Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

Thirty states have laws legalizing marijuana in some form, and come November four more states may join their ranks through ballot initiatives. But these new laws often do little to help people who have past marijuana convictions. Professor Douglas Berman describes this disconnect and what states and the federal government can do to address it. For more on this topic: Read Berman’s SSN Brief, How States Can Ensure That Today’s Marijuana Reforms Also Ameliorate Harms Inflicted on Past Offenders Check out his essay on the topic, Leveraging Marijuana Reform to Enhance Expungement Practices

In face of ongoing threats to its environment, California has taken big steps to protect its nature and wildlife. Professor David Vogel lays out California’s history as an environmental leader, how it plans to continue its green streak, and what other states - and the federal government - can learn from California’s policy innovation. Read Vogel’s SSN Brief, How Environmental Policies Can Promote Economic Growth Check out his book, California Greenin’: How the Golden State Became an Environmental Leader Find his LA Times op-ed, The Trump administration wants to end California’s role as an environmental innovator and his interview with Bloomberg, Why California Goes Its Own Way on the Environment

The government fights forest fires, protects us from foreign invasion, helps people go to college, and so much more. But Americans’ opinions of the government are increasingly negative. Professor Suzanne Mettler dives into why people don’t believe the government benefits them, even when it does, and how to bridge this disconnect between the government and the American people. For More on this Topic: Read Mettler’s new book, The Government-Citizen Disconnect Check out her OpEd in the New York Times and her interview on Vox Listen to her previous No Jargon episode, Hidden Tax Benefits

It’s back to school season and for many children, teachers, and parents across the country school looks very similar. That’s because in 2009, the Common Core was introduced, standardizing what K-12 students should know, and be tested on. Professor Nicholas Tampio describes what that means for public education and imagines a different way forward for America’s schools. For More on this Topic: Read Tampio’s opinion pieces in Aeon and HuffPost Check out his book, Common Core: National Education Standards and the Threat to Democracy Find Jesse H. Rhodes’ article on education politics in Perspectives on Politics (paywall)

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people in America. And black youth in particular face increasing suicide rates and challenges in accessing mental health services. Scholar and advocate Kimya Dennis dives into the background behind these suicide statistics, what prevents black youth from getting help, and how mental health providers can address this disconnect. If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) any time of day. For More on this Topic: Read Dennis’s SSN briefs, Debunking Myths about Mental Illness Among Blacks and The Complexities of Black Youth Suicide Check out her piece for The Conversation, Suicide Isn’t Just a White People Thing

An unexpected surgery can cost a worker thousands in medical bills. And in states without paid family and medical leave, they also have to go without a paycheck while recovering. Professors Randy Albelda and Alan Clayton-Matthews explain why paid family and medical leave is important to small businesses, workers, and their families, and how Massachusetts tackled this policy problem with help from their research. Read Clayton-Matthews and Albelda’s SSN brief, Why Massachusetts Can Afford to Require Paid Family and Medical Leave for All Workers Check out this Boston Globe article about the Massachusetts policy

Knowledge is power. Or at least that’s how the saying goes — but when it comes to climate change and its causes, that knowledge hasn’t translated into action. Postdoctoral Fellow Matthew Motta discusses why climate research is often disregarded, where Americans’ suspicion of scientists comes from, and how our interest in science affects our trust in scientists. For More on this Topic: Read Motta’s SSN brief, How Interest in Science Boosts Trust in Climate Scientists Check out his radio interview on the rise of anti-intellectualism

Having a warm and comfortable home is important for health and well-being. But with rising rent prices and growing inequality, it can be tough – if not impossible – to find a place to live. Professors Rosie Tighe and Megan Hatch explain why the U.S. has such a shortage of affordable housing, how government programs help, and why they often fall short. Read Tighe and Hatch’s SSN brief, How Fair Housing Programs Can be Bolstered by Laws Prohibiting Source of Income Discrimination Check out their piece with Joseph Mead in Shelterforce, Section 8 Allowed Find Joseph Mead’s New York Times opinion piece on their nuisance ordinance research

Since 9/11, fears about extremism have shaped the public’s view of Islam. And American policies often reflect these fears, zeroing in on Muslims and Muslim-Americans in the name of national security. Professor Rachel Gillum explores whether these policies work, why we use them, and how they impact Muslims in America. Read Gillum’s SSN brief, Assessing– and Reducing– Public Fear of Muslims Find her book, Muslims in a Post-9/11 America Check out her piece in Talking Points Memo on racism as a national security issue

In April 2018, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation to make basic banking services, like loans and check cashing, available at every branch of the United States Postal Service. Professor Mehrsa Baradaran explains the history of that idea, why postal banking is needed now, and how it can help reduce America’s growing inequality. Read Baradaran’s books, How the Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy and The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap Check out her OpEd in the Washington Post

A college degree can make a huge difference for parents and their kids. But if you’ve got an eight-year-old to support and a low-paying job, it’s next to impossible to pay for both tuition and childcare. For residents of Maine, a new law will help. Working with Joby Thoyalil of Maine Equal Justice Partners, Professors Luisa DePrez and Lisa Dodson used their research on the benefits of a college education for low-income women to help advance a bill called LIFT 2.0. Read Luisa and Lisa’s brief, “Why Higher Education is a Must for Low-Income Mothers” Check out the op-ed they wrote in the Portland Press Herald Learn more about Maine Equal Justice Partners on their website

Lawyers, doctors, engineers, and bankers are among America’s most respected professionals, and most are middle-aged white men. So what are the experiences of black men who join their ranks? Adia Harvey Wingfield describes how black men in high-powered professions navigate race and gender in the workplace, and what their experiences say about our changing economy. For More on this Topic: Read Wingfield’s brief, Constructive Steps to Further Workplace Diversity Find her book, No More Invisible Man: Race and Gender in Men’s Work Check out her Slate article on black men in the field of nursing

Since the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, Americans have been talking about data: what online information is saved, what we should do with it, and who gets to decide. But these conversations often miss an important piece — government data. Professor Matthew Weber lays out what is currently happening with data collection and why we should actually save more information than we currently do. For More on this Topic: Read about the impossibility of comprehensive digital archives in the Atlantic Check out efforts to preserve federal agency data, featured in Forbes

Everyone needs healthcare. But Americans can’t agree on how to fix our troubled healthcare system. Now, the Trump Administration and a number of states are pushing one idea — require people on Medicaid to work. Professor Philip Rocco explains what’s behind these new requirements, what they would mean for people on Medicaid, and why they should really be called paperwork requirements. For More on this Topic: Read Rocco’s two-page brief, Why Work Requirements Will Not Improve Medicaid

The Trump Administration’s zero tolerance policy for migrants produced widespread outrage. Specific policies are in flux, so we asked researchers for the important context to understand what’s happening. For this special episode, professors Heide Castañeda and Nara Milanich describe who these migrants are, how zero tolerance policies impact them and their health, and what – if any – historical precedents exist for these policies. For More on this Topic: Check out Nara’s 2017 piece in The Washington Post, “Nations have separated children from parents before. It never ends well.” Read Heide’s brief, “The Downsides of Excluding Millions of Immigrants from Health Reform”

Democracy is under threat. From Venezuela to Turkey, from Hungary to the Philippines, powerful leaders are rewriting their countries norms and laws to secure power at the expense of their citizens. Professor Steven Levitsky tells us how democracies die – and what the outlook is for America. For More on this Topic: Check out Levitsky’s book with Daniel Ziblatt, How Democracies Die Read their OpEd on threats to democracy

America is getting more diverse, and that means more children of color are students in our schools. But teachers are still overwhelmingly white, so many of these students rarely see teachers who look like them. Professor Michèle Foster tells the little-known story of why America lost many of its black teachers, what that means for students, and what can be done to change things. For More on this Topic: Read Foster’s brief, “Why America Needs More African-American Teachers and How to Recruit and Retain Them” Check out her feature in an episode of Revisionist History on black teachers after Brown v. Board of Education.

There are thousands of civic organizations in America, from big-time lobbying groups to local grassroots organizations, and they all want your time and support. But some organizations are more effective at creating change than others. Professor Ziad Munson explains what kinds of organizations have been most successful in shaping American public life – and why. For More on this Topic: Read Munson’s brief, How People Become Pro-life Advocates Check out the original “A Nation of Organizers” article Find Robert Putnam’s book, Bowling Alone

Unions used to be a major political force in America. But over the last few decades they have steadily declined, and now a Supreme Court case might deal another severe blow to their strength. Professor Jake Rosenfeld explains what the Supreme Court is deciding on and what it means for the future of organized labor in America. For More on this Topic: Read Rosenfeld’s SSN brief “Union Decline and Rising U.S. Wage Inequality” Check out his book, What Unions No Longer Do Find this New York Times opinion piece on the impacts of right-to-work laws

In 1973, the Supreme Court made access to abortions a legal right. Since then, crisis pregnancy centers have popped up across the country to dissuade women from getting abortions. Professor Kimberly Kelly explains the history and organization behind these centers and how their current case before the Supreme Court could shape reproductive rights in America. For More on this Topic: Read Kelly’s SSN brief “Why False Claims About A Nonexistent "Post Abortion Syndrome" Influence Access To Abortion In America” Check out her comments about the history of crisis pregnancy centers in The Atlantic