Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

The Scholars Strategy Network
  • 4.7 (208)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

No Jargon, the Scholars Strategy Network’s monthly podcast, presents interviews with top university scholars on the politics, policy problems, and social issues facing the nation. Powerful research, intriguing perspectives -- and no jargon. Find show notes and plain-language research briefs on hundreds of topics at www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/nojargon. New episodes released once a month.

  1. Dissecting the 2024 Presidential Election

    NOV 13

    Dissecting the 2024 Presidential Election

    The re-election of President Donald J. Trump is certain to be scrutinized for years to come, but for many voters, the immediate aftermath brings emotions that are complex and deeply felt. In a candid conversation, Dr. Christina Greer, a political science professor at Fordham University, shares her reflections on the 2024 presidential election as an expert on American politics, Black ethnic politics, and campaigns and elections. Dr. Greer discusses the deep-seated forces—such as white supremacy and patriarchy—that cut across racial and gender lines to shape how people vote, and dives into what the next four years might hold for the U.S. For more on this topic: Listen to Greer speak about political matters on the In The Thick podcast.  Read her new book, How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams.

    36 min
  2. Threats, Opportunities, and the Future of U.S. Elections

    OCT 1

    Threats, Opportunities, and the Future of U.S. Elections

    With the 2024 presidential election just around the corner, Professor Paul Gronke joins us for a conversation about the U.S. voting system. He shares insights into the challenges of election security, the increasing harassment faced by officials on the front lines, and how the "Stop the Steal" movement has shaken public trust. Can the current voting system handle threats to the election? And what reforms are needed to rebuild trust in our elections? Professor Gronke dives into these complexities and discusses what’s at stake for democracy in 2024. For more on this topic: Visit the Elections & Voting Information Center for nonpartisan research on election administration. Check out Gronke’s opinion piece about the benefits of ranked choice voting in The Oregonian.

    36 min
  3. How SSN Transforms Academic Research into Policy Action

    SEP 3

    How SSN Transforms Academic Research into Policy Action

    For this special guest episode of No Jargon, we’re diving into how the Scholars Strategy Network helps scholars turn research into impactful policy. SSN executive director Pao Maynard-Moll spoke with Robert Perkinson, an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Hawaii Manoa and co-leader of the Hawaii SSN chapter, for his Better Tomorrow Speaker Series podcast at the university. They explore how SSN connects academics with policymakers and communities, using real examples from Alabama and Maine to show the power of research in driving change.  For more on this topic: Listen to the Better Tomorrow Speaker Series podcast episodes. Read SSN’s Annual Report for the 2023-24 academic year.

    36 min

  4. AUG 6

    America’s Student Attendance Problem

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, students and parents faced a lot of disruptions in their education experience, but student attendance has been a longstanding issue, especially in some urban areas. Factors like poverty, housing instability, and transportation issues contribute to high absenteeism rates. Professor Sarah Winchell Lenhoff discusses some of the reasons why some students miss so much school, the ways in which the pandemic has intensified these challenges, and shares some innovative strategies that are being implemented to address them. For more on this topic: Read Lenhoff’s SSN memo: Attendance Incentives  Read her policy report, co-written by Jeremy Singer, Walter Cook, and Ben Pogodzinski: Detroit’s Uniquely Challenging Context for Student Attendance

    35 min

  5. JUL 10

    Disaster Management in the Era of Climate Change

    The first major storm of the 2024 season, Hurricane Beryl, made history by breaking multiple records and causing widespread devastation along its path. Many of these records were previously set in 2005, a year infamous for storms like Hurricane Katrina, which severely impacted New Orleans. Professor Elizabeth Fussell, a resident of the city at the time, was compelled to study the impact of Katrina. Drawing on this research, she shares insights on how extreme weather events impact communities and what we can learn from this storm, and others like it, to improve our responses as climate change makes these disasters more common and powerful.   For more on this topic: Read Fussell’s SSN policy brief: Time Does Not Heal All Wounds: Psychological Problems for Poor Mothers Five Years After Hurricane Katrina Check out her opinion piece on the connection between climate change and population growth in the Los Angeles Times

    28 min

  6. JUN 10

    Exposing America’s Mental Health Care Inequities

    The dual challenges of mental illness and lack of affordable housing are pressing issues in this election year. In March, California voters narrowly approved Proposition 1, which allocates $6.4 billion to construct new housing and treatment facilities for people with mental illness statewide. But will this measure truly benefit this vulnerable population? Professor Neil Gong delves into the history of mental health treatment in the U.S. and how it has shaped our current system and policy conversations. He tells stories of people he met through his research to highlight the stark differences between mental health care available to the wealthy and the poor, and explores potential policy changes to address the intertwined challenges of homelessness and mental health.  For more of Neil Gong’s work: Read his recent book, Sons, Daughters, and Sidewalk Psychotics: Mental Illness and Homelessness in Los Angeles Check out his opinion piece on Proposition 1 in the Los Angeles Times  Read his analysis on the Housing First strategy in The American Prospect

    36 min

  7. MAY 7

    Episode 259: Countering the Spread of Misinformation

    Misinformation 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. For more on this topic: Listen to this Call with the Experts podcast episode from the RAND Corporation, featuring Professor Ray Block. Check out this RAND Corporation Q&A on the end of Covid-19 public health emergency.

    29 min

  8. APR 3

    Episode 258: The Past and Future of Big Tech

    In March, the Justice Department filed a major antitrust complaint against Apple accusing the tech giant of maintaining a monopoly over the smartphone market. This is just the latest action the government has taken against Big Tech in recent years, marking a clear shift from the cozy relationship the industry long had with Washington. What’s behind the love/hate relationship between Big Tech and our government? And what can Silicon Valley’s past reveal about the way this might all play out going forward? In this archive episode, originally recorded in September 2021, Professor Margaret O’mara digs into the history of Silicon Valley – from its early beginnings to the days of the internet boom – to explain the Valley’s ever-present intersection with US politics and make sense of the recent shift. For more of Margaret O’Mara’s work: Read her most recent book The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. Check out her prior book, Cities of Knowledge: Cold War Science and the Search for the Next Silicon Valley Find her prior opinion pieces about the tech industry in The New York Times

    42 min
See All (282)

4.7
out of 5
208 Ratings

About

No Jargon, the Scholars Strategy Network’s monthly podcast, presents interviews with top university scholars on the politics, policy problems, and social issues facing the nation. Powerful research, intriguing perspectives -- and no jargon. Find show notes and plain-language research briefs on hundreds of topics at www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/nojargon. New episodes released once a month.

Information

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada