News

Paul Collins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is quoted in a news article exploring the possibility of President Joe Biden looking to expand the Supreme Court following the Court’s refusal to hear arguments against Texas’ new abortion law

Paul Collins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is quoted in a news article exploring the possibility of President Joe Biden looking to expand the Supreme Court following the Court’s refusal to hear arguments against Texas’ new abortion law. “The Supreme Court's five most conservative justices handed progressives substantial ammunition in the battle to expand the Supreme Court. By refusing to halt the law from going into effect, the court effectively overruled Roe v. Wade in the state of Texas, at least temporarily," Collins said. “And they did it without giving the case full consideration, which will lead to calls not only for court expansion, but also for limiting the court's use of its shadow docket to make public policy.” Read more at Newsweek

Linda R. Tropp, PEP Director, was interviewed about how group differences in status impact cross-group relations

Linda R. Tropp, PEP Director, was interviewed about how group differences in status impact cross-group relations. Tropp explains, “On the one hand, we might feel threatened by group difference or uncomfortable engaging with people who are different. On the other hand, there’s the prospect for having positive experiences. Well, if you don’t have any opportunities for positive experiences, then all you have is the threat, the stereotypes, the suspicion, discomfort, unease.” Read more at Association for Psychological Science

Paul Collins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is quoted in a news article exploring the possibility of President Joe Biden looking to expand the Supreme Court following the Court’s refusal to hear arguments against Texas’ new abortion law

Paul Collins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is quoted in a news article exploring the possibility of President Joe Biden looking to expand the Supreme Court following the Court’s refusal to hear arguments against Texas’ new abortion law. “The Supreme Court's five most conservative justices handed progressives substantial ammunition in the battle to expand the Supreme Court. By refusing to halt the law from going into effect, the court effectively overruled Roe v. Wade in the state of Texas, at least temporarily," Collins said. “And they did it without giving the case full consideration, which will lead to calls not only for court expansion, but also for limiting the court's use of its shadow docket to make public policy.” Read more at Newsweek

M.V. Lee Badgett, PEP Steering Committee Member, is quoted in an article about the economic impact the COVID pandemic has had on the LGBTQ community

M.V. Lee Badgett, PEP Steering Committee Member, is quoted in an article about the economic impact the COVID pandemic has had on the LGBTQ community. “If we’re starting out on unequal footing, it’s just going to get worse with a pandemic. It’s going to reach into economically vulnerable populations and hit them harder, and groups with health disparities, like LGBTQ people, are also going to be hit worse,” says Badgett, author of the book “The Economic Case for LGBT Equality.” Read more at NBC News

Michael Rawlins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is interviewed regarding the recent United Nations climate change report and what it might mean for the northeast United States

Michael Rawlins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is interviewed regarding the recent United Nations climate change report and what it might mean for the northeast United States. Rawlins said that “what we can expect is a continuation of the warming that we’ve been seeing over recent decades.” Rawlins was also quoted in an article about the record amount of rain that Massachusetts received in July. Rawlins explained that “research has demonstrated a link between climate change and a large family of extreme recent weather events…extreme precipitation events are a hallmark of a warming climate.” Read more at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, MassLive

Linda R. Tropp, PEP Co-Director, is interviewed about how intergroup contact reduces prejudice

Linda R. Tropp, PEP Co-Director, is interviewed about how intergroup contact reduces prejudice. In a podcast about violence against LGBT community members in Mombasa, Kenya, Tropp explains that “contact is humanizing”. Tropp also commented that the training program that brought together religious leaders and LGBT community members is a good example of translating intergroup contact from theory to practice. Listen to more of the podcast at BBC News World Service.

Devon Greyson, 2021 PEP Fellow, wrote an opinion piece explaining how best to communicate the importance of wearing a mask

Devon Greyson, 2021 PEP Fellow, wrote an opinion piece explaining how parents and officials with schools, health organizations, and local governments can best communicate the need for everyone in primary and secondary schools – including both schoolchildren and faculty – to wear masks to prevent the continued spread of COVID-19. Greyson explains, "To reduce the risk of schools having to close due to community outbreaks and reduce the burden of enforcing a policy with loopholes and exceptions, it makes sense for all in a school community to wear masks at this time." Read more at MedPage Today.

Paul Collins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is quoted in an article about the Supreme Court’s 49% approval rating, which dropped from 58% last year

Paul Collins, 2015 PEP Fellow, is quoted in an article about the Supreme Court’s 49% approval rating, which dropped from 58% last year. Collins tied the drop in approval to a sharp decrease in support among Republicans. “This was the first term with the three Trump appointees on the Court and the expectations among Republicans were high that the Court would take a decidedly conservative turn,” Collins explained. “Though the Court did make some significant conservative rulings, the term was largely defined by moderation, which was disappointing to many Republicans.” Read more at Courthouse News Service

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