Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: Federal
Will Work For Food: Labor Across the Food Chain
Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, associate professor of geography and the environment, has co-written a new book, Will Work For Food: Labor Across the Food Chain (University of California Press, 2025). Minkoff-Zern and co-author Teresa Mares explore the often-overlooked role of labor in the food system, highlighting the exploitation faced by frontline workers from farms to restaurants.
See related: Agriculture, Federal, Labor, Rural Issues, United States
Pralle Featured in Associated Press, NY Times Articles on FEMA Flood Map Exemptions for Camp Mystic
“It’s a mystery to me why they [Camp Mystic] weren’t taking proactive steps to move structures away from the risk, let alone challenging what seems like a very reasonable map that shows these structures were in the 100-year flood zone,” says Sarah Pralle, associate professor of political science.
See related: Federal, Flood Insurance, Natural Disasters, United States
Monarch Discusses the Dollar and Interest Rates With Newsweek
“Recent policies such as extremely high tariffs, increased government debt, and worries about inflation have all contributed to the falling dollar,” says Ryan Monarch, associate professor of economics.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Labor, Tariffs, United States
Taylor Talks to AP About CIA Report Criticizing Investigation of Russia’s Support for Trump in 2016
“This report doesn’t change any of the underlying evidence—in fact it doesn’t even address any of that evidence,” says Brian Taylor, director the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs. Taylor suggests the report may have been intended to reinforce Trump’s claims that investigations into his ties to Russia are part of a Democratic hoax.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Political Parties, Russia, U.S. Elections, United States
Cohen Weighs In on US Tariffs on Secondhand Items in WIRED Article
Professor of History Andrew Wender Cohen says a reasonable approach would be to maintain tariffs on used items but at lower rates that would be commensurate with the risk posed to domestic manufacturing.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Tariffs, United States
Yingyi Ma Talks to South China Morning Post About Trump’s Crackdown on International Students
“Chinese students, for many, many years have been full-pay students, if not more,” says Yingyi Ma, professor of sociology. “Some places charge additional fees for international students…and so the tuition is provide a very important buffer for American universities. Many of them are really cash-strapped, especially the state universities.”
See related: East Asia, Federal, International Affairs, U.S. Education, United States
Taylor Speaks With Forbes About Quinnipiac Poll Ratings on Trump’s Handling of Russia-Ukraine War
“Among the issues Quinnipiac asked about—immigration, trade, the economy, Israel-Gaza and universities—Trump’s numbers are the worst on Russia-Ukraine, and they also are the worst among Republicans,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Russia, U.S. National Security, Ukraine
Banks Speaks With AFP, The Conversation, KJZZ, SF Chronicle About Trump’s Deployment of Troops in LA
William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs, says federally deployed National Guard don’t have the same authority as troops deployed by a state—for example, the troops in LA are officially charged with protecting federal personnel and property, but can’t enforce the law themselves or make arrests. It’s a rarely-used executive authority because it’s not typically within their role or training, he says.natio
See related: Conflict, Federal, U.S. National Security, United States
Wagner Weighs In on Defense Sec. Hegseth’s Order to Rename the USNS Harvey Milk in Newsweek Article
“It's disappointing, but no surprise given his inexperience, that Secretary of Defense Hegseth remains singularly obsessed with issues surrounding race, sexual orientation, and gender identity. When I served in the Pentagon, our entire team was focused on the competition from, and power projection capabilities of, China,” says Alex Wagner, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Defense & Security, Federal, Sexual Identity, United States
Yingyi Ma Weighs In on Trump Admin’s Move to Revoke Chinese Students’ Visas in NPR, WSJ Articles
“The economic costs are apparent,” says Yingyi Ma, professor of sociology. “The talent cost has even graver consequences.”
See related: China, Federal, International Affairs, U.S. Education, United States