PoliticalScience

Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller has been in the news recently analyzing the future of the Democratic Party in the South. In a Bloomberg Politics article examining how Democrats will rebuild after the recent midterm elections, Schaller discussed what could be next for party. “The irony for me is that even I would say, at this point, there’s no place to go but up for the Democrats,” Schaller said. “There’ve been five federal cycles, and in every single count there’re fewer Democratic officials from the South in almost all of those elections.” “Look at the Republicans,” Schaller added. “At one… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in Bloomberg and the Daily Beast, Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun

In the wake of the release of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report on C.I.A treatment of detainees in secret prisons following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Political Science Associate Professor Jeffrey Davis wrote a letter to the editor in response to the December 10 New York Times article, “Panel Faults C.I.A. Over Brutality and Deceit in Terrorism Interrogations.” The complete text of the published letter is below: Prosecuting those who commit torture is not optional. Article 7 of the Convention Against Torture, signed by President Reagan in 1988 and approved by the Senate in 1994, requires the United States to… Continue Reading Jeffrey Davis, Political Science, in the New York Times

In his latest column in the Baltimore Sun, Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller wrote about his views on what he notes as recent systemic manufacturing of distorted news stories. He described the Benghazi investigation, the IRS controversy, ACORN, and Shirley Sherrod as recent examples that have been prevalent in the national conversation. To read Schaller’s full column, click here. Schaller was also quoted in a December 5 article in the Daily Beast in which he commented on Republican control of state legislatures and Congressional delegations in the South. To read the full article, click here.

Political Science Professor Roy Meyers was quoted in a recent USA Today article that analyzes a federal budget action in which the Obama administration moved nearly $4 million in health insurance subsidy payments from one Treasury account to another. The budget director described the transfer as a way to improve efficiency. In response, the House of Representatives filed a lawsuit last month calling for part of the Affordable Care Act to be struck down. Meyers was asked about the move by then Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell: “The Burwell change of the accounts is a very interesting strategy, and one that’s… Continue Reading Roy Meyers, Political Science, in USA Today

Sunil Dasgupta, director of UMBC’s political science program at the Universities of Shady Grove, recently published an article in the International Relations and Security Network (ISN) digital library. In his article titled “What is Asia? A Security Debate between Alfred Mahan and Barry Buzan,” Dasgupta argued that Chinese and American security policies are making “one Asia” a more distinct reality. He compares the viewpoints of naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan, who was a defender of national power, and Barry Buzan, the influential Canadian and British scholar of international relations, who was an advocate for the regional security complex. “Those who, like… Continue Reading Sunil Dasgupta, Political Science, in International Relations and Security Network News

Earlier this month at the National Academy of Public Administration annual meeting, Political Science Professor Roy Meyers was inducted as a new fellow for the organization. The Academy is an independent, non-profit organization that assists government leaders to build more transparent, efficient, and effective organizations. The fellowship program includes prominent scholars, former members of Congress, cabinet officers, governors, business executives, and public administrators who provide valuable insight and support, guidance to the organization, and address emerging policy issues while contributing to intellectual and popular discourse on government. Meyers was formerly a principal analyst with the Budget Analysis Division in the… Continue Reading Roy Meyers, Political Science, Inducted into National Academy of Public Administration Fellowship Program

The Council on Hemispheric Affairs, based in Washington, D.C., recently published an op-ed by Felipe Filomeno, an Assistant Professor of Political Science, about recent events in Brazilian politics. In the column, Filomeno argues that the tight victory of President Dilma Rousseff in her bid for another term and the election of a more conservative parliament signal the exhaustion of Lulismo as a mode of governing and strategy of national development. He writes that the Workers’ Party (PT) now faces the challenge of forging new connections with the civil society to promote progressive changes in a context of economic difficulties and… Continue Reading Felipe Filomeno, Political Science, Op-Ed in the Council on Hemispheric Affairs

In his latest column in the Baltimore Sun, Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller wrote about his analysis of Maryland’s gubernatorial election. With the race much closer than many expected, Schaller wrote about five lessons voters can take away from the election. Schaller discussed how it’s difficult to run as a lieutenant governor, how race could affect the election, how political party favors have been a factor, voter turnout, and Republican candidate Larry Hogan’s campaign strategy. To read the full column titled “Race, party favors and early voting key in Md. governor’s battle,” click here. Schaller is participating in a… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun

An October 29th article in the Baltimore Sun examines how Election Day could play out in Baltimore County, a place where both candidates for governor have been holding campaign appearances in recent days leading up to the election. Political Science Associate Professor Laura Hussey was quoted in the article and discussed how Baltimore County’s size and partisan diversity make it important territory for candidates to compete for votes. “It’s attractive territory to campaign on for Democrats and Republicans alike, because both can reach large numbers of voters registered with their party relatively efficiently and simultaneously to get their message out to those… Continue Reading Laura Hussey, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun