PoliticalScience

On March 12, Tyson King-Meadows, an associate professor of political science and chair of Africana studies, was a guest on WEAA’s The Marc Steiner Show to discuss his experience attending the 50th anniversary of the 1965 march in Selma. King-Meadows shared the purpose and significance of attending the event, including celebrating those who marched in 1965 for voting rights in the face of brutality, and bringing awareness to a new and improved Voting Rights Amendment (VRA).King-Meadows appeared on the program with Ari Berman, a contributing writer for The Nation magazine and longtime community activist and mentor Ralph Moore. To listen to the full segment, click… Continue Reading Tyson King-Meadows and Thomas Schaller, Political Science, on The Marc Steiner Show

In an article published February 25 in the International Relations and Security Network Digital Library News, Sunil Dasgupta analyzed the shifting balance of power between the United States and Russia in light of recent events in Ukraine. “Russia’s ability to defy the United States and other Western powers in Ukraine (as well as Moscow’s support of the Syrian and Iranian regimes) since late 2013 has suggested that the period of soft balancing is over. The return of traditional balance of power politics implies that a multipolar world, in which the United States is one of many similarly positioned great powers,… Continue Reading Sunil Dasgupta, Political Science, in ISN

On February 9, WYPR’s Maryland Morning hosted political science professor Roy Meyers to discuss education spending in Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s budget. Meyers discussed in-depth what K-12 education spending looks like for schools in the proposed budget. “There are two kinds of cuts in the governor’s budget for all the counties and the cities across the board. One cut is the cut in the Geographic Cost of Education Index which under law he is allowed to make in his budget. That’s about $68 million in savings,” said Meyers. “The other savings, about $76 million, is in proposed changes to the law that… Continue Reading Roy Meyers, Political Science, on WYPR’s Maryland Morning

Arthur Johnson, provost emeritus and political science, penned an article in The Faculty Voice about how UMBC’s Walter Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program contributes to the public good. The Faculty Voice is the independent faculty news source in the University System of Maryland. In the article, Johnson outlines the history of the Sondheim Scholars program, the impact of its alumni, and how the program continues to evolve. He emphasizes that public service is not defined by a career in government, but rather a desire to serve others and inspire social change. Johnson also recounted the program’s connection to Walter Sondheim,… Continue Reading Arthur Johnson, Political Science, Describes the Sondheim Public Affairs Program in The Faculty Voice

On Wednesday, February 11, Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller will present the Social Sciences Forum “The Stronghold: How Republicans Captured Congress but Surrendered the White House,” at 4:30 p.m. in the University Center Room 310. Once the party of presidents, the GOP in recent elections has failed to pull together convincing national majorities. Republicans have lost four of the last six presidential races and lost the popular vote in five of the last six. Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America” set in motion a vicious cycle, Schaller contends: as the GOP became more conservative, it became more Congress-centered, and… Continue Reading Social Sciences Forum: The Stronghold: How Republicans Captured Congress but Surrendered the White House (2/11)

Susannah Prucka, an Adjunct Instructor of Political Science, and four UMBC students visited the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 20 to sit in on oral arguments and meet with two of Justice Samuel Alito’s law clerks. The students were part of a fall course titled the “Judicial Process,” in which they studied the judicial branch and judicial decision-making. William Rice, Lereiya Edmonson, Nelly Waribe, and Ellis Zapas were the students who participated in the visit and are all juniors and political science majors. During their time at the Supreme Court, the students saw oral arguments in two cases: Williams-Yulee… Continue Reading Susannah Prucka, Political Science, and UMBC Students Visit U.S. Supreme Court

On Friday, January 9, Political Science Professor Roy Meyers appeared on WYPR’s Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast to discuss Maryland’s budget process for the upcoming year. Meyers was a guest on the program along with The Daily Record Government Reporter Bryan Sears. Meyers offered insight into what Maryland Gov.-Elect Larry Hogan will encounter with negotiations with the legislature when he takes office next week. He discussed mandated entitlement spending, discretionary spending, and analyzed Maryland’s unique budget process. “Every year the governor makes a budget proposal. That budget proposal not only includes recommended spending levels for agency operations which the legislature can’t increase, but… Continue Reading Roy Meyers, Political Science, on WYPR’s Maryland Morning

In his January 6 column in the Baltimore Sun, Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller wrote about his new book “The Stronghold: How Republicans Captured Congress but Surrendered the White House,” published this month by Yale University Press. In his column, he discussed the core argument of his book: “My main contention is that the Republicans — and, I suppose, the Democrats too — have reached a point of ideological-institutional confluence. Specifically, in our protracted modern era of partisan polarization and divided government, it makes sense that the more conservative party dominates Congress rather than the presidency.” In the column,… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun

In a December 15 column published on MarylandReporter.com, Political Science Professor Roy Meyers shared his thoughts on why there are no easy budget fixes in Maryland. He responded to an earlier column written by Barry Rascovar which outlined potential solutions to solving state budget deficits. Meyers addressed state revenue estimates, adjusting the start time of the fiscal year, and sweeping under-projected revenues into the state’s surplus, all of which were discussed in Rascovar’s column. “It’s important to remember that just as with budgets, for the budget process there is no such thing as an ‘easy fix,’” Meyers wrote in his… Continue Reading Roy Meyers, Political Science, on MarylandReporter.com