A new study by researchers from MIT and Harvard finds a geographic divide between liberals and conservatives in China, reports Michael Forsythe for The New York Times. “China may even be divided, much like the United States, into ‘red’ conservative provinces mostly in the poorer rural interior and richer, urbanized ‘blue’ coastal provinces,” writes Forsythe.
Prof. Richard Nielsen writes for The Washington Post about his view that the Islamic State does not believe in state sovereignty, and the difficulties this view poses for working with the group. Nielsen writes that the group’s existence, “poses a fundamental challenge to international order, not only to the people under its rule.”
Patrick J. Egan writes for The Washington Post about the racial diversity of police forces. In examining how politics may influence the makeup of a police force, Egan highlights a study co-authored by Prof. Chris Warshaw that found that municipal governments tend to adapt to voters’ views.
Professor Jim Walsh discusses the U.S. hostage policy with Jeremy Hobson of WBUR’s Here and Now following the failed rescue attempt of American hostage Luke Somers in Yemen. “[T]he number of kidnappings has jumped dramatically,” says Walsh. “A lot of this is fundraising on the part of local terrorist groups.”
Washington Post reporter Philip Bump writes about the average voter waiting time in states across the U.S., citing Professor Charles Stewart’s work examining voting lines. Stewart and his colleagues found that in 2012 Florida voters had to wait on average 45 minutes, Bump reports.
Salon reporter Allegra Kirkland reports on a study co-authored by MIT Professor Chris Warshaw that examined the political leanings of cities across America. The researchers found that “ideology has tangible effects on policy at the municipal level,” Kirkland writes.
Slate reporter Joshua Keating writes about a new paper, co-authored by Prof. Richard Nielsen, which examines why governments ratify human rights agreements. The authors found that “governments sometimes see ratification as a small concession to their domestic political opponents.”
Executive Director at the MIT Center for International Studies John Tirman writes for WBUR about President Obama’s plan for combating ISIS. Tirman argues that without a coherent diplomatic strategy, the President’s plan is unlikely to succeed.
MIT PhD Student Tom O’Grady writes for The Washington Post about the upcoming vote on independence in Scotland. O’Grady argues Scotland’s case is unique in that nationalists and progressives are united in their support for leaving the UK.
Professor M. Taylor Fravel speaks with Edward Wong of The New York Times about the controversial new maps released by the Chinese military that display disputed regions with India as Chinese. Fravel argues the maps “get undue attention, as they almost always reaffirm existing claims rather than depict new ones.”
In a piece for The Financial Times about the Eurozone economies, John Plender writes about Professor Barry Posen’s argument in his new book “Restraint: A New Foundation for U.S. Grand Strategy” for cutting U.S. defense spending.
In a piece for The Boston Globe, Kevin Lewis writes about how political scientists from MIT and the University of California, Berkeley found that, contrary to popular belief, Senator Joseph McCarthy did not influence the outcomes of the 1950 and 1952 Senate elections.
In a segment about America’s renewed involvement in Iraq on NPR’s On Point, Professor Barry Posen speaks about his new book “Restraint: A New Foundation for U.S. Grand Strategy.” Posen argues that the United States should rethink its foreign policy and exercise a more conservative military approach in Iraq.
In a piece for Forbes about U.S. foreign policy, Stephen Harner highlights Professor Barry Posen’s new book “Restraint: A New Foundation for U.S. Grand Strategy.” Harner outlines Posen’s argument that current U.S. policy should be replaced with a more restrained military approach.
Forbes reporter Naomi Shavin writes about the new MIT study that found that municipal governments accurately represent their residents’ political beliefs. The study also showed that “the most conservative cities are skewed toward being more liberal than one might expect,” Shavin writes.