Policy & Society

UMBC’s Eric Zeemering, assistant professor of public policy, commented in the Baltimore Sun this week on a measure that would allow residents of New Windsor to recall their local elected officials. Zeemering credited the sluggish economy with motivating recall efforts and petition drives across the U.S. “There is not mass public distrust of government,” he said. “In many cases, this is about the serious budget and services challenges these jurisdictions face as the full impact of the recession unfolds.”

It’s been a busy week in the media for Donald Norris, UMBC public policy chair and director of the Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research. Norris offered expert comments for four articles on public policy in Maryland, focusing on current debates in the state legislature. In “Some State Agencies Want More of Your Money,” Norris explains that proposed state fee increases face an uphill battle as “[p]aying anything for government goods and services has become conflated with taxes.” Norris argues that alternative doomsday budget plans based on severe cuts are unlikely to pass in another Sun article, later suggesting… Continue Reading Donald Norris, Public Policy, in the Baltimore Sun and Gazette

On March 9, NPR’s On Point delved into the science of laughter. Robert Provine, professor of psychology, was on hand to discuss the topic. “Laughter is so powerful that Plato and Aristotle spent a lot of time thinking and writing about laughter because they feared its power,” he said. Audio of the segment is available here.