In the News

  1. January 28, 2022
    • Photo of Mary Gallagher

    The state of U.S. democracy and its “poor pandemic response” have emboldened China, says Mary Gallagher, professor of political science and director of the Center for Chinese Studies: “The multiple U.S. failures create momentum for renewed nationalism and confidence in China. This is made all the more effective by the Communist Party’s strict control over information, which can rain ‘positive energy’ down on what’s happening in China.”

    The Associated Press
  2. January 27, 2022
    • Joelle Abramowitz

    “And this idea in Michigan that we have this old law on the books that actually makes providing an abortion a felony, such that if Roe is overturned, that would go into effect … it’s changed my impression that this is more precarious than I might have thought before,” said Joelle Abramowitz, assistant research scientist at the Institute for Social Research, on the potential elimination of federal abortion rights.

    Detroit Free Press
  3. January 27, 2022
    • Joshua Hausman

    “The pandemic has done a lot of things that have contributed to inflation. One is that it has shifted demand from services to goods … more goods are being provided but it hasn’t been able to keep up, so we’re also seeing much higher prices,” said Joshua Hausman, associate professor of public policy. “The other is that the labor force has shrunk a lot from its pre-pandemic level.”

    CBS News
  4. January 27, 2022

    “The gains that we made in reducing class-based and racial inequality are being wiped away,” said Awilda Rodriguez, associate professor of education, on the “unprecedented” decline of students from low-income high schools who go on to higher education. But as universities and colleges struggle to fill seats, “we could be on the precipice of being pushed to thinking about how higher education could be more accessible, more equitable.” 

    The Washington Post
  5. January 26, 2022

    While children under 5 are less at risk for severe COVID-19, the Omicron variant is driving a surge in pediatric hospitalizations. Elizabeth Lloyd, assistant professor of pediatrics says it’s hard to tease out how many children were hospitalized for COVID-19: “But from my experience, we’re definitely seeing more kids who are sick and who are sometimes needing ICU-level care. This is something we’re hoping with this (children’s) vaccine could be preventable.”

    National Geographic
  6. January 26, 2022
    • Olga Yakusheva

    Nationwide lockdowns and other restrictions imposed during the first six months of the pandemic saved more lives than the number lost due to the impacts of the shutdown on the nation’s economy, says Olga Yakusheva, associate professor of nursing. “We evaluated the full packet of public health measures as it was implemented in the beginning of the pandemic, but lesser mitigation measures may have worked just as well to reduce lives lost,” she said.

    The Detroit News
  7. January 26, 2022
    • Elizabeth Popp Berman

    “Now, as in the 1970s, debate rages over what, if anything, should be done about levels of inflation. Economists don’t agree any more about how to respond now than they did back then,” wrote Elizabeth Popp Berman, associate professor of organizational studies and sociology. “That provides a potential opening for … people who want to advocate for a particular policy cause or idea — to push for changes that might or might not be independently good ideas, which are only relatively indirectly linked to inflation.”

    The Washington Post
  8. January 25, 2022
    • Picture of Sarah Elizabeth Patterson

    Seniors who need help with daily care and activities are more than twice as likely to get that help from their own biological children as opposed to their stepchildren, according to Sarah Patterson, research investigator at the Institute for Social Research: “We know that older adults today are much more likely to be in stepfamilies than they were in previous generations.”

    NewsNation
  9. January 25, 2022
    • Image of Will Thomas

    “Were you sloppy, lazy or overoptimistic about your prospects? If you were, that may be bad business, but it doesn’t necessarily rise to fraud,” said Will Thomas, assistant professor of business law, commenting on a potential lawsuit alleging fraud against former President Trump for regularly fudging the value of assets on financial statements given to banks, insurers and tax authorities.

    The Associated Press
  10. January 25, 2022
    • Image of Emily Somers

    “That negative PCR from a specimen that was taken three days before travel may not be any better than a rapid on the day of travel,” said Emily Somers, professor of environmental health sciences and rheumatology, on the requirement by some countries that travelers show proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19, rather than a rapid antigen test, before entering.

    CNN