Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it’s widely accepted that without a vaccine, life cannot go back to normal. But as it turns out, not everyone is on board. Over the last several years, an anti-vaccine movement has gained steam in the United States, with more and more people deciding to skip vaccines for themselves and their children. In this archive episode, Dr. Matthew Woodruff dives into the science and history behind vaccines and how we can better educate people on their value.

The scene is so common it’s almost cliche: two beautiful young people meet at a rowdy college party and drunkenly fall into bed together. American pop culture is fascinated by college hookups, but is casual sex really as widespread as it seems? Professor Lisa Wade breaks down who participates in hookup culture, what they get out of it, and as more students speak up about the problem of on-campus sexual assault, what role universities have to play in shaping their sexual cultures.

In any sense of the word, the COVID-19 crisis can be considered a disaster. But of course, the current crisis is also dramatically different from previous disasters, like hurricanes or wildfires. Professor Susan Sterett dives into how COVID-19 follows the same patterns of previous disasters and how it diverges, what we can learn from previous disasters to inform our current efforts, and how we can prepare for a future where the coronavirus will inevitably collide with other disasters.

Every Thursday, a tragic new number is released: the latest unemployment claims. Tens of millions of Americans have already filed for unemployment, and that number is likely to keep going up. Professor Anna Gassman-Pines lays out who is most affected by the dramatic economic downturn we’re seeing, what job losses mean for children, families, and entire communities, and how policymakers can help buffer against some of the worst effects of this economic crisis.

With the COVID-19 crisis spreading rapidly across the US, much attention has been paid to the hospitals on the front lines of this pandemic. But there is another set of healthcare providers that also has a crucial role to play: community health centers. Professor Peter Shin unpacks what exactly community health centers are, why they were established and who they serve, what role they have to play in the COVID-19 pandemic, and how policymakers can ensure their survival during this unprecedented time.

Today, the U.S. has more reported coronavirus cases than any other nation on earth - a fact that may in part be due to a series of massive public policy mistakes. In the U.S., the federal response has been chaotic, to say the least. And here's one reason: President Trump and House Speaker Pelosi don’t talk to each other. The intense anger and distrust between political parties could literally be costing our nation lives. Lee Drutman explains how we got into this mess and how we can get out of it.

As policymakers on Capitol Hill work to expand America’s safety net in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, where can we look for guidance on what more needs to be done? Perhaps another deadly virus, HIV, where a separate and robust safety net has been established. Professor Celeste Watkins-Hayes explains what the HIV/AIDS safety net looks like, what we can learn from this previous effort to combat a deadly virus, and how the inequalities of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are playing out with coronavirus.

With governments rushing to put in place policies and guidelines to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, it’s important to look to the past to inform the present. Just 5 years ago, the world was concerned with a completely different outbreak: ebola. Professor Lily Tsai and Dr. Ben Morse examine how governments responded to the spread of the disease, what the role of trust is in ensuring that people comply with recommendations, and how leaders can build trust and buy-in both during and before a crisi

Around the United States, schools are shutting down due to coronavirus. For some Americans, this means learning to work with children underfoot. But others are facing a far more serious crisis: with school cafeterias closed and employment increasingly precarious, how will they put food on the table? Professor Daphne Hernandez lays out the problem of food insecurity in America, how coronavirus is affecting the situation, and what policymakers can do to help families in need -- now and in the future.

When you look around the world, when it comes to resources and opportunities, there are massive imbalances between countries and even inside countries. In the name of making the world a better place, people and institutions with great wealth often donate some of their money around the world through philanthropy. Rakesh Rajani shares stories and lessons learned from years of work in global philanthropy and outlines what changes are needed to make this work more effective and meaningful.

With the 2020 primary in full swing, college campuses are full of conversations about politics, policy, and the future of American democracy. But many of these college students don’t turn out when it actually matters, on Election Day. In this archive episode, Dr. Nancy Thomas explores what gets students to vote and how college administrators, faculty members, and students can improve voting rates on their campuses. This episode originally aired on October 11, 2018.

Social media has permeated countless aspects of our daily lives. But perhaps no platform has influenced the media like Twitter, shaping not only what many journalists cover, but also how they cover it. Professor Shannon McGregor dives into the role of Twitter in today’s media environment, why the platform is an imperfect measure of public opinion, and how social media can become a better tool for journalists working with limited resources at their disposal.

Over the last couple of years, states have passed restrictive laws in an effort to reduce access to abortion. And this year, the Supreme Court is deciding on new cases that could validate some of the harshest laws. But at the forefront of this fight over abortion access are providers few know about: independent abortion clinics. PhD candidate Amy Alterman explains what exactly these independent clinics are, how they are affected by anti-abortion stigma, and how comedians are lifting up their work.

In 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the first African American president in this country’s history. But soon after, a movement that became known as the Tea Party took shape on the right in opposition to him and his policies. Fast forward 8 years and a very familiar story seemed to play out, this time on the left. It became known as The Resistance. PhD candidate Leah Gose explains what similarities and differences exist between these two groups and what we can learn by looking at the two of them together

Over the last few decades, minority enrollment at America’s colleges has increased exponentially. These institutions, many predominantly white, like to tout enrollment rates as evidence of their commitment to racial diversity. But do these numbers tell the whole story? Professor Bedelia Richards details how black students still frequently experience discrimination on campus, what this means for their education and wellbeing, and how universities can make change to help create more inclusive campuses.