University of Massachusetts Amherst

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A June 2021 policy brief co-authored by Jesse Rhodes, political science, is cited in an article on a proposal for same-day voter registration in New Jersey. The brief outlined research finding that turnout by Black and Latino voters can be up to 17 percentage points higher in states with same-day registration. (New Jersey Monitor, 11/22/23)

A column on the migrant crisis cites an October UMass Amherst Poll, which found 63% of Massachusetts residents surveyed said they either “strongly” or “somewhat” supported the state’s right-to-shelter law. (The Boston Globe, 12/4/23; News Office release)

A New UMass Amherst Poll of nearly 300 former members of Congress shows rising concerns about threats of political violence. The survey, conducted between June and October, finds 84% of the former legislators surveyed said they were concerned about the possibility of violence related to the 2024 presidential election, including 74% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats. (Politico, 12/5/23; News Office release)

Political scientist Charli Carpenter traveled to New York this week, accompanied by a group of former and current UMass students affiliated with Human Security Lab, to present research findings on the impact of the nuclear ban treaty on the strength of the nuclear taboo. (Human Security Lab, 11/29/23)

Paul Musgrave, Professor of Political Science, describes how global brands are often forced to pick sides in times of war. “The more global a brand becomes, the more likely it is to be entangled in international disputes, and the more picking a side comes with costs, even for the softest of products like fizzy drinks or ice cream,” he writes. (Foreign Policy, 11/24/23)

“The language in the Code of Conduct is exceedingly vague. Most importantly, there appears to be no enforcement mechanism. So, I read this code of conduct as an acknowledgement of the criticisms the Court is currently facing – which has resulted in historically low public approval – but not as a serious effort to address the ethical issues facing the Court.” Paul Collins, Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science, comments on the new code of ethics released by the U.S. Supreme Court on November 13. (Miami Herald, 11/14/23)

Charli Carpenter, Director of the Human Security Lab and Professor of Political Science, is quoted in a commentary on international law in the context of the Israel-Hamas war. However imperfect, international law helps to distinguish “between ‘civilized’ violence and outright barbarity,” Carpenter says. (Bloomberg, 11/16/23; redistributed by Portland Press Herald [Maine], 11/21/23)

“Even former Gov. Charlie Baker, who nabbed the title of America’s most popular governor more than once, struggled with transportation — a UMass Amherst / WCVB Poll last year found that 57% of registered voters thought Healey’s predecessor handled transportation and transit “not too well” or “not well at all” (Boston.com 11/17/23)

“The language in the Code of Conduct is exceedingly vague. Most importantly, there appears to be no enforcement mechanism. So, I read this code of conduct as an acknowledgment of the criticisms the Court is currently facing – which has resulted in historically low public approval – but not as a serious effort to address the ethical issues facing the Court,” Professor Paul Collins, Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies. (Miami Herald, 11/14/23)

Paul Musgrave, Professor of Political Science, penned an analysis of the Nov. 8 Republican presidential debate, noting differences and agreements between "the hawks and the isolationists." "This degree of intraparty division about the purpose of foreign policy is reminiscent of earlier eras," writes Musgrave, highlighting transformative historic events. "The Debate Reveals a Brutal Reality About Republican Foreign Policy - The party is headed toward a belligerent place, no matter who wins the nomination". (Politico, 11/09/23)

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