Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

No one likes to believe they would be on the wrong side of history. Most of us prefer to think that in times of crisis, we would do the right thing -- we wouldn’t be complicit in evil. Yet every day, individuals just doing their jobs make decisions that harm people. And when many members of an organization make many small, harmful decisions, that builds up. Professor Ashley Nickels lays out how organizational decisions and structures can lead to real acts of evil that harm individuals and whole communities, how this played out in Flint, Michigan, and what can be done to prevent tragedy before it strikes. Check out Nickels’ book with Guy Adams and Danny Balfour, Unmasking Administrative Evil Read her SSN brief, Stabilization and Equity - Responses to Urban Fiscal Crisis in Flint, Michigan, and Beyond Donate to support No Jargon at www.scholars/donate

This year, millennials officially became the largest generation in America. In passing over Baby Boomers, these young Americans, along with Generation Z, have the potential to change US politics by making their voices heard at the polls. The only problem is, many of them don’t turn out to vote. Professor Jake Grumbach explains what’s behind their low voter turnout, how one policy could change that, and what this all says about the role of states in pushing US policy and democracy forward. Read Grumbach’s opinion pieces with Charlotte Hill on same day voter registration in The New York Times and Forbes  Check out his SSN brief, Why Today's Policy Action is Mostly at the State Level Listen to Alexander Hertel-Fernandez’s No Jargon episode on his research mentioned in the episode Donate to support No Jargon at www.scholars/donate

The old saying goes: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And yet, across the country, there are thousands of children who struggle to find a good meal in the morning. In fact, hunger is likely a bigger problem in this country than most people realize. Professor Maureen Berner lays out the problem of food insecurity in American, what it can tell us about the larger issue of poverty, and how we need to reframe our thinking to address the problem. For more on this topic: Read Maureen’s SSN brief, Why Local Food Pantries Signal Important Truths about the Economy and the Struggles of Low-Income Households Watch her TEDx talk, Local Economic Security: Think Childhood Hunger

Imagine you’re a working parent. You make ends meet with a part-time job at a department store, but the ever-changing schedule makes life difficult. Some weeks, you work so much that you’re left scrambling for last-minute childcare. Others, you barely get enough hours to cover all your expenses. Professor Susan Lambert describes why this has become the reality for an increasing number of Americans, how these scheduling practices impact both employees and their employers, and what policymakers can do to ease the burden. For more on this topic: Check out Susan’s SSN brief, The Realities of Unpredictable Work Schedules for America's Hourly Employees Read the Harvard Business Review’s article on her research

What works best to teach children in our schools? How does pollution affect public health? Why is economic inequality on the rise? These are just some of the big and important questions researchers try to answer every day. But all too often, their findings don’t actually help usher in improvements in the lives of people. Why not? The William T. Grant Foundation’s Vivian Tseng shares the history of research use in U.S. education policy, how a new approach to research can improve connections between scholars and policymakers, and what further changes are needed to make research matter. For more on this topic: Read Vivian’s blog post about evidence use across sectors and around the globe Find her paper with Professor Cynthia Coburn on using evidence in the U.S. Check out the William T. Grant Foundation’s research grants on improving the use of research evidence

Twenty-one years ago this month, a gay University of Wyoming student by the name of Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered. His story brought national attention to anti-LGBT hate crimes and spurred a popular movement for hate crime legislation. Since then, the LGBT community has won major advances and become more visible than ever - but hateful attacks are on the rise. Professor Liz Coston explores why these crimes keep happening, what they look like in 2019, and what can be done to protect and support the LGBT community in the years to come. For more on this topic: Check out Liz’s SSN brief, Understanding and Handling Hate Crimes against Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People Read the Virginia Commonwealth University’s write-up on their research and public outreach

America is the richest country on Earth with some of the most advanced healthcare services you can find. And yet, every year, hundreds of women die during childbirth, an issue that particularly affects black women. One of the potential solutions that’s being offered: returning to the centuries old practice of community midwives. Rachel Applewhite lays out what research can tell us about the effectiveness of midwives and doulas, how they help serve communities left behind by our healthcare system, and what can be done to expand access to their potentially life-saving services. For more on this topic: Check out the organizations mentioned in the episode: Roots of Labor Birth Collective and Alabama Prison Project Read about Professor Monica McLemore’s research mentioned in the episode

Despite an ongoing impeachment inquiry, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been signaling that a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada is in the final stages of negotiations, and Congress could be ready for a vote in the near future. In this archive episode, Professor Alyshia Gálvez dives into the often overlooked consequences of this trade agreement on food and health in both the U.S. and Mexico.  For more on this topic: Check out Alyshia’s SSN brief, How the North American Free Trade Agreement Contributed to Health Setbacks in Mexico Read her book, Eating NAFTA: Trade, Food Policies, and the Destruction of Mexico

With a global climate strike on September 20th and waves of protests surrounding the UN summit on climate change, public interest in science seems to be on the rise. And scientists are answering the call, with more researchers than ever taking to social media to share their work with the public and each other. Professor Sara Yeo discusses how different audiences perceive science communication, the ways in which emotions can factor into it, and how scientists can make the most of engaging online. For more on this topic: Check out Sara’s SSN brief, Adapting Science Communication to the Changing Media Landscape Read her pieces for The Scientists and The London School of Economics blog on academics’ use of social media

America’s schools are supposed to treat all students fairly. But we know that all too often, black students face racial discrimination, stigma, and stereotypes in their schools. And for black girls in particular, that can be compounded by their gender as well. Professor Seanna Leath explains how do these experiences affect the lives and development of black girls, what broader stereotypes and stigmas exist around mental health for black women, and what can be done to improve the situation. For more on this topic: Read Seanna's SSN brief, How the Expectation of Strength Harms Black Girls and Women

Memphis, Baltimore, and Detroit. East Cleveland, Ohio, and Wilkinson, Pennsylvania. Black cities are on the rise. In 1970, Black people made up a majority of 460 cities and towns across the United States. Forty-seven years later, the number of majority Black municipalities is up to 1,262. Dr. Andre Perry discusses what is driving this increase, why black cities and black neighborhoods have been devalued, and how America can do right by these places. For more on this topic: Check out his Brookings Institution reports, The Rise of Black-Majority Cities and The Devaluation of Assets in Black Neighborhoods Read his column for The Hechinger Report

Climate change is threatening our world, that much is becoming more and more apparent every year. And often it seems like little is happening on a policy level to address this impending crisis. But, in 2008, a group of states in the Northeast managed what seemed nearly impossible. They put in place a robust, multi-state system to put a price on carbon. Professor Leigh Raymond explains how they were able to overcome obstacles that have doomed so much other climate policy, how exactly this system works, and what lessons can be learned for other climate proposals. For more on this topic: Check out Raymond’s SSN brief, Building Political Support for Carbon Pricing Read his book, Reclaiming the Atmospheric Commons

For many people, regular visits to the dentist are little more than a necessary inconvenience. But in lower-income communities, access to dental care can be all but nonexistent - with serious consequences for public health. Professor Donald Chi lays out how a single childhood cavity can lead to a lifetime of problems, why so many people struggle to access even basic dental care, and what policymakers can do to provide every American with the coverage they need. For more on this topic: Check out Chi’s SSN brief, Why Inadequate Dental Care Leads to Escalating Health Problems for Low-Income Americans Read Pew’s summary of his research on dental therapists Find Mary Otto’s article in The Washington Post on Deamonte Driver

Back-to-school season is upon us, and back as well are some familiar debates. From charter schools to voucher programs, education in America is becoming more privatized than ever - and some communities are pushing back. Professor Janelle Scott reveals why so many schools are shifting toward privatization, why these reforms are so controversial, and what they mean for inequality in America’s education system. For more on this topic: Check out Scott’s research paper with Jennifer Holme on this topic (paywall)

Imagine a nation where the political rules are unfair. In this imagine nation, there are two parties. The Big Country party has its strengthen in rural areas and gets a big head start in every election - they get to win if they earn around 46 percent of the vote. The other party, the party of the city people, gets held back - to win, they need to earn about 54 percent of the vote. As it turns out, this is not an imaginary nation at all, it’s the United States of America. Professor Jonathan Rodden dives into the research from his book on why cities lose when it comes to elections, what that means for our political system, and what can be done to change the situation. Read Rodden’s book, Why Cities Lose: The Deep Roots of the Urban-Rural Political Divide Check out his opinion piece for The Washington Post, and The New York Times Upshot article highlighting this research.

El Paso, Texas. Dayton, Ohio. These two cities are the latest in a long string of communities that have experienced horrific mass shootings. And once again, the news of these shootings bring up many questions. Dr. Sierra Smucker lays out what we know about mass shooters and the connection to domestic violence, what gun regulations are already on the books and whether or not they seem to be effective, and what more can be done to prevent future shootings.  For more on this topic: Read Sierra’s SSN brief, Why the United States Remains Hobbled in Protecting Women from Gun Violence. Check out her opinion piece for The American Prospect Find the RAND project on Gun Policy in America

The US Congress is a bedrock of American democracy, but as it stands, it often seems to be stuck in the dark ages. With more and more technology emerging to help connect people, ideas, and information across the country, Congress often still works as if the internet didn’t exist. Dr. Lorelei Kelly dives into the problems facing Congress, what it takes to bring this institution into the 21st century, and how a few members are leading the way. For more on this topic: Check out Kelly’s report, Modernizing Congress: Bringing Democracy into the 21st Century. Read her opinion pieces for The Hill and TechCrunch.

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