and the nation’s enduring independence

Jordan Cash, Michigan State University

How out-of-work fishermen saved the American Revolution

Christopher Magra, University of Tennessee

Black-and-white illustration of two ships engaged in battle at sea

Black-and-white illustration of two ships engaged in battle at sea

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson disagreed about the American Revolution’s meaning even as they lay dying

Marianne Holdzkom, Kennesaw State University

Five men in colonial dress, sitting and standing around a table.

Five men in colonial dress, sitting and standing around a table.

The American Revolution’s triumphant story of democracy and freedom overlooks loyalists who paid a steep price for allegiance to Britain

Kimberly Nath, San Juan College

Black and white illustration of large crowd in colonial dress gathered outside of stately building

Black and white illustration of large crowd in colonial dress gathered outside of stately building

State & Local Government

Person in blue scrubs puts on blue plastic glove and stands by table with surgical tools

Person in blue scrubs puts on blue plastic glove and stands by table with surgical tools

Pennsylvania coroners refuse to release autopsy reports – and that hinders research on deaths in custody

Jonah Walters, University of California, Los Angeles

How local communities are challenging Big Tech data centers’ noise, pollution and rising electricity bills

Rachel Mural, Harvard Kennedy School

A man stands at a lectern, speaking and gesturing, while a group of people stand and sit nearby, watching and listening.

A man stands at a lectern, speaking and gesturing, while a group of people stand and sit nearby, watching and listening.

Colorado criminal cases are dismissed at a higher rate when prosecutors face heavier workloads

Rebecca Dunlea, UMass Lowell

A gavel and scale sit in front of a person in a blue suit with a pen in their hand.

A gavel and scale sit in front of a person in a blue suit with a pen in their hand.

How Pennsylvania towns are protecting themselves from the noise, heat and utility costs of massive data centers

Michael Helbing, Penn State

Man stands on front porch above yellow sign that says 'No Data Centers'

Man stands on front porch above yellow sign that says 'No Data Centers'

Most read this week

1.
Trump’s US-Iran ceasefire deal is a costly return to prewar conditions – and resolving nuclear questions will run into the ‘indivisibility problem’
Farah N. Jan, University of Pennsylvania