Maxwell School News and Commentary

"Economic decline is certainly an important factor, but our drug, alcohol and suicide problem is also related to social decline," says Shannon Monnat, associate professor of sociology and Lerner Chair for Public Health Promotion. "We live in an era of individualism, disinvestment in social safety nets, declines in social cohesion, and increased loneliness." 

"With recent investments in higher education (mis)directed toward increasing the marginal comforts of the most comfortable students, we have an opportunity to advocate instead for a rejection of such investments, sacrificing luxuries for the sake of needier students," says Sarah Hamersma, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.

If the decision by Dick's to increase gun control measures "can help move us in the direction of recognizing that there is a problem with the current system and that we've got to start getting serious about addressing it, then that's a positive, whatever the motivation Dick's may have," says Dana Radcliffe, adjunct professor of public administration and international affairs.

"If...Dana Balter is hammering away at the idea that the 24th could play a role in flipping the House of Representatives, it may be harder for him [incumbent John Katko]," says Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. "But he comes in with a lot of advantages, particularly if we look back at past elections."

"We won’t really know the effect of the tax plan for several years when we have data that we can try to measure the effect of the tax plan separate from other factors going on in the economy at the same time," says Len Burman, Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics.

"If the facts are read, the FBI was balanced in making its request to the FISA court, as they always have been," says Professor Emeritus William C. Banks.

"If there is predatory dumping (along with injury to indigenous firms and local labour), there needs to be an anti-dumping tax (equal to the calculated dumping margin), which is similar to anti-dumping duties on internationally traded goods," says Devashish Mitra, Gerald B. and Daphna Cramer Professor of Global Affairs.