Eric S. Einhorn, professor emeritus of political science, comments in an article about President Donald Trump’s desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Maria T. Puppolo, legal studies, has written a viewpoint piece about Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murder in the Dec. 4 killing of a health insurance CEO.
Paul M. Collins Jr., professor of legal studies and political science, is quoted in an article about President Donald Trump’s actions during the early days of his second term, including an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. “The idea that a president is authorized to unilaterally reinterpret an amendment [to the U.S. Constitution] is a crazy legal theory,” Collins says. “I think the courts will ultimately reject it, but I would not be surprised if some of Trump’s first-term justices support it.”
Paul M. Collins Jr., professor of legal studies and political science, has written an article about President Joe Biden’s “complicated legacy on the federal courts.” Collins writes, “I believe Biden’s judicial impact is most notable in three regards: his role in the 1991 confirmation of Clarence Thomas, his historic efforts during his presidency to diversify the federal bench, and his 2024 decision to veto legislation expanding the number of federal district court judgeships.”
Charli Carpenter, professor of political science, writes that international rules-based order is less dependent on the United States than critics of President Joe Biden believe.
(World Politics Review, 1/14/25)
Alexander Theodoridis, Political Science and Co-Director of the UMass Amherst Poll, is interviewed on a Kettering Foundation podcast about political violence: “Even though we don’t see violence run rampant, people are changing their behavior, from ...deciding whether to run for secretary of state to getting involved at any level of the political process.”
In this episode of The Stakes, host Brad Rourke speaks with Alan Jenkins, Harvard Law professor of practice and cocreator of the graphic novel series 1/6, and Alex Theodoridis, political scientist and UMass Poll co-director. Together, they explore:
How January 6 and rising political violence reshape democracy;
The chilling normalization of attacks on minorities, including immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities;
Dehumanizing rhetoric as a tool of authoritarianism; and
Lessons from history on resisting violence and safeguarding democratic norms.
Adrian Grace, Director of Undergraduate Advising for political science and legal studies, has been selected for the 2025 Provost Awards, which recognize staff members who demonstrate exceptional performance in their work and service. Grace will be presented with the award at a campus event hosted by the provost in February.
Regine Spector, political science, and Irina Costache, political science and journalism alumna, have coauthored a case study in Energy Research & Social Science describing a highly contested biomass power plant proposed for Springfield, MA. The paper has open access through Jan. 5.
Spector and Costache were interviewed about the research on The Enviro Show, a radio show and podcast.