Maxwell School News and Commentary

According to Mary Lovely, professor of economics, most of the tariffs that have been imposed have hit U.S. companies, not the Chinese.

Professor Emeritus of Political Science Michael Barkun weighs in on the mystery of "Q" and the history of conspiracy theories in America in the Washington Post. "These ideas never completely die,” says Barkun, who studies conspiracy theories and political extremism. “They get recycled every generation, and in America, some of the most powerful conspiracy ideas deal with an enemy inside the government who is really pulling the strings but cannot be identified.”

“We all want stories that make sense of the world,” Barkun says. “When we can’t find them, we look around in strange places."

Mary Lovely, professor of economics, explains why lower-income consumers, who tend to buy more goods from countries such as China, might end up feeling squeezed more than their higher-income counterparts.

"What happens Friday will 'represent a fundamental retreat by the leader of the global trading system'," says Mary Lovely, professor of economics, adding, "It will be seen as a turning point."

"We’ve never seen anything like this," Mary Lovely told the Associated Press. Lovely recently spoke with multiple news outlets about the trade war between the U.S. and China.  

"Beijing is taking on a broader financial role. Here’s why that matters," writes Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science, in a column for the Washington Post.

These new tariffs will “almost surely not” cause a recession, says Mary Lovely, professor of economics. “This industry is important but it’s not that important. Costs will rise. We’ll see some job dislocation…but we will not see a recession,” she adds.

"One hope of AGOA [African Growth and Opportunity Act] was labor intensive manufacturing would move into” some of Africa's poorest countries, said Mary Lovely, professor of economics. The comment followed President Trump's announcement of Rwanda's participation in the program.

David Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School, says Trump’s opposition to Gateway is mystifying and potentially discourages investors in the sort of public-private projects his administration is advocating. 

"The Rothschilds, who combined Jewishness, banking and international ties, presented an attractive target” for conspiracy theorists, says Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science.