Historical Landscape

#WeWantMoreHistory A national day of action: Perspectives on History – Oct. 9

At a moment of intense protest against racial injustice, when history and historical monuments have emerged as key flashpoints in political and social debates, the four of us wanted to demonstrate that historians can offer clear, concise examples of good history. … Hilary N. Green is an associate professor in the Department of Gender and Race Studies at The University of Alabama; she tweets @HilaryGreen77.

Prison Plan

Gov. Ivey’s prison plan will burden my generation with decades of needless expenses: Al.com – Oct. 11

David Zell, from Birmingham, is a junior political science major at The University of Alabama. He is a University Fellow, a member of the Blackburn Institute, and an Alabama Debate Society coach. Governor Ivey, You’re one of my role models—not because I agree with you on every issue, but because I identify with your commitment to public service. I’m a junior at The University of Alabama studying political science. As a University Fellow and member of the University’s Blackburn Institute, I’ve spent the past two years learning all I can about the problems our state faces.

Dragonfly Evolution

Biology department receives grant to fund dragonfly evolution research: The Daily Universe – Oct. 12

The National Science Foundation gave a $2.3 million grant distributed across five institutions to study the evolutionary aspects of dragonflies. BYU and the American Museum of Natural History were given the largest share of the grant. The University of Florida, University of Alabama and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands were the other recipients of this grant.

Polarized Nation

Political leaders’ attitudes toward COVID-19 risk are highly infectious in a polarized nation – just like climate change denial: CHRON.com – Oct. 13

Wanyun Shao, University of Alabama… When President Donald Trump announced he was leaving the hospital after being treated for COVID-19, he sent his supporters a message: “Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life,” he tweeted. A few hours later at the White House, he pulled off his mask in dramatic fashion for the cameras and stuffed it in his pocket. That message on Oct. 5 and his subsequent words and actions – including telling supporters at a Florida campaign rally on Oct. 12, “if you want to get out there, get out there,” and that he and wanted to kiss everyone in the tightly packed audience – flew in the face of health professionals’ warnings.
Times Union
New Haven Register
Beaumont Enterprise
Idaho Press-Tribune
The Conversation
The National Interest
…and many more

Vice Presidential Debate

Vice President debate: Both candidates represented running mates well: WVUA – Oct. 13

The first and only vice presidential debate happened last week in Salt Lake City, Utah. Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris went head to head on many hot topics, such as the ongoing pandemic, the economy, the supreme court and foreign policy issues. University of Alabama Assistant Political Science Professor Allen Linken said both did a good job representing the presidential candidates.

Free Thinker Project

Meet the young, black conservatives who are stumping for Trump – despite the backlash: NewsWeek – Oct. 15

When Kanye West tweeted, “I love the way Candace Owens thinks” in 2018, he was maligned by much of the mainstream media. He also got a lot of young, politically minded Black men and women curious enough to delve into the controversy, and some liked what they discovered. …In July, The University of Alabama political science and pre-law student started his own nonprofit organization dubbed the Free Thinker Project, a 501(c)4 group that is allowed to be more partisan than the more typical 501(c)3. “Our goal is to put facts in front of people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ communities that Democrats have long used and abused,” he tells Newsweek.

Oldest Voters

Battle for the boomers: Spectator USA – Oct. 15

This year’s presidential election may see a new pattern that may prove disastrous for the GOP. Former vice president Joe Biden appears on track to win an impressive share of the oldest voters, without losing support among the young. … George Hawley is an associate professor of political science at The University of Alabama.