Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

Around five years ago, Ferguson, Missouri erupted in violent protests after the fatal police shooting of teenager Michael Brown. The Ferguson protests were part of a wave of protests nationwide spurred by police shootings of unarmed black men and the disproportionate violence that communities of color have often faced. In this archive episode, Professor Ashley Howard explains what these protests mean, what their history is, and how new laws, policing methods, and social media are changing the way people demonstrate. For More on this Topic: Check out Howard’s interview in The Chronicle of Higher Education and her piece in The Black Scholar. Read her SSN brief, How U.S. Urban Unrest in the 1960s Can Help Make Sense of Ferguson, Missouri, and Other Recent Protests

At the beginning of his campaign for president, Donald Trump disparaged Mexican immigrants coming to the US and since then, immigration has been a centerpiece of his administration. But to say that America’s immigration debate started with Donald Trump is simply not true. Professor James Hollifield highlights the long history of immigration policy in this country and argues that the conversation won’t be going away any time soon, no matter what happens in 2020. For more on this topic: Check out Hollifield’s paper, The Migration Challenge Read his essay, What Makes Immigration Reform So Hard

When the 2016 Academy Award acting nominations all went to white performers for the second consecutive year, a trending hashtag - #OscarsSoWhite - swept Twitter. But in the span of just a few years, things seem to have changed. Professor Nancy Yuen explains the state of diversity in Hollywood, what challenges persist today, and how to reform the industry. Check out Yuen’s book, Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism Read her SSN brief, How Racial Stereotypes in Popular Media Affect People - and What Hollywood Can Do to Become More Inclusive

When politicians run for local office, they try to appeal to lots of different kinds of voters. And one way they do this is by collecting endorsements from public figures and organizations those voters trust. But does that actually influence the way people vote? Professor Andrea Benjamin explores the role of endorsements in local elections, how race plays into the equation, and what this means for campaigns both big and small. For more on this topic: Check out Benjamin’s book, Racial Coalition Building in Local Elections Read her SSN brief, The Impact of Endorsements in Racially Mixed Elections

The CIA has become an almost mythical government agency, viewed as full of super spies who carry out the US government’s wishes across the globe. And perhaps one of the most infamous of these accounts is the CIA’s supposed orchestration of the 1973 coup in Chile. But Professor James Lockhart’s new research casts doubt on this common narrative. He digs into the CIA’s actual influence in Chile, why this narrative has become so ingrained, and what it all means for the US today. For more on this topic: Check out Lockhart’s book, Chile, the CIA and the Cold War: A Transatlantic Perspective Read his SSN brief, How Getting History Right Can Improve Relations between America and the Global South Find his article with the Marine Corps University Press, How Effective Are Covert Operations?: The CIA’s Intervention in Chile, 1964–73

In 1890, the Supreme Court called solitary confinement “barbaric,” speculating that it would be abandoned altogether as a correctional practice. But now, nearly 130 years later, it’s clear that their prediction couldn’t have been more wrong. Professor Keramet Reiter tells the story of how solitary confinement became so widespread in the US, what this practice means for prisoners, and what can be done to change the system. For more on this topic: Check out Reiter’s book, 23/7: Pelican Bay Prison and the Rise of Long-Term Solitary Confinement Read her SSN brief, The Root of America's Over-Use of Solitary Confinements in Prison — and How Reform Can Happen Listen to her interview on NPR’s Hidden Brain podcast

This week, we’re bringing you an episode from Big Brains, a podcast produced at The University of Chicago. Big Brains tells the stories behind the pivotal research and pioneering breakthroughs reshaping our world. They cover everything from the hidden dangers of artificial intelligence to the discovery of gravitational waves. This episode features Professor Eric Oliver on the science of conspiracy theories and political polarization. For More on This Topic: Check out the website for the Big Brains podcast Read these articles in USA Today, The Atlantic, and The Guardian on conspiracy theories.

When elected officials redraw districts in their own party’s favor, the impact can be enormous, swaying elections and influencing policy for years to come. This practice - known as gerrymandering - is one of the most hotly debated in American politics right now, and it’s one the Supreme Court will soon weigh in on. Dr. Peter Miller lays out the legal cases surrounding gerrymandering, what these decisions might mean for future elections, and what else can be done to get states to draw maps in ways that are not politically motivated. For more on this topic: Read Miller’s SSN brief, Why Independent Redistricting Commissions Should Draw Electoral District Maps Check out his pieces for the Brennan Center for Justice on Maryland’s extreme gerrymander, popular support for redistricting reform, and gerrymandering’s effects on 2018 election results

Building healthy and equitable communities is a tough challenge, but it’s one that public policy is well position to address. In this episode, produced in collaboration with the Health Policy Research Scholars program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, two PhD candidates share their research on what can be done to improve the health of both patients and their providers. First, Kristefer Stojanovski reveals why the fight to eradicate HIV must include a push to address bias among doctors. Next, Yaminette Diaz-Linhart outlines how the stresses of the job impact health care workers, and what this means for their patients. For more on this topic: Check out the Health Policy Research Scholars program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Find the profiles for Kristefer Stojanovski and Yaminette Diaz-Linhart

Public policy influences just about every part of our lives, and perhaps one of the most important is our health and well-being. In this episode, produced in collaboration with the Health Policy Research Scholar program by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, two PhD candidates share their research on some unintended consequences at the intersection of health and policy. First, Tyler Jimenez explains how existential threats, like the fear of death, can affect people’s support for policies meant to address health inequalities. Next, Amy Jones lays out how the lives of students of color are impacted by our push for diversity on campuses, and what this means for their health. For more on this topic: Check out the Health Policy Research Scholar program by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Find the profiles for Tyler Jimenez and Amy Jones