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

Edition:

Edition:

Donate Get newsletter

Become an author Sign up as a reader

Academic rigor, journalistic flair

Kennedy and Trump smile and shake hands

Populist podcasters love RFK, Jr., and he took the same left-right turn toward Trump as they did

Rachel Meade, Boston University

A cellphone with a red and blue map of US states, superimposed on an American flag.

Better but not stellar: Pollsters faced familiar complaints, difficulties in assessing Trump-Harris race

W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication

Republican lawmakers will reshape tax policy in 2025 — a tax expert explains what to expect

Jim Franklin, Western Governors University School of Business

The facade of the IRS headquarter building is seen from below.

The facade of the IRS headquarter building is seen from below.

Indonesia president’s diplomatic dash takes in China and US − but a Trump presidency may see the aspiring regional powerhouse tilt more toward Beijing

Angguntari Ceria Sari, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan and Idil Syawfi, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan

One man in a traditional Indonesian hat sits on a chair opposite a man in a suit.

One man in a traditional Indonesian hat sits on a chair opposite a man in a suit.

One election victory does not make a new era in American politics − here’s what history shows

Philip Klinkner, Hamilton College

Three unhappy-looking people standing outside in the dark looking up at something.

Three unhappy-looking people standing outside in the dark looking up at something.

Racism is such a touchy topic that many US educators avoid it – we are college professors who tackled that challenge head on

Adam Seagrave, Arizona State University and Stephanie Shonekan, University of Maryland

Black students speak in front of a campus building wearing black shirts

Black students speak in front of a campus building wearing black shirts

Read the latest Politics + Society articles

Election 2024

A woman in a white coat pushing a grocery cart in a store.

‘Inflation is radioactive’: Trump’s victory is part of a global populist wave of voters throwing out incumbents

James D. Long, University of Washington and Victor Menaldo, University of Washington

Populist podcasters love RFK, Jr., and he took the same left-right turn toward Trump as they did

Rachel Meade, Boston University

Kennedy and Trump smile and shake hands

Kennedy and Trump smile and shake hands

3 reasons why a Trump White House might not be a disaster for Ukraine − in fact, it might tighten the screws on Russia

Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida

Two men, one in a blue suit the other in a sweater stand next to a table.

Two men, one in a blue suit the other in a sweater stand next to a table.

Voters in Arab American strongholds likely tipped Michigan in Trump’s favor

Michael Traugott, University of Michigan

Two woman wearing head scarves and modest clothing smile as they exit a polling place

Two woman wearing head scarves and modest clothing smile as they exit a polling place

Pennsylvania will keep its divided legislature thanks to split-ticket voters

Richardson Dilworth, Drexel University

Aerial view of grand room with chandeliers, oil paintings and dozesn of people seated and standing at long wooden tables

Aerial view of grand room with chandeliers, oil paintings and dozesn of people seated and standing at long wooden tables

Get our best and most important politics stories in your inbox every week

US Congress

A statue of Jefferson Davis on display on Capitol Hill.

Many wealthy members of Congress are descendants of rich slaveholders − new study demonstrates the enduring legacy of slavery

Neil K R Sehgal, University of Pennsylvania and Ashwini Sehgal, Case Western Reserve University

3 years after fall of Kabul, US Congress has still not acted to secure future of more than 70,000 Afghan evacuees in US

Kelsey Norman, Rice University and Ana Martín Gil, Rice University

Children and women in headscarves sit on chairs.

Children and women in headscarves sit on chairs.

Why is Congress filled with old people?

Charlie Hunt, Boise State University

An imposing gray government building with a dome and an American flag flying from a pole.

An imposing gray government building with a dome and an American flag flying from a pole.

Life on the US-Mexico border is chaotic. An immigration scholar explains why − and it’s not for the reasons that some GOP lawmakers claim

William McCorkle, College of Charleston

A man wearing a baseball cap talks with a crowd of women and children.

A man wearing a baseball cap talks with a crowd of women and children.

TikTok law threatening a ban if the app isn’t sold raises First Amendment concerns

Anupam Chander, Georgetown University and Gautam Hans, Cornell University

A person holds a handmade sign at the edge of a crowd outdoors in front of a large building

A person holds a handmade sign at the edge of a crowd outdoors in front of a large building

Democracy and rule of law

International election monitors can help boost people’s trust in the electoral process − but not all work the same way

Sarah Bush, University of Pennsylvania and Lauren Prather, University of California, San Diego

A row of people are seen facing away from the camera and leaning over little tables that are surrounded by black barriers.

A row of people are seen facing away from the camera and leaning over little tables that are surrounded by black barriers.

Nationalism is not patriotism: 3 insights from Orwell about Trump and the 2024 election

Mark Satta, Wayne State University

A man dressed in red, white and blue hugging and kissing an American flag.

A man dressed in red, white and blue hugging and kissing an American flag.

Foreign countries are helping autocracies repress exiled dissidents in return for economic gain

Rebecca Cordell, University of Pittsburgh and Kashmiri Medhi, University of Texas at Dallas

A protestor in a blue mask with a red hand over the mouth.

A protestor in a blue mask with a red hand over the mouth.

Threatening ‘the enemy within’ with force: Military ethicists explain the danger to important American traditions

Marcus Hedahl, United States Naval Academy and Bradley Jay Strawser, Naval Postgraduate School

Men in helmets and camouflage uniforms stand in a row in a street.

Men in helmets and camouflage uniforms stand in a row in a street.

Race and equity

Racism is such a touchy topic that many US educators avoid it – we are college professors who tackled that challenge head on

Adam Seagrave, Arizona State University and Stephanie Shonekan, University of Maryland

Black students speak in front of a campus building wearing black shirts

Black students speak in front of a campus building wearing black shirts

Most US book bans target children’s literature featuring diverse characters and authors of color

Katherine Spoon, University of Colorado Boulder and Isabelle Langrock, Sciences Po

stacks of books are on display on a shelf in a bookstore under a sign 'books unite us'

stacks of books are on display on a shelf in a bookstore under a sign 'books unite us'

The racist ‘one-drop rule’ lives on in how Trump talks about Black politicians and whiteness in America

Marya T. Mtshali, Harvard University

Donald Trump watches Kamala Harris on TV.

Donald Trump watches Kamala Harris on TV.

New Orleans schools still separate and unequal 70 years after Brown v. Board of Education

Connie L. Schaffer, University of Nebraska Omaha; Martha Graham Viator, Rowan University, and Meg White, Stockton University

Three little Black girls leaving a school building accompanied by federal marshals

Three little Black girls leaving a school building accompanied by federal marshals

State politics

Voters in Arab American strongholds likely tipped Michigan in Trump’s favor

Michael Traugott, University of Michigan

Two woman wearing head scarves and modest clothing smile as they exit a polling place

Two woman wearing head scarves and modest clothing smile as they exit a polling place

Pennsylvania will keep its divided legislature thanks to split-ticket voters

Richardson Dilworth, Drexel University

Aerial view of grand room with chandeliers, oil paintings and dozesn of people seated and standing at long wooden tables

Aerial view of grand room with chandeliers, oil paintings and dozesn of people seated and standing at long wooden tables

10 states had abortion measures on the ballot – where they passed, where they failed, and what it all means

Katherine Drabiak, University of South Florida

We have a birds eye view of two long tables where 14 people are seated and reviewing ballots

We have a birds eye view of two long tables where 14 people are seated and reviewing ballots

Ballot measures to legalize recreational use of cannabis fail in Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota

William Garriott, Drake University

Two people wearing green T-shirts that read "Yes on 3" sit in front of a patriotic American banner

Two people wearing green T-shirts that read "Yes on 3" sit in front of a patriotic American banner

Immigration

How Trump might target DACA recipients and other immigrant groups

Jean Lantz Reisz, University of Southern California

People are seen walking in a desert, with a man wearing army green and a vest that says 'police' on it in yellow watches them.

People are seen walking in a desert, with a man wearing army green and a vest that says 'police' on it in yellow watches them.

Beefing up Border Patrol is a bipartisan goal, but the agency has a troubled history of violence and impunity

Ragini Shah, Suffolk University

Two border patrol agents on horseback ride in front of the border wall

Two border patrol agents on horseback ride in front of the border wall

Trump’s anti-Haitian rhetoric reflects America’s long-standing racism against Haiti and its people

Thurka Sangaramoorthy, American University

A Haitian pastor is surrounded by supporters as they demonstrate against hateful rhetoric aimed against them.

A Haitian pastor is surrounded by supporters as they demonstrate against hateful rhetoric aimed against them.

Proof that immigrants fuel the US economy is found in the billions they send back home

Ernesto Castañeda, American University

Migrant workers pick strawberries near San Francisco, California.

Migrant workers pick strawberries near San Francisco, California.

Middle East

Israel’s ban on UNRWA continues a pattern of politicizing Palestinian refugee aid – and puts millions of lives at risk

Nicholas R. Micinski, University of Maine and Kelsey Norman, Rice University

Israel’s latest strike against Iran may actually de-escalate regional tensions – for now, at least

Javed Ali, University of Michigan

A man with hand-held lights stands in front of a military jet.

A man with hand-held lights stands in front of a military jet.

Hamas at a crossroads: Sinwar’s death leaves a vacuum; Israeli actions make it harder to fill with a moderate

Mkhaimar Abusada, Northwestern University

A large poster depicts the face of a man while nearby people wave flags.

A large poster depicts the face of a man while nearby people wave flags.

Bouncing between war-torn countries: Displacement in Lebanon and Syria highlights cyclical nature of cross-border refuge

Jasmin Lilian Diab, Lebanese American University

Men carrying water bottles and luggage walk across rubble.

Men carrying water bottles and luggage walk across rubble.

Trump's trials

An oval office with fancy furnishings and paintings.

Presidential immunity has clear limits, special counsel filing says, and Trump should be tried for efforts to overturn 2020 election

Jennifer Selin, Arizona State University

Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States would have given Nixon immunity for Watergate crimes — but 50 years ago he needed a presidential pardon to avoid prison

Ken Hughes, University of Virginia

A man in a suit and tie sitting at a desk reading from a piece of paper in front of him.

A man in a suit and tie sitting at a desk reading from a piece of paper in front of him.

Despite Donald Trump’s claims, his gag order holds up against the Constitution

Lynn Greenky, Syracuse University

A white man with a dark blue suit and white hair sits and stairs blankly while two police officers stand behind him in a court room.

A white man with a dark blue suit and white hair sits and stairs blankly while two police officers stand behind him in a court room.

Supreme Court ruling may put presidents above the law – but even kings never were

Jay Rubenstein, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

A colorful woodcut of a man wearing a crown signing a document while surrounded by others in fancy medieval dress.

A colorful woodcut of a man wearing a crown signing a document while surrounded by others in fancy medieval dress.

Trump-appointed federal judge rules Trump’s classified document case is unconstitutional – here’s how special counsels have been authorized before

Joshua Holzer, Westminster College

Dozens of boxes that allegedlycontain classified documents are stacked in a storage room at Donald Trump's estate.

Dozens of boxes that allegedlycontain classified documents are stacked in a storage room at Donald Trump's estate.

Around the world

Indonesia president’s diplomatic dash takes in China and US − but a Trump presidency may see the aspiring regional powerhouse tilt more toward Beijing

Angguntari Ceria Sari, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan and Idil Syawfi, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan

One man in a traditional Indonesian hat sits on a chair opposite a man in a suit.

One man in a traditional Indonesian hat sits on a chair opposite a man in a suit.

‘Inflation is radioactive’: Trump’s victory is part of a global populist wave of voters throwing out incumbents

James D. Long, University of Washington and Victor Menaldo, University of Washington

A woman in a white coat pushing a grocery cart in a store.

A woman in a white coat pushing a grocery cart in a store.

Iran’s currency was already tumbling − and then news of Trump’s victory broke

Nader Habibi, Brandeis University

A briefcase of banknotes, most depicting a man in Iranian dress.

A briefcase of banknotes, most depicting a man in Iranian dress.

Will the lights go out on Cuba’s communist leaders? With fewer options to prop up economy, their future looks dimmer

Joseph J. Gonzalez, Appalachian State University

Men and women sit and stand on the side of a road, they are darkly lit.

Men and women sit and stand on the side of a road, they are darkly lit.

Most read this week