Migrants' stories: Why they run
Thousands of Central American migrants are trying to cross the U.S. southern border. One scholar followed their paths to…
April 9, 2019
443
Politics
Does legalizing marijuana help or harm Americans? Weighing the statistical evidence
Before marijuana was legalized, people argued over how it would affect taxes, crime and teens. But only now is there enough…
April 8, 2019
464
Don't blame Sharia for Islamic extremism -- blame colonialism
There is no inherent tension between Islam and democratic values. Like any use of religion in politics, the application…
April 8, 2019
844
Putin's plagiarism, fake Ukrainian degrees and other tales of world leaders accused of academic frau
Several world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, stand accused of plagiarizing their PhD dissertations. Whether they resign,…
April 5, 2019
600
Congressional oversight is at the heart of America's democracy
The Constitution gives Congress the power over the executive branch, which it's free to flex.
April 4, 2019
490
Voter ID laws don't seem to suppress minority votes – despite what Republicans might want
States may have passed these laws with the aim of reducing turnout. But new evidence suggests that they have a minimal or…
April 4, 2019
832
Venezuela's power struggle reaches a tense stalemate, as human suffering deepens
As rival factions vie for control over Venezuela, many of the country’s 31 million people are suffering prolonged power…
April 4, 2019
518
The Trump administration's attempts to defund the Special Olympics, explained
The White House proposed these cuts for three years in a row. That clashes with longstanding bipartisan leadership regarding…
April 3, 2019
579
How Twitter and other social media can draw the US into foreign interventions
When the 2011 Libyan civil war erupted, Twitter became a major instrument to air the rebels’ account of the conflict and…
April 3, 2019
497
Laws are chipping away at democracy around the world
Legislators in a growing number of democracies are clamping down on civil society. In the United States, it's happening…
April 2, 2019
549
As its ruling dynasty withers, Gabon – a US ally and guardian of French influence in Africa – ponder
Gabon's strongman president, Ali Bongo, is barely clinging to power after contested elections, a stroke and a coup attempt.…
April 1, 2019
527
What happens to rural and small-town Trump voters after Trump is gone?
Rural and small-town residents believe they aren't getting their fair share from the government. A majority of them…
March 29, 2019
434
Want to fix gerrymandering? Then the Supreme Court needs to listen to mathematicians
Supreme Court justices have previously called statistical methods of measuring partisan gerrymandering 'sociological…
March 29, 2019
486
What you need to know about the Mueller report: 4 essential reads
As the special counsel's investigation of Trump turns into a partisan battle in Congress, here are some of the main…
March 28, 2019
467
You'll hear these 4 arguments in defense of the Electoral College – here's why they're wrong
Does the Electoral College encourage candidates to campaign in rural areas, as its supporters claim? And do electors actually…
March 27, 2019
454
Trump and obstruction of justice: An explainer
Legally, a person can obstruct justice even if he committed no other crime – though it is harder to prove. It all depends…
March 26, 2019
530
Russia responds to Mueller report: Moscow wins, Putin is stronger than Trump and US is a 'global pai
Russian media outlets are holding up the Mueller report as another example of American dysfunction, with President Trump…
March 26, 2019
450
Romney's Mormon religion helps explain his criticism of Trump
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah is one of the very few GOP critics of President Trump's character and leadership. Why has he…
March 26, 2019
486
Dynasties still run the world
To reach the highest rungs of power, a new study shows, it really helps if your dad was president.
March 26, 2019
488
Saudi women are going to college, running for office and changing the conservative country
Despite a repressive legal system that puts men in charge of female relatives, women in Saudi Arabia also attend school,…
March 25, 2019
549