Politics + Society – The Conversation – US Presidential election, Congress and political issues

A pregnant person in a hospital gown and wristband, with an IV taped to one hand, rests in a hospital bed.

A pregnant person in a hospital gown and wristband, with an IV taped to one hand, rests in a hospital bed.

When abortion and surrogacy law collide, contracts can’t answer the hardest questions

Sonia Suter, George Washington University and Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia

An image of an assault rifle in crosshairs with a red background.

An image of an assault rifle in crosshairs with a red background.

Why the assault weapons debate is a culture debate

Robert Spitzer, State University of New York Cortland

What the law says about armed officers at polling places

Danielle Friedman, University of Wisconsin-Madison

A 'VOTE HERE" sign in three languages, at a polling place.

A 'VOTE HERE" sign in three languages, at a polling place.

Meet the ‘independent voters’ who will likely decide which party triumphs in the 2026 midterm elections

Julio Borquez, University of Michigan-Dearborn

Three people stand in front of voting booths.

Three people stand in front of voting booths.

These state supreme court races could decide abortion access and trans rights

Rachel Rebouché, The University of Texas at Austin

A polling station is seen with two voting booths with American flags and the word 'vote' on them.

A polling station is seen with two voting booths with American flags and the word 'vote' on them.

Armed poll watchers: New Jersey’s 1981 racist voter intimidation campaign is a cautionary tale ahead of 2026 midterms

Mark Krasovic, Rutgers University - Newark

A finger with I TRIED TO VOTE TODAY sticker on it.

A finger with I TRIED TO VOTE TODAY sticker on it.

Primary voters are unrepresentative, inconsistent and very powerful

Robert Boatright, Clark University; Institute for Humane Studies

A stooped man in an aqua shirt wearing a red cap, entering a large hall.

A stooped man in an aqua shirt wearing a red cap, entering a large hall.

We’ve tracked $80M of spending on almost 170 AI-generated political ads this year – it’s weird

Travis N. Ridout, Washington State University; Erika Franklin Fowler, Wesleyan University, and Michael Franz, Bowdoin College

A wall of video screens shows various images, with the word 'REAL' in the upper left corner and 'FAKE' in the lower right.

A wall of video screens shows various images, with the word 'REAL' in the upper left corner and 'FAKE' in the lower right.

White nationalism’s appeal runs deeper than partisan politics

Patrick Egan, New York University; James Bisbee, Vanderbilt University, and Joshua A. Tucker, New York University

Men in white face coverings, dark jackets and khaki pants stand in a line holding flags in front of the Washington Monument as another man walks past.

Men in white face coverings, dark jackets and khaki pants stand in a line holding flags in front of the Washington Monument as another man walks past.

Christa Pike survived a lethal injection attempt – the latest person to endure a failed execution

Austin Sarat, Amherst College

An ambulance drives through a gated entrance at night.

An ambulance drives through a gated entrance at night.

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Midterms 2026

A group of people waiting to vote in a long line outside a country store named the 'Sugar Shack.'

A group of people waiting to vote in a long line outside a country store named the 'Sugar Shack.'

Up-and-down progress of voting rights in America has been shaped by these 10 key moments

Gibbs Knotts, Coastal Carolina University and Christopher A. Cooper, Western Carolina University

As AI political deepfakes go viral, lawmakers struggle to keep up – 2 states’ laws show limits of what they can do

Stefani Langehennig, University of Denver

A woman looks at a hand-held computer screen with two men depicted on it.

A woman looks at a hand-held computer screen with two men depicted on it.

Why older lawmakers may wait too long to step aside

Nancy Forster-Holt, University of Rhode Island

An older man in blazer and vest stands before a shiny surface that reflects his image.

An older man in blazer and vest stands before a shiny surface that reflects his image.

Election officials are fighting wavering voter trust by making mundane processes visible and recruiting citizens to help

Robert Glover, University of Maine

People standing at voting machines, some voting, some waiting to vote.

People standing at voting machines, some voting, some waiting to vote.

2 midterm elections that brought on new eras in US politics

Robert A. Strong, University of Virginia

A black-and-white photo of three men dressed in black.

A black-and-white photo of three men dressed in black.

No cheery time for election pollsters in run-up to US midterms

W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication

A blck map of the U.S. shattered into pieces.

A blck map of the U.S. shattered into pieces.

How red went from the color of revolution to the color of Republicans in US politics

Andrew Latham, Macalester College

A map of states colored red or blue.

A map of states colored red or blue.

Why Hispanic Americans are losing faith in the American Dream

Diana Orcés, American University

Two people wearing and holding American flags walk down the middle of a street in a parade, facing away from the camera.

Two people wearing and holding American flags walk down the middle of a street in a parade, facing away from the camera.

The White House & Congress

Delegates at a curved table watch Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on video screens.

Delegates at a curved table watch Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on video screens.

Trump wants an AI Force like Space Force, but that could make AI’s risks harder to manage

Jason M. Blazakis, Middlebury College

Trump frames unregulated AI as a way to keep ahead of China – but in fact, it harms US national security

Stephen Collins, Kennesaw State University

Two men walk down a white path next to a green lawn.

Two men walk down a white path next to a green lawn.

Other presidents have let white-collar criminals dodge financial penalties – but not like Trump

Caren Morrison, Georgia State University

A man in a suit sits at a desk in front of flags and holds up an open folder with a signed document inside.

A man in a suit sits at a desk in front of flags and holds up an open folder with a signed document inside.

How Trump’s crypto winnings undermined the industry’s push for looser regulation

Lee Reiners, Duke University

As presidential candidate, Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

As presidential candidate, Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

Pete Hegseth is rebuilding the Army’s ‘brass ceiling’

Jeremiah Favara, Gonzaga University

Dan Driscoll, Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump walk together across a tarmac.

Dan Driscoll, Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump walk together across a tarmac.

Security clearances don’t determine whom a president can trust – they reveal risks the president may not know

Brian O'Neill, Georgia Institute of Technology

President Donald Trump walks across a tarmac, followed by several others, including Natalie Harp at right.

President Donald Trump walks across a tarmac, followed by several others, including Natalie Harp at right.

The Pentagon is using polygraphs to hunt leakers, but the tests are more theater than fact

Brian O'Neill, Georgia Institute of Technology

A person's right hand rests on a table; three of their fingers are connected to a polygraph machine.

A person's right hand rests on a table; three of their fingers are connected to a polygraph machine.

What comes next for the 1 million people who have lost – or will soon lose – Temporary Protected Status

Jean Lantz Reisz, University of Southern California

People at a rally hold signs that say 'permanent status for immigrant families' and 'TPS holders make the US stronger.'

People at a rally hold signs that say 'permanent status for immigrant families' and 'TPS holders make the US stronger.'

Race, Identity & Society

Several cameras are attached to a light post as clouds and blue sky appear in the background.

Several cameras are attached to a light post as clouds and blue sky appear in the background.

The trouble with Flock cameras is the surveillance system’s architecture, not just some of its users

Henry F. Fradella, Arizona State University

Dan Rather has followed the news wherever he goes, in a career that highlights 75 years of evolving journalism

Walter Podrazik, University of Illinois Chicago

A man in a shirt and tie sits at a news desk, holding cue cards, with a producer standing beside him.

A man in a shirt and tie sits at a news desk, holding cue cards, with a producer standing beside him.

AI tools can help Americans meet their civil legal needs

Ellen Murphy, Wake Forest University

An illustration of a person pressing on a clear screen with a justice symbol on it.

An illustration of a person pressing on a clear screen with a justice symbol on it.

How the American revolt against Flock cameras mirrors the Boston Tea Party of 1773

G. Patrick O'Brien, University of Tampa

A camera on a stand and blue sky.

A camera on a stand and blue sky.

What we remember when we remember 9/11

Jennifer Talarico, Lafayette College

A man in suit and tie speaks into the ear of a man in suit in tie sitting on a chair.

A man in suit and tie speaks into the ear of a man in suit in tie sitting on a chair.

Americans agree their democracy is in crisis – yet the solution is as simple as it is elusive

Kenneth Michael White, Kennesaw State University

A tattered U.S. flag hangs from a pole mounted to the side of a gray building.

A tattered U.S. flag hangs from a pole mounted to the side of a gray building.

25 years after 9/11, what disasters reveal about Americans’ ability to reconnect

Tonya Cross Hansel, University of Texas at Arlington

A group of people hold signs that read 'You're Our Heroes,' 'United We Stand' and 'Thanks for Your Bravery.'

A group of people hold signs that read 'You're Our Heroes,' 'United We Stand' and 'Thanks for Your Bravery.'

What we forget when we remember 9/11

Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Boise State University

'No Day Shall Erase You From the Memory of Time' is inscribed on a blue tile wall at the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

'No Day Shall Erase You From the Memory of Time' is inscribed on a blue tile wall at the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Courts & the Constitution

A dark-haired man with glasses, standing on a lawn and wearing a black robe.

A dark-haired man with glasses, standing on a lawn and wearing a black robe.

Originalism: What it is, what it isn’t and why it’s the most democratic option for the Supreme Court

Brian Fitzpatrick, Vanderbilt University

How due process, not the First Amendment, got the White House ban on reporters blocked in court

Wayne Unger, Quinnipiac University

A woman stands on a street corner in front of a television news camera and other broadcast equipment.

A woman stands on a street corner in front of a television news camera and other broadcast equipment.

After Supreme Court setback, Trump again targets immigration by expanding definition of birthright citizenship

Austin Sarat, Amherst College

A man seated at a desk speaks as another many standing in the background looks at him.

A man seated at a desk speaks as another many standing in the background looks at him.

Texas prosecutors are calling a teenage shooting spree ‘terrorism’ – the case could reshape American criminal law

Art Jipson, University of Dayton

Flags representing the U.S. and Texas fly outside the State Capitol in Austin, Texas

Flags representing the U.S. and Texas fly outside the State Capitol in Austin, Texas

Is withholding federal counterterrorism funds from states – as FEMA has threatened – legal?

Austin Sarat, Amherst College

A close up of a federal building.

A close up of a federal building.

When can a power company take your land for data center infrastructure?

Aaron Walayat, University of Dayton

Transmission towers and power lines above a hillside neighborhood

Transmission towers and power lines above a hillside neighborhood

After 1776, the founders designed a government that accounts for ‘a degree of depravity in mankind’

Donovan Fifield, University of South Carolina

An American flag, with only 13 stars, arrayed in a circle.

An American flag, with only 13 stars, arrayed in a circle.

As the US turns 250, a forgotten founding influence helps explain its current unease

Robert A. Ballingall, University of Maine

Delegates at the signing of the U.S. Constitution

Delegates at the signing of the U.S. Constitution

State & Local Government

A group of businessmen in a black and white photo.

A group of businessmen in a black and white photo.

The oil market that sets today’s gas prices was invented in western Pennsylvania

Brian C. Black, Penn State

2026 midterms could be the end of Pennsylvania’s split legislature, with effects on affordability, election reform, marijuana and more

Daniel J. Mallinson, Penn State

A sheet of stickers that say 'I VOTED!'

A sheet of stickers that say 'I VOTED!'

Can development happen without displacement? Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood is a test case

Ira Goldstein, University of Pennsylvania

A neighborhood of older homes surrounded by a hill and trees.

A neighborhood of older homes surrounded by a hill and trees.

1 in 2 Florida residents live in HOAs – how these private governments are reshaping the American Dream

Stephanie A. Dhuman, Hamilton College

A photo of a central Florida neighborhood street, including several homes, parked cars and palm trees.

A photo of a central Florida neighborhood street, including several homes, parked cars and palm trees.

Pennsylvania’s skill games are officially gambling – so should they be at every gas station?

Jonathan Caulkins, Carnegie Mellon University

Gambling machines sit inside a building.

Gambling machines sit inside a building.

ICE arrests at Philadelphia International evoke time when airport police helped military catch AWOL Vietnam War soldiers in 1960s

Menika Dirkson, Morgan State University

Man wearing green bullet-proof vest that says 'POLICE ICE' stands in busy area of airport

Man wearing green bullet-proof vest that says 'POLICE ICE' stands in busy area of airport

Pennsylvania is suing TikTok over ‘addictive’ features – but that’s messier than it sounds

Jonathan Caulkins, Carnegie Mellon University

How students at Colorado State helped teach their community to stop talking past each other and manage complex problems

Martin Carcasson, Colorado State University

Seen from above, a group of six people sit around a table with different color speech bubbles in the middle.

Seen from above, a group of six people sit around a table with different color speech bubbles in the middle.

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