• DEMOCRACY WATCHThink Twice Before Saying “Cult”

    By Christina Pazzanese

    Some critics of Donald Trump liken the dynamic between the former president and his followers to a political cult, a claim rekindled by CBS/YouGov polling released last month. Survey shows intense support for ex-president despite indictments, but common claim against MAGA movement falls short of scientific rigor.

  • INFRASTRUCTURE ROTECTIONSovereignty in Space

    The EU wants to establish its own satellite network by 2027, with the aim of increasing the resilience of the European communications infrastructure and gaining technological sovereignty in space. Achieving this will require novel solutions.

  • MIGRATIONFlorida Arrests Undocumented Migrant Under State’s New Law

    By Yeny Garcia

    A Mexican citizen taken into custody for allegedly driving without U.S. papers and transporting undocumented people was one of the first people to be arrested under Florida’s controversial SB 1718, considered the most restrictive state law regarding migrants in the United States.

  • DEMOCRACY WATCH“Tyranny of the Minority’” Warns Constitution is Dangerously Outdated

    By Christy DeSmith

    The U.S. Constitution desperately needs updating, say Harvard government professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. In a new book, a follow-up to their How Democracies Die, Levitsky and Ziblatt urge institutional reforms, which include rejection of candidates who violate norms.

  • SEDITIONProud Boys Leader Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Seditious Conspiracy and Other Charges Related to U.S. Capitol Breach

    The former national chairman of the Proud Boys was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in jail for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

  • DEMOCRACY WATCHPaper Ballots Are Good, but Accurately Hand-Counting Them All Is Next to Impossible

    By Barry C. Burden

    It is easy to see why a hand-count system seems appealing to many people today. Having ballots scrutinized in person by representatives from the parties provides obvious transparency and accountability. But as a scholar of elections, I know that despite the intuitive appeal of people physically counting pieces of paper, there are two good reasons to avoid hand-counting ballots: speed and accuracy.

  • IMMIGRATIONTPS Extended for Six Countries, Advocates Urge Status for More

    By Aline Barros

    The Biden administration recently announced an extension and redesignation of the program that gives temporary protection from deportation for nationals of Sudan and Ukraine. Nationals of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua also have had their protection extended.

  • IMMIGRATIONExpedited Work Permits for Migrants a Key Part of “Ttransition to Life” in NYS

    As New York grapples with an influx of migrants, two Cornell University law professors call on the administration to expedite the work authorization process for these migrants under the Administrative Procedures Act, so that they can begin to work, thus helping address the state’s labor shortages and take care of themselves.

  • EXTREMISTSProsecuting Extremists in the U.K.: Charging, Prosecution, and Sentencing Outcomes

    There is a lack of data regarding prosecution and sentencing for terrorism and terrorism-related offences across the three legal jurisdictions of the UK (England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland). Does the prosecution landscape (charging, prosecution, and sentencing) vary in the UK for extremist actors depending upon the legal jurisdiction?

  • COVID RESPONSESweden During the Pandemic: Pariah or Paragon?

    By Johan Norberg

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sweden stood out from other countries, stubbornly refusing lockdowns, school closures, and mask mandates. The main difference between Sweden’s strategy and that of most other countries was that it mostly relied on voluntary adaptation rather than government force. It seems likely that Sweden did much better than other countries in terms of the economy, education, mental health, and domestic abuse, and still came away from the pandemic with fewer excess deaths than in almost any other European country, and less than half that of the United States.

  • DEMOCRACY WATCHAs Ranked Choice Voting Gains Momentum, Parties in Power Push Back

    By Matt Vasilogambros

    Over the past decade, ranked choice voting has become increasingly popular. From conservative Utah to liberal New York City, 13 million American voters in 51 jurisdictions — including all of Alaska and Maine — now use the system, under which voters rank candidates based on preference, leading to an instant runoff in a crowded race. This year, Democrats and Republicans in power pushed back, leading several states to ban the increasingly popular voting system.

  • DEMOCRACY WATCHWhy Do Some Politicians Cling to Power After Electoral Defeat?

    Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and stay in office even though he lost the election, are now being examined in court. Trump’s reluctance to depart gracefully sheds light on why some political leaders fight back after losing an election. Researchers highlight the vital role of electoral integrity in ensuring the smooth transition of power in democracies.

  • IMMIGRATIONImmigration Restrictions Are Affirmative Action for Natives

    By Alex Nowrasteh

    U.S. immigration restrictions are the most anti‐meritocratic policies today, and they are intended as affirmative action for native‐born Americans. When people think of anti‐meritocratic policies, they rightly jump to quotas, race‐based affirmative action, or class‐based affirmative action. It’s true; those are all anti‐meritocratic and likely wouldn’t exist in a free market outside of a handful of organizations in the non‐profit sector. But U.S. immigration restrictions are worse. Those who truly favor meritocracy and oppose affirmative action on principle should reject the anti‐meritocratic affirmative action of American immigration laws.

  • POLARIZATIONNew National Poll Shows Bipartisan Support for Polarizing Issues Affecting American Democracy

    By Nora Sulots

    “America in One Room: Democratic Reform” polled participants before and after deliberation to gauge their opinions on democratic reform initiatives, including voter access and voting protections, non-partisan election administration, protecting against election interference, Supreme Court reform, and more. The results show many significant changes toward bipartisan agreement, even on the most contentious issues.

  • BORDER SECURITYDOJ Argues in Federal Court for Removal of Texas’ Floating Border Barrier

    By Sneha Dey

    In a court hearing over the barrier near Eagle Pass, the U.S. Justice Department argued it was installed without federal authorization, while lawyers for the state said it notified the proper authorities.