Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

The Founding Fathers made sure to put checks in place that would prevent a president from becoming a king. But Professor Larry Jacobs explains that when it comes to foreign policy, the president goes largely unchecked. Next, Professor Frances Lee outlines the ways Congress has rebuked presidential power, even under the current administration. And finally, Professor Keith Whittington takes us to the courts, which have been skeptical of many of President Trump’s executive orders. For More on this Topic: Read Jacobs’ book, Who Governs? Presidents, Public Opinion, and Manipulation Find Lee’s book, Insecure Majorities: Congress and the Perpetual Campaign Check out Whittington’s book, Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy: The Presidency, the Supreme Court, and Constitutional Leadership in U.S. History Find more on the website for the conference, A Republic, If We Can Keep It, organized by the Cornell Center for the Study of Inequality with lead organizer Suzanne Mettler.

US politics is built around two parties, but recently there have been growing rifts between and within them. First, Professor Eliot Cohen explains why some Republicans, like himself, left the party after the 2016 election. Next, Professor Didi Kuo highlights the importance of political parties for democracy and why many voters feel disconnected from them. For More on this Topic: Read Cohen’s articles in The Atlantic and Foreign Affairs Check out Kuo’s article in The American Interest, The Paradox of Party Polarization

From Sean Hannity to Rachel Maddow, TV and radio hosts are taking stronger ideological stances, telling audiences what is right and wrong in America. Professor Sarah Sobieraj examines this “outrage industry” and what it means for the millions who tune in. Later, she dives into new research on the attacks women face in online spaces. For More on this Topic: Read Sobieraj’s and Berry’s book, The Outrage Industry: Political Opinion Media and the New Incivility Check out her academic article on women’s treatment online (paywall)

At only 20 percent, the number of US Congressional seats held by women ranks 101st in the world. Saskia Brechenmacher explains why this underrepresentation is bad for our democracy and looks at examples abroad to see how we might close the gap. For More on this Topic: Read Brechenmacher’s paper, Closing the Gender Gap in U.S. Politics: Lessons from Europe Read her OpEd in The Hill, American Political Parties Must Do More to Get Women in Government

Immigration enforcement measures used to be concentrated on America’s borders. But as Professor Yalidy Matos outlines, federal agencies are increasingly partnering with local law enforcement to carry out deportations, leaving immigrant communities uncertain about their futures. For More on this Topic: Read Matos’ brief, How America's 1996 Immigration Act Set the Stage for Increasingly Localized and Tough Enforcement Further Reading: Will State and Local Crackdowns Prevent Immigrants from Fitting In to American Society?, Helen B. Marrow, Tufts University The Deportation Crisis for Latino Immigrant Men and Their Families, Tanya Golash-Boza, University of California, Merced Episode 73: Sanctuary City Limits, Tom K. Wong, University of California

For undocumented youth, the chance to receive legal status would be a life changer. Professor Amy Hsin shows how legalization could encourage young immigrants to get a college degree and even reduce the national deficit, all without threatening the wages of U.S. born workers. For More on this Topic: Read Hsin’s opinion piece in The Hill, How the DREAM Act Can Actually Lower the Deficit Check out an Econofact memo on her research, The Economic Gains from Legalizing DREAMers Further Reading: How Restrictive Immigration Measures Undermine the Mental Health of Latino Migrants, Whitney L. Duncan, University of Northern Colorado Educational Aspirations and Realities for the Children of Immigrants in France and the United States, Amy Lutz, Syracuse University, Yaël Brinbaum, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers

Family, education, and work—for undocumented people in the U.S., these areas of life are filled with uncertainty. As Professor Roberto Gonzales explains, growing up undocumented can throw your future into limbo. For More on this Topic: Read Gonzales’ book, Lives in Limbo: Undocumented and Coming of Age in America Check out his piece for Vox, “I Study Young Undocumented Immigrants. Here’s How DACA Changed Their Lives.” Further Reading: The Impact of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) on the Psychological Wellbeing of Young Immigrants, Caitlin Patler, University of California Davis The New Challenges Facing Young Undocumented Immigrants, Elizabeth Aranda, University of South Florida

It’s no secret. Our political future is uncertain and unpredictable. Author and scholar Yascha Mounk outlines how economic inequality, a backlash against increasing diversity, and the rise of social media all threaten democracies across the globe—and what we can do to save them. For More on this Topic: Read Mounk’s new book, The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It Check out his interview in The Atlantic Further Reading: How Today's Populism Dismantles Democracy Worldwide, Erica Frantz, Michigan State University Episode 81: On Tyranny, Timothy Snyder, Yale University

Birth control has helped many avoid unwanted pregnancies, but getting access to it can be a challenge. Professor Anu Manchikanti Gómez dives deep into a law that tried to change this by giving pharmacists the power to prescribe birth control. The only problem, is anyone using it? For More on this Topic: Read Gómez’s brief, Tracking the Implementation of a California Law Allowing Pharmacists to Prescribe Birth Control Further Reading: Why Coverage of Prescription Contraception Matters for Men as Well as Women, Krystale Littlejohn, Occidental College How Intrauterine Devices and Contraceptive Implants Help Young Mothers Avoid Quickly Becoming Pregnant Again, Rebecca Cohen, University of Colorado

Ballot questions let voters decide on big issues. But with ad campaigns and special interests, reliable information can be hard to find. Professor John Gastil outlines an innovative solution—give a small group of citizens all of the information they need to make up their minds and share their findings with fellow voters. For More on this Topic: Read Gastil’s two-page brief on Citizens’ Initiative Reviews. Check out his piece in The Washington Post Further Reading: Building Public Trust and Improving Policy Through Deliberative Engagement Between Officials and Citizens, Daniel Patterson, University of Utah How Do Effective Associations Spur Citizen Engagement?, Hahrie Han, University of California, Santa Barbara