As March Women's History Month concludes, I spoke with Bonnie Monnie Morris, a Title IX scholar, women's historian at the University of California at Berkeley, and National Women's History Museum adviser regarding Title IX. We discussed the law's original purpose, how it differs from its modern perception, and how this contrast has impacted women over the past half-century.
— Patrick McFarland
How old is too old? As November approaches, this question circulates across America. President Biden’s age remains a central threat to his reelection, while Donald Trump, only about four years younger, does not face the same challenge.
— Elisabeth Mellen
If one were assigned the near-impossible task of listing the most influential theologians and religious leaders of the past 30 years, it would be difficult not to include the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. One of his earlier works, entitled The Politics of Hope, seems even more relevant today. The route out of our American political crisis, albeit accelerated by electing pro-democracy candidates, fundamentally rests on our ability to realize this politics of hope.
— Stephen Blinder
In El Salvador, order has emerged from an anti-democratic regime. The fact of the matter is that the Latin American country was rather lawless before, with gangs roaming the streets and bribery a norm. The U.S. must push for an order in accordance with law. There is a world where due process meets safety.
— Michael Scime
Recently, former President Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner for the upcoming 2024 election, has commented on the United States’ commitment to NATO, leaving the other allied countries questioning their safety amid the War in Ukraine.
— Christina Tucholski
Partisanship has proven not anathema to a healthy democracy but an invaluable and, indeed, a necessary constituent of our political system. Partisanship and the sincere, meaningful debate it fosters have been at the root of our democracy from the beginning.
— Stephen Blinder
The finger guns to the head are more than a gesture or a political protest. It’s a way for the world to finally understand how dire the situation in Congo has been and continues to be. Whether it is the DR Congo, Gaza, Sudan, or Tigray, you can not just tune out what is distressing to you just because you don’t want to hear it.
— Kahwit Tela
There are still eight months before the first presidential debate, and while the parties have not made their platforms official, people are already scrutinizing the differences between the two candidates: Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Despite the apparent differences, there is one area where Biden and Trump have something in common.
— Patrick McFarland
Populism remains perilously open to forgery. If Donald Trump is a populist, he is one in performance only – the marriage of the two ends there. Defeating Trump in November is necessary but not sufficient. We need to reclaim the word “populism” before its imposters reclaim our country.
— Stephen Blinder
With key players like Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley making huge moves in the 2024 primary elections, it seems like the Republican Party is ushering in a new era that embraces South Asian voters. Yet, Haley, who is still in the race, fails to connect to her Indian identity and campaign towards South Asian voters.
— Maya Mohosin
Student Columns
Read student analyses on pressing themes in politics today
From the Super Bowl to sold-out concerts, Taylor Swift has dominated stadiums across the country and world. After years in the spotlight, though, it is inarguable that Swift’s celebrity status has reached an all-time high. However, with this newfound virality has come a red wave of far-right conspiracy theories regarding her and the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
— Taylor Moses
Heightened gang violence, unstable governance, and natural disasters have intensified the health crisis in Haiti, exacerbating inequalities in health care access amidst an ongoing cholera outbreak. Cost-effective, intersectoral interventions to improve health care services as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene must be prioritized in Haiti to avert the threat of an even greater public health crisis.
— Sara Medina
— Sara Medina
Israeli strikes on hospitals in the Gaza Strip have exacerbated the instability of the Gazan health system amidst civilian casualties and increasing rates of infectious disease and malnutrition, underscoring the direct impact of the ongoing war on civilian health and Israel’s violation of international humanitarian law.
— Sara Medina
We experienced the 2023 off-year election cycle. The cycle included gubernatorial and state legislative elections, as well as mayoral races and a variety of other local offices. The results represent major victories for particular interest groups and can provide crucial insight into next year’s national elections.
— Calla O’Neil
The chaos in Congress as Republicans scrambled to find a replacement for House speaker Kevin McCarthy may bleed into the 2024 Congressional election cycle, as recent polls show its impact on voters.
— Calla O’Neil
With proposed and passed anti-LGBTQ legislation rapidly increasing, the 2024 election season marks a pivotal opportunity to boost diversity in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
— Calla O’Neil
Partisan gerrymandering across the country is quickly shifting the political landscape for 2024, with the current House of Representatives nearly evenly divided. However, partisan gerrymandering that survives court battles will leave a lasting legacy beyond that already enshrined by the 2022 election.
— Aamir Jamil
This article (part I) covers the court battles that will shape 2024. Ongoing litigation in Wisconsin and New York could add Democratic seats in the House of Representatives while cases in North Carolina and Ohio are expected to strengthen Republicans.
— Aamir Jamil
The Supreme Court ruled this year that Alabama’s congressional map diluted the political power of African Americans earlier this year in Allen v. Milligan, averting a disastrous gutting of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that would kill its last enforcement mechanisms. Southern states, which were forced to cede voting rights and political power to African Americans after the act’s implementation, still struggle to follow the law. After Milligan, a cascade of court cases are popping up throughout the South with important ramifications for 2024 House elections and African American voting power.
— Aamir Jamil
When Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva defeated right-wing populist incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 Brazilian presidential election, his victory was touted by many as a “return to normality” for Latin America’s most populous nation. But on a policy level, Lula’s government has proved uninterested in simply maintaining the status quo, instead embracing wholesale economic reforms and investments to fundamentally transform Brazil’s economy.
— Jiyon Chatterjee
African governments are turning to innovative solutions to create future opportunities for their young workers. Specifically, Kenya has embraced the idea of establishing “smart cities” as development panaceas: modernized urban centers that harness technology to foster economic efficiency, sustainability, and growth. However, these cities are encountering political obstacles.
— Jiyon Chatterjee
In a world of high-stakes international conferences, the recent G20 summit hosted in New Delhi on September 9th may seem siloed from the daily concerns of ordinary people. But beneath the diplomatic veneer, the summit symbolized a pivotal shift in global economics with profound implications for workers across borders, driven by the unlikely partnership of President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
— Jiyon Chatterjee
As President Biden’s approval rating continues to plummet, the 2024 Republican presidential primary continues to develop, with Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis emerging as the main opposition to former President Donald Trump. Biden’s unpopularity not only presents a prominent opportunity for these candidates but also raises some challenges.
— Patrick Emerson
In a GOP primary field dominated by former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faces a challenging path to secure the GOP nomination. Yet, DeSantis remains resolute, emphasizing that a significant portion of the electorate remains undecided and strategically positioning himself to sway these “on the fence” voters.
— Patrick Emerson
News of Harvard’s student-released letter focusing on the October 7 Hamas attacks has quickly circulated around the country. The anonymous publication has been heavily criticized by those inside and outside the school alike. While freedom of speech is a fundamental human right, Harvard could have done more to denounce the letter.
— Brian Kaye
It’s been over two months since the controversial removal of affirmative action, effectively shattering the objective of promoting diversity and inclusivity on college campuses around the country. Nevertheless, the elimination of affirmative action sets the stage for new systems encouraging diversity in student bodies to blossom — systems possibly even more effective in promoting a healthy and diverse campus community than affirmative action ever was.
— Brian Kaye