Research | University Categories | CAS in the Media

^{CAS in the Media} _{Arts and Sciences Media Headlines}

Trump Has Spent a Fraction of What Clinton Has on Ads

October 21, 2016 adriana

Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump are in the final sprint of spending on television advertising, which has been vastly lower than in previous elections.

This election year has been an interesting anomaly. Outside groups have spent far less on the presidential election this year than they did in 2012. Travis Ridout, a professor of government at Washington State University and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, noted that swing states were blanketed in ads four years ago.

“The groups that were investing the millions upon millions in ads in highly saturated media markets just weren’t happy with the returns they were getting,” he said.

Find out more

The New York Times

Team names under fire

October 17, 2016 adriana

The Cleveland Indians is just one of many sports teams with controversial names.

Richard King, WSU professor of critical culture, gender, and race studies, commented on the issue, which is a focus of his ongoing research. “It’s something that most people haven’t thought about,” he said.

Watch the broadcast and find out more

The National

Eastern promise: gender lessons from the Islamic world

October 11, 2016 adriana

Many predominantly Muslim countries boast an enviably high proportion of female engineers. Not only are women participating in STEM subjects in much higher numbers than in the West, they are also excelling. But what are the factors drawing them in and, conversely, driving their Western counterparts away?

According to Julie Kmec, WSU distinguished professor of sociology and co-leader of a new $530,000 study of what motivates women to study engineering, a variety of interlocking socio-political elements are at play.

“We have this sort of ‘be happy, follow your dreams’ mentality, coupled with a macro-cultural value system… a system of gender centralism, which essentially is this notion that men are good at this, and women are good at something different,” Kmec said.

“In developing countries, the economy does not necessarily allow people to have a choice. In Pakistan, for example, there are limited roads and bridges, and they get washed out every time there’s a storm. And so the infrastructure of countries that are developing… means people go to study what’s important for their country.”

Find out more

Under eastern Washington runs a fault line that has jolted U.S. politics

October 11, 2016 adriana

So why is it that eastern Washington – heavily reliant on crop subsidies, fire protection, highway construction, higher education, Medicare, unemployment benefits – has shifted to politicians who have fought for government to spend less, tax less, do less?

For answers and analysis, The Spokesman-Review turned to Cornell W. Clayton, a political scientist who specializes in the study of polarization. He serves as director of the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University.

When Foley and his generation served in Congress, each of the two political parties was divided. To fashion a majority and get anything done, Clayton said, the leaders of Foley’s generation had to work across the aisle.

Find out more

The Spokesman-Review

Worried about the phenomenon of Donald Trump? WSU professor says political incivility has always existed

October 9, 2016 adriana

Think our current presidential political landscape is unprecedented, and worse than it’s ever been?

On Sunday, the Highline Historical Society put on a presentation, “American Rage — Division and Anger in US Politics.” Presented by Washington State University professor of political science Cornell Clayton, the program compared the current period of political incivility with other flashpoints in American history to prove how incivility has served as a catalyst to move the nation forward when other means had failed.

“I think we can all agree that incivility is around us everywhere in politics,” he began. “You know it’s bad when the people who seem most civil are the comedians, such as Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.” » More …