SSRI funded project results in award
Nov 17, 2022
A project supported by Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute recently won the “Distinguished Article Award” from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. The paper, "Religion at the frontline: How religion influenced the response of local government officials to the COVID-19…News Topics: SociologyPolitical Science
Panel will explore the promise and peril of dialogue
Mar 8, 2022
As political polarization increases, organizations across the United States are trying to figure out how to help citizens have conversations across divides. While that sounds good in theory, having a dialogue that is both meaningful and useful for democracy is something else entirely. A panel of…
Two Penn State faculty members named to Governor Wolf's redistricting council
Oct 4, 2021
Lee Ann Banaszak, head of the Department of Political Science and professor of political science and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, and PRI Associate Christopher Fowler, associate professor of geography and director of the Peter R. Gould Center for Geography Education and Outreach, have…
Mood of the Nation Poll examines gun control as case reaches Supreme Court
Dec 4, 2019
The Supreme Court’s decision on a New York City gun regulation could mean the first significant judicial action on gun reform in nearly a decade — at a time when the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s Mood of the Nation Poll finds that a majority of Americans support stricter regulations for gun…
Evidence lights the way
Sep 5, 2019
By Adam Gamoran, Science Magazine These are dark times for science and public policy in the United States. In June, it was revealed that the White House suppressed the congressional testimony of a State Department scientist on the implications of climate change for national security—just the latest…
Why Social Science? - Because It Guides Us Toward Practical and Attainable Solutions
Aug 6, 2019
By Tom Kecskemethy, Executive Director, The American Academy of Political and Social Science The wisest quote about science that I’ve read in recent years was penned by Vanderbilt University’s Larry Bartels, in an article he wrote during the run-up to 2016 general election. He reminded us simply…
Trustees approve architect for Liberal Arts research and teaching building
Jul 19, 2019
The appointment of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) of Wilkes‐Barre, Pennsylvania, as architect for the Liberal Arts Research and Teaching Building to be constructed on the University Park campus was approved today (July 18) by the Penn State Board of Trustees. BCJ was selected based on its work with…
Film on Puerto Rico, energy policy to premiere at Penn State
Jul 10, 2019
“DisemPOWERed: Puerto Rico's Perfect Storm,” a film that examines the reasons why Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, will premiere at Penn State. The screening will occur at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, in Foster Auditorium in Pattee Library. Following the screening there will be a…
Though politically divided, Americans remain patriotic
Jul 2, 2019
Beyond fireworks and outdoor parties, the Fourth of July provides an opportunity for citizens across the United States to reflect on what it means to be an American. Despite increasing polarization, people across the political spectrum appear to be largely united on what it means to be patriotic,…
Penn State podcast series covering issues impacting democracy
Jun 18, 2019
Penn State podcast series covering issues impacting democracy Penn State’s The McCourtney Institute for Democracy has crafted an intellectual podcast series, Democracy Works, to highlight issues in American democracy. Instead of bipartisan debate, the series addresses problems from a broader…
Why Social Science? - Because It Helps to Address Graduate Unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa
Apr 23, 2019
By Joseph K. Assan, PhD, Assistant Professor of International Political Economy of Sustainable Development, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University Social scientists are actively involved in working with government officials, academics, the private sector, NGOs and…
Dionne shares his views on empathy and democracy in latest podcast
Apr 18, 2019
The “Democracy Works” podcast spoke with E.J. Dionne about his views on the relationship between partisan politics and democracy. The conversation covered various topics from Donald Trump, the future of the republican party, and the need for empathy in politics. E.J Dionne is a columnist for The…
Long-lasting Effects of Newspaper Op-Eds on Public Opinion
May 8, 2018
In a recent study published in the Quarterly Journal of Political Science, researchers found that op-eds were persuasive to both the mass public and elites, but marginally more persuasive among the mass public. The researchers conducted two randomized panel survey experiments on elite and mass…News Topics: InfluencePolitical Science