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Features December 15, 2016
‘Community Swell’ Needed to Address Racial Justice and Policing in America
More than two years after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, the fraught relationship between law enforcement and African Americans continues to spark controversy and calls for action.This tension — and how to address the divide between communities and the police — were examined at a policy forum held Friday, Dec. 9, at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.The daylong forum, "From Ferguson to Dallas to Charlotte: Racial Justice and Policing in America," convened research scholars, former and current senior law enforcement officials, activists, policymakers, students, and community members…
Features December 14, 2016
Politics & Polls #24: Draining the Swamp?
Polarization was a strong undercurrent to the 2016 presidential election, powerfully affecting the electorate and politics. Looking toward President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments, those same divisions remain clear. As Trump builds his team, the nation is beginning to see the outlines of a Trump administration - one that fits well with congressional Republicans.In their first live recording of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss Trump’s recent appointments, the state of polarization today and how the polls got it wrong in the recent election.ABOUT THE HOSTSZelizer is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of…
Features December 08, 2016
Politics & Polls #23: Democrats in Trump’s America
Since Donald Trump’s election, there has been considerable debate about what the Democratic party should do next. While some Democrats argue for an openness to cooperation, others insist there isn’t room for compromise given Trump’s views on race and individual rights.In this episode of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview one of the most powerful voices in this debate: Jamelle Bouie.In his writing, Bouie — who serves as Slate’s chief political correspondent — has tackled a host of issues from white nationalism to minority voters to Trump’s vision of Black America. His work has appeared either online or in print at…
Features December 01, 2016
Politics & Polls #22: Trump & the Supreme Court
The vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court has returned to the spotlight, with President-elect Donald Trump promising supporters that he will nominate a conservative justice, and Democrats fuming from Senate Republicans’ refusal to hold a vote on Obama nominee Merrick Garland.In this episode of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview Linda Greenhouse about how a Trump presidency may affect the U.S. Supreme Court. Greenhouse is the Knight Distinguished Journalist in Residence and Joseph Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School. She covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times between 1978 and 2008 and writes a…
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Features November 29, 2016
Students Participate in a Crisis Simulation: Instability in South Asia
On Nov. 19, 2016, Princeton University's Center for International Security Studies (CISS) hosted more than 100 students at its annual fall crisis simulation. In addition to nearly 60 total undergraduate and graduate Princeton students, participants came from West Point, the Naval Academy, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University to grapple with an imagined scenario in which political instability in Pakistan created regional unrest and raised the specter of a conflagration in South Asia.This year’s “game,” part of a broad range of events run by CISS, was designed to expose students to the process of formulating, implementing and…
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Features November 23, 2016
MPP Students Reflect on “Math Camp”
Every July, about 20 mid-career professionals convene at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, hailing from locations as varied as Gaborone, Botswana; Dayton, Ohio; and London, United Kingdom. Each has a minimum of seven years of public or nonprofit sector work experience, with organizations such as the U.S. Department of State, Israel’s National Cyber Bureau and the New York City Police Department.These rising leaders in international and domestic public policy — 22 in total for the 2016-17 academic year — leave behind their everyday lives for one year to hone their economic, policy and leadership skills…
Features November 22, 2016
WWS Reacts: How Facebook Influenced the US Presidential Election
Facebook — which has been raked over the coals for allowing the dissemination of fake news stories about the 2016 election — is now taking a hard and careful look at what role it may have played among American voters. Some say the election results illustrate a social media “echo chamber,” in which users gather news and information primarily from friends with shared interests. What are the effects of these echo chambers and silos? Are there ways to spread fact-checked news stories? And what responsibility does Facebook have to its users? Katherine Haenschen, a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University’s Center for Information Technology…
Features November 21, 2016
Schools Remain a Potential Hotspot for Measles Transmission, Even in the Vaccine Era
Measles, one of the world's most contagious diseases, can spread more quickly in schools than previously thought, according to Princeton University-led research. The researchers report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that the only sure method of controlling measles among schoolchildren is to maintain very high vaccination rates.The researchers conducted one of the first direct examinations of how measles spreads at the school level by reviewing data from a 1904 measles outbreak in London that affected 18 schools. While schools are known hotspots for infections such as measles, scientists actually have little information…
Features November 17, 2016
Politics & Polls #21: Asymmetric Politics
Political polarization is the worst it’s been since the Civil War, some experts argue. How did we get here? How have America’s ideologies shifted so much in the past four decades? What forces underlie the growing divide between Republicans and Democrats? And how has social media and varying sources of information widened the gap?In episode 21, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss party polarization with Matt Grossmann and David Hopkins, co-authors of the new book, “Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats.” Published by Oxford University Press, the book provides a new understanding of contemporary…
Features November 16, 2016
WWS Reacts: What a Trump Presidency Really Means for the Affordable Care Act
During the campaign, President-Elect Donald Trump said he would repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a system that covers 20 million people who were previously uninsured. Now, Trump says he’ll hold on to certain ACA provisions, such as providing care for those with pre-existing conditions. Regardless of what’s being said about the ACA (also known as Obamacare), there are likely to be changes, according to Princeton’s top health care experts. In the following Q&A, they answer questions about the ACA and the future of America’s health care system. Heather Howard is a lecturer in public affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and…
Features November 10, 2016
Politics & Polls #20: What Just Happened?
In a stunning upset, Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang react to the results in episode #20, their first post-election recording. Among a host of issues, they discuss why the polls might’ve been off and what a Trump presidency means the nation and the history of democracy.ABOUT THE HOSTSZelizer is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 
Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He has been one of the pioneers in the revival of American political history. He is the author of several books…
Features November 03, 2016
Politics & Polls #19: Looking Ahead to Election Day
In their last episode before the election, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang look ahead to election day 2016. Among other issues, they discuss what the results will do to the GOP, which states Wang in particular will be watching on election night (hint: it’s not what you’d think), how the Senate races might turn out and if this particular election may shape political discourse in 2020 and beyond. ABOUT THE HOSTSZelizer is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 
Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He has been one of the pioneers in the revival of American…
Features November 01, 2016
Princeton-Fung Global Forum in Berlin to Focus on Cybersecurity
The fourth Princeton-Fung Global Forum will convene researchers, scientists, policymakers, officials from nongovernmental organizations and industry leaders to examine digital technologies in the information age. The event, “Society 3.0+: Can Liberty Survive the Digital Age?,” will be held March 20-21, 2017, in Berlin and will explore how different countries and sectors approach the balance between risks, benefits and fundamental rights when it comes to cybersecurity and digital communications. Topics will include privacy and human rights versus security protection; vulnerabilities versus efficiencies posed by the Internet of Things; communication…
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Features October 31, 2016
Woodrow Wilson Exhibit Moves to Frist Campus Center as Part of Campus Tour
The exhibit "In the Nation's Service? Woodrow Wilson Revisited" has moved to the Frist Campus Center, the first in a series of campus stops that will allow more Princeton University students, faculty, staff and community members to see the work."In the Nation's Service?" documents not only the positive but also the negative aspects of Wilson's tenure as 13th president of Princeton and 28th president of the United States. The exhibit opened in the Bernstein Gallery of Robertson Hall in April."This exhibit aims to provide essential background as part of an ongoing dialogue about Woodrow Wilson," said Cecilia Rouse, dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of…
Features October 27, 2016
Politics & Polls #18: The Religious Right
Since the 1970s, the religious right has been an important part of the Republican coalition. This group, comprised mostly of right-wing Christians, are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies.Throughout this presidential campaign, both candidates, especially Donald Trump, have tested the religious right. Trump’s personal wrongdoings, in particular, have ruffled feathers, which some say are causing splits within the religious right.In this episode, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss this sect with their colleague Kevin M. Kruse, a professor of history at Princeton University. Kruse studies the political,…