In the News
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June 17, 2020
Calls to defund the police are less “a dollars and cents issue” and more an issue of “social control and regulation.” That’s why the majority of those calling to defund the police aren’t actually asking to disband all law enforcement, said Alford Young, professor of sociology, Afroamerican and African studies, and public policy: “I think for a lot of people, there’s a feeling that the police department, functioning effectively, can contribute to the public good.”
Bridge Magazine -
June 17, 2020
While experts scramble to find a reason — such as reopening or protests — for coronavirus spikes in several western and southern states, Arnold Monto, professor of epidemiology, says the explanation is rarely so simple: “It’s usually people doing risky things they shouldn’t be doing, and those states (seeing an uptick), I don’t think they have been as scared as we have been by what we experienced a couple months ago.”
WWJ Radio -
June 17, 2020
“Scholars have spent a lot of time documenting the racial discrimination blacks experience. … But there is very little attention to all the good things about being black,” said Karyn Lacy, associate professor of sociology and Afroamerican and African studies. “We’re left with the impression that black people wake up every morning thinking, ‘Ugh, I’ve got to be black today, and it’s going to be awful.’”
FiveThirtyEight -
June 17, 2020
Kiyoteru Tsutsui, professor of sociology and director of the Center for Japanese Studies and Donia Human Rights Center, says Black Lives Matter protests in Japan are an interesting phenomenon, particularly since Japanese see police more as “caring guardians,” which in turn makes it easier for the Japanese public to feel offended about police brutality in the United States.
The Diplomat -
June 17, 2020
Michael Esposito, research fellow at the Institute for Social Research, said black men are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white men, and police killings make up about 9 percent of all adult male homicides in the United States — an exceptionally high rate compared to other countries: “That comparison means we can do something to prevent this entirely. I think people are taking that a little bit more seriously now.”
Michigan Radio -
June 10, 2020
Much like trampling on blades of grass, prolonged exposure to noise can wear down hair cells in the inner ear that transform vibrations into signals the brain interprets as sound, says Richard Neitzel, associate professor of global public health and environmental health sciences. “If you walk across a lawn once a year, those grass blades are going to spring back up. If you’ve got a troop of soldiers marching back and forth across this lawn constantly, you’re going to end up damaging those blades of grass such that they don’t recover.”
National Geographic -
June 10, 2020
Vincent Hutchings, professor of political science and research professor in the Center for Political Studies, says there’s no evidence that mail-in voting has the potential to result in increased fraud: “Voter fraud, in general, is relatively rare in the United States, whether we’re talking about via mail or other sources. There are isolated incidents here or there, but they are infinitesimal in their magnitude. That is what study after study after study has shown.”
MLive -
June 10, 2020
“By suspending entry of certain students and researchers from the People’s Republic of China, the White House is stifling a flow of STEM talent that is critical to the success of American universities, as well as to companies like Amazon, Apple, Ford and IBM,” wrote Brian Denton, professor and chair of industrial and operations engineering.
The Hill -
June 10, 2020
“To the extent that we can absolutely, unequivocally point to the disproportionate use of violence and fatal force that police use for black people and our native brothers and sisters as well, it is a public health hazard on many levels,” said Riana Anderson, assistant professor of health behavior and health education, who believes public health professionals must advocate for defunding or at least deconstructing the current police system.
The Associated Press -
June 10, 2020
“The best way to prevent looting is to provide individuals with a living wage, provide for their basic needs, treat them with human dignity, and facilitate a life that is about thriving,” said Christian Davenport, professor of political science and public policy, faculty associate at the Institute for Social Research and director of the Conflict and Peace Initiative.
The Atlantic
