Episode 259: Countering the Spread of Misinformation
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
Release Date: 05/07/2024
Episode 288: Recognizing Defendants’ Disabilities
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
The criminal legal system often misunderstands—and mishandles—people with intellectual disabilities. Law professor Katie Kronick explains how and why these individuals so often fall through the cracks in a system built around efficiency and rigid rules. She breaks down the stakes with real examples, including a high-profile death penalty case now before the Supreme Court, and shares ideas for building a criminal justice system that recognizes and respects the needs of defendants with intellectual disabilities. For more on this topic: Read Kronick’s for the Supreme Court case...
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Episode 287: Why Local Elections Matter
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
This Election Day is the perfect moment to look beyond the national headlines and focus on what’s happening closer to home. As Americans head to the polls, Professor breaks down why state and local elections matter—from the mayors, town councils, and school boards shaping daily life to the policies that affect housing and public safety. He explains how voters make decisions with limited information in these races, the growing partisanship in local politics, and new initiatives aimed at reducing the influence of money in local elections. For more on this topic: Read Adams’s...
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Episode 286: The Past, Present, and Future of Reproductive Care
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
As access to abortion and contraception are curtailed across much of the U.S., Professor explains that today’s reproductive rights debates are part of a much longer story. Her research in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands show how race and power have always influenced who can get care and who cannot. She connects how earlier attempts to control women’s bodies still shape current laws and discussions, and she shares what history can teach us about defending reproductive freedom now. For more on this topic: Check out Murillo’s book, Read her perspective in the Washington Post: ...
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Episode 285: The Big Business of Immigration Detention
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
The number of people held in immigration detention centers in the U.S. has exploded in recent years, reaching record highs under multiple administrations. And thanks to the Republican-led budget bill that became law in July, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has seen a major influx of federal funding, further fueling the expansion of detentions. Professor explains how detention became a multi-billion-dollar industry, breaking down who profits, who pays, and how communities across the country, not just along the border, have become tied to detention economies. For more on...
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Episode 284: The New Reality of College Debt
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
Student loans are shaping the college experience more than ever. As tuition rises and financial aid rules keep changing, more students are taking on college debt. Professor explains what’s happening with student loans, Pell Grants, and repayment plans, and how these choices affect students long after graduation. She discusses the real impact of debt on college affordability, career decisions, and family life—and what solutions could make paying for college less stressful. For more on this topic Listen to Chan speak about proposed federal student aid regulations: Read...
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Episode 283: How Maps Decide Elections
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
Political maps decide who has a voice in government, and who doesn’t. And right now, big legal battles in Texas and California are putting redistricting in the spotlight. Professor breaks down the difference between redistricting and gerrymandering, why unfair maps weaken voters’ voices, and what today’s gerrymandering fights mean for the future of American democracy. For more on this topic: Check out the book Latner co-authored, Read his SSN brief: Read the op-ed he co-wrote in the New York Daily News:
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Episode 282: The Unequal Costs of Climate Change
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
In the U.S., 2025 began with devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, followed by hundreds of tornadoes across the central states, and has recently been marked by catastrophic flooding in Texas and across the South and Midwest. These escalating weather disasters aren’t isolated events—they’re part of a global pattern in which climate change is making disasters worse, with the most vulnerable communities often getting hit hardest. Professor explains how the history of colonialism and ongoing inequalities shape who suffers most from climate disasters, both in the U.S. and around the world....
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Episode 281: When the Safety Net Shrinks
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
On July 4, President Trump signed a sweeping new law that makes major changes to the social safety net—with serious consequences for families and children. Child and family policy expert Professor breaks down the Republican-backed legislation, which slashes Medicaid, SNAP, and other key supports that millions of families rely on. She examines how the law shifts resources away from low-income and younger Americans—especially children—and toward wealthier, older households. Morrissey discusses how these changes could make inequality worse and what it would actually mean to put kids at the...
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Episode 280: Is the Drop in Gun Violence at Risk?
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
Gun violence is down, but you wouldn’t know it from the headlines. This progress didn’t happen by accident—it’s at least partially the result of smart, targeted strategies that address the root causes of violence. Professor explains what’s working, drawing lessons from Camden’s dramatic shift from “murder capital” to record-low homicide rates, and what we stand to lose as federal support for violence prevention is being rolled back. For more on this topic: Read Semenza’s op-ed in Check out a research paper he co-authored:
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Episode 279: Clearing Up Vaccine Confusion
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
When Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the entire federal vaccine advisory committee and installed new members, it raised alarms across the public health world. At the same time, measles is making a comeback as more Americans are hesitant about getting vaccines. Professor explains how we got here and what it will take to rebuild public trust. Drawing on her work in community-based health outreach, she shares why clear, consistent communication is critical for vaccine education and how local leaders and trusted messengers can help cut through the noise. For...
info_outlineMisinformation seems to be everywhere. From falsehoods about the coronavirus to lies being spread by political leaders and their followers, in recent years it feels like it’s getting harder and harder to discern fact from fiction. And with social media and AI permeating our lives, new technologies only seem to be making the situation worse. Professor Ray Block dives into the world of misinformation, sharing lessons from his new position as the Michael D. Rich Distinguished Chair for Countering Truth Decay at the RAND Corporation about what’s behind the problem and what can be done to address it.
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Listen to this Call with the Experts podcast episode from the RAND Corporation, featuring Professor Ray Block.
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Check out this RAND Corporation Q&A on the end of Covid-19 public health emergency.