In the News
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October 5, 2020
“When this was all about the video and the visceral response to seeing someone’s life get squeezed out of them, that’s fine. But from the moment that topic is raised to awareness, the clock starts ticking with regards to, ‘How quickly can we resolve this so I can get back to my normal life?’” said Christian Davenport, professor of political science, on what he calls “compassion fatigue” — the waning public support among white Americans for social justice movements, like the one sparked by George Floyd’s death.
The Associated Press -
October 5, 2020
Talking to kids about politics “can help facilitate their sense of responsibility to other people in their community. You’re planting seeds that will bear fruit later in terms of their understanding of themselves as civic and political actors who have agency,” says Deborah Rivas-Drake, professor of education and psychology. And teaching them to question information helps develop media-savvy critical thinkers, says Enid Rosario-Ramos, assistant professor of education: “Practice asking things like: ‘Who said or wrote that (and why)?’ ‘Whose views are represented (or missing)?’ ‘Is there a different way of thinking about it?’”
National Geographic -
October 2, 2020
“It’s a quirk of the tax code. Congress passes these complex tax laws that deliberately favor certain kinds of investments by giving you deductions and tax credits that allow you to pay no taxes. And, you know, Trump does real estate. And for generations, wealthy people have gone into real estate in order to pay low or no taxes,” said Erik Gordon, clinical professor of business, on how President Trump has been able to pay little to no taxes for many years.
Marketplace -
October 2, 2020
“President Trump needed to move moderate and suburban voters into his column by promoting optimism and a forward-looking agenda for the second term. Instead, there was a lot of doom and gloom about crime and racial tensions in the country,” said Aaron Kall, U-M director of debate, commenting on Trump’s recent debate performance.
The Hill -
October 2, 2020
As the new school year ramps up and the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, low-income families are having to make tough financial decisions. “I think a lot of us are concerned about what the fall and winter might bring,” said Matthew Diemer, professor of education, who believes social support at the state and local level have helped. But families need long-term solutions, said William Elliott, professor of social work: “It’s not enough simply to have income to live day to day. They also need specific policies that help them build assets in their homes, help them to invest in the stock market.”
Detroit Free Press -
October 1, 2020
“I could imagine him teaching … as he has a lot of interesting perspectives to share. He could do that at a university level or teach at a high school, which is where you can really get people while they’re still at a very formative age and figuring out their political identities,” said Christian Fong, assistant professor of political science, on the future plans of U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, the ex-Republican-turned-Libertarian who will not seek re-election.
USA Today -
October 1, 2020
“It’s not just a number. It’s human beings. It’s people we love. It’s our brothers, our sisters. It’s people we know. And if you don’t have that human factor right in your face, it’s very easy to make it abstract,” said Howard Markel, professor and director of the Center for the History of Medicine, on the worldwide coronavirus death toll, which has now eclipsed 1 million officially but is probably much higher.
The Washington Post -
October 1, 2020
“Sometimes I feel like you internalize that there’s just not that many of us, we’re not that visible. It’s hard to explain what it means to know I’m not the only one out here in the world,” said Ariangela Kozik, research fellow in internal medicine, on the scarcity of African American microbiologists. She, along with Chelsey Spriggs, research fellow in cell and developmental biology, organized Black in Microbiology Week, the latest in a series of virtual events highlighting Black scientists in a variety of disciplines.
The New York Times -
September 30, 2020
“Although the election is not technically until November 3, election season is already well under way—most significantly in the dozens of election-litigation cases that are determining how people can vote, whether they can vote, and whether their votes will be counted. … While election law and voting rights might seem to have become nakedly partisan, only one side is actually favoring democracy,” wrote Leah Litman, assistant professor of law.
The Atlantic -
September 30, 2020
“This operation is not a magic pill. It’s a tool to be used in combination with a proper diet and physical activity. Prior to surgery, patients should be taught how to eat, and after surgery they need to learn how much they can eat before feeling sick. Most people can tolerate any food in small amounts, but they may never be able to eat a full Thanksgiving dinner again,” said Anne Ehlers, assistant professor of surgery, noting that only one-half of 1 percent of people eligible for bariatric surgery currently undergo it.
The New York Times
