blog posts

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  Ushering in the New Clean Energy Economy

  Oct 15, 2020 9:00 am46 views

  It was hard to miss the attention-grabbing headline last month: “California Governor Signs Order Banning Sales of New Gasoline Cars by 2035” (NPR, September 30, 2020). But is the internal combustion engine about to go the way of the horse and buggy within the next 15 years? That much remains to be seen. But with little doubt, California is ushering in a new era of green technology, and it is government “driving” the market, not the other way around.

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  Video: The Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education

  Apr 14, 2021 9:45 am28 views

  In case you missed this panel discussion on March 4th, watch the video of this UIS COVID Engaged Series, "The Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education" with moderators Dr. Magic Wade, PSC, Collin Moseley, SGA Vice President, and Mackenzi Matthews, SGA Parliamentarian, with panelists Francie Diep, Chronical of Higher Education, Randy Witter, UIS Alumnus.

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  VIDEO: Why Women's Descriptive Representation Still Matters: The Case of Argentina

  May 18, 2021 9:00 am31 views

  In this presentation, Dr. Piatti-Crocker explores the gender-diversifying effects that well-conceived and implemented gender quotas and parity laws have had in Argentina’s national and subnational legislatures. She examines how institutional factors  (electoral, party systems, quota design) have contributed to the relative success of quotas in Argentina, though more unevenly in its provinces due to wide-ranging institutional and cultural factors. 

   

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  Violent Protest or Seditious Conspiracy

  Jan 13, 2021 9:00 am40 views

  While watching the events of January 6, 2021, in Washington D.C., I, like many other Americans, felt a wide range of emotions. First shock and disbelief that our Capitol was under siege by its own citizens. Second, confusion as I realized that this was not a protest for better wages, equal rights, or climate change but a protest over the outcome of an election that occurred two months ago. Finally, the criminal lawyer in me couldn’t help but analyze the legal consequences that each one of these rioters would potentially be facing if arrested.

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  Waiting on the world to change? Happy Earth Day everybody – now let’s talk about the climate crisis!

  Apr 22, 2022 9:15 am62 views

  In February of this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) began to roll out its Sixth Assessment Report (or AR6). As Dr. Brandon read the report, a familiar pattern caught his eye - “things are getting worse, but there’s a bright side….” 

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  Want to know who is going to win an election? Ask the voters!

  Nov 21, 2022 9:00 am153 views

  Out of growing concern about the ability of polling to accurately capture voter intention and “predict” the results of an upcoming election, some researchers have begun to explore a switch from asking voters who they intend to vote for to so-called “citizen forecasts.”

• Watch replay: Ray Long talks about his new book about former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan

  Mar 18, 2022 9:00 am32 views

  On March 17, the Public Affairs Reporting program hosted a conversation with Ray Long, the longtime investigative reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He recently authored a book about the political career of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

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  We can emerge Stronger Together: Covid-19 and the places we work

  Jun 3, 2020 10:15 am289 views

  Prior to Covid-19, there were two focusing events or crises that dramatically changed my perspective on life: the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the April 16, 2007 killing of 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech. While vastly different, the Covid-19 pandemic and the upending of life as we know it since early March 2020 is the third such focusing event that I have experienced. Focusing events force us to rethink and reset our priorities. This resetting often includes a renewed emphasis on our shared humanity that falls under the mantra or rallying cry of Stronger Together.

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  We Don’t Want to Hear about Kamala Harris’ Shoes

  Aug 18, 2020 10:15 am116 views

  When vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris delivers her prime-time speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, pay attention to the words used to describe her.  Unfortunately, commentators, opinionmakers and sometimes even news reporters have a bad habit of describing female politicians in ways they rarely or never do about male politicians.

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  We Know This Much is True

  Jan 25, 2022 9:00 am196 views

  Deidre Graham Silas was laid to rest this past weekend, in a beautiful service that intentionally celebrated the life she lived, rather than the circumstances that tragically ended her life on January 5th.  But to fully understand this reflective piece it is sadly necessary to point out how Deidre’s life was ended....

• What Are the Research Areas of the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies?

  Mar 26, 2021 11:00 am77 views

  One of the roles of ILLAPS, as outlined in a previous post of ours here, is to leverage the knowledge, resources, and expertise of our staff and faculty to solve information problems for government entities and non-profits. Another important role of ILLAPS since its foundation has been conducting our own original research on topics that are of use and interest to academics, policymakers, and engaged citizens to solve public problems. In the spirit of building on previous successes and our goal, this post is going to discuss some of the current ILLAPS research.

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  What happens on a university campus during the summer?

  Jun 8, 2021 12:45 pm80 views

  As we recently celebrate our Memorial Day Holiday which is a day to celebrate the many sacrifices made by our veterans over the years to preserve this country and our democracy, it also signifies the “unofficial” start to our summer on campus and in the community.  So I thought I would use this first Holiday of summer to reflect upon what happens here at UIS and the College of Public Affairs and Administration in the summer!

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  What Has Health Got to Do with It?

  Nov 19, 2020 9:00 am44 views

  Supreme Court Determines Fate of the Affordable Care Act During a Pandemic.  Health policy has absolutely nothing to do with the United States Supreme Court’s pending decision in California v. Texas, according to newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett

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  When Rhetoric Becomes Reality: Trump, Latinos, and COVID-19

  Sep 10, 2020 9:00 am34 views

  COVID-19, the global pandemic that resulted from it, and the insufficient U.S. response revealed a multitude of issues but none perhaps as pressing than the direct challenge to President Trump’s nationalist agenda and anti-immigrant rhetoric. As the nation prepares to vote with the effects of the pandemic still looming and President Trump seeking re-election, what must be called to question is the voracity with which he launched his “America first” campaign.

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  “Where Do We Go From Here?” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Address at the 11th Annual SCLC Convention

  Jan 18, 2021 9:00 am767 views

  In August 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed the 11th Annual Student Christian Leadership Congress (SCLC) in Atlanta, Georgia before over 100 Black leaders.  In his address, he asked the question, “Where Do we Go From Here?”.  He eloquently talked about the major accomplishments and tasks ahead for SCLC.  Dr. King urged Black leaders to organize and register voters in order to elect individuals who would address Black Americans’ social, political and economic issues.

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  WHO Releases Report: “The Potential Impact of Health Service Disruptions on the Burden Of Malaria”

  Apr 28, 2020 8:45 am17 views

  Follow up on World Malaria Day post:  WHO estimates that nearly 800,000 People May Die From Malaria Due to COVID-19 Disruptions.

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  Why Presidents Use Executive Action to Pursue their Policy Goals

  Mar 11, 2021 9:00 am1372 views

  At the start of each new presidential administration, particularly when a new party gains control of the White House, presidents use executive orders, and other forms of executive action including presidential memoranda and presidential proclamations, to implement many of their campaign promises. Unlike legislation passed by Congress, which requires the consent of both chambers of Congress and the president to become law, executive orders can be issued unilaterally by the president.

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  Why Should You Consider A Political Science Bachelor’s Degree at UIS?

  Jul 29, 2021 10:00 am177 views

  I learned about politics when I asked for a new bike at age seven.  First my mom, and then my dad, asked me if the other parent had agreed to this life-changing purchase.  I was running interference between my parents. I could tell that my mom was supportive of my quest for a bike, so I teamed up with her to convince my dad. A few days later, I was a happy little girl with a shiny new bike.  Come study politics with us at UIS to learn how individuals, societies, and states cooperate and compete with each other to get what they want.

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  Will Congress give a tax break to local news organizations?

  Nov 16, 2021 8:45 am54 views

  With President Joe Biden on Monday signing a $1 trillion bill to fix roads, bridges, water systems and other aspects of America’s infrastructure, attention now turns to another expensive part of Biden’s plan – a $1.85 trillion social spending bill that includes help for local news organizations.

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  With Wishes for a Magical Holiday Season

  Dec 23, 2021 9:00 am76 views

  As the Fall semester concludes and the holidays are soon upon us, there is no better time than now to reach out to students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members, stakeholders and our Public Affairs Community to wish you all a most sincere “Season’s Greetings” from the Office of the Dean.

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  You Are Invited to the Railsplitter’s Banquet on March 31st

  Mar 1, 2023 3:30 pm113 views

  You are invited to attend this in-person event located at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum at 212 N 6th St, Springfield, IL 62701, with Federal District Court Judge Brian Stacy Miller as the keynote speaker.  Help celebrate the public service award recipient.

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  Your Local Newspaper Is In Trouble

  Jan 19, 2022 11:00 am98 views

  The most recent figures from Pew Research Center’s analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the number of newsroom employees in the United States fell by 26% since 2008.  Most of that loss has happened at newspapers, which often is a community’s best source of consistent, in-depth, solid watchdog news coverage.