Elections are the bedrock of our democracy, but for so many of us the process around the ballot box, is a black box –a total mystery. This year, the doubts and uncertainties surrounding the election are at an all-time high as our circumstances are forcing massive changes in our normal election experience. This episode takes […]
North Carolina
Ep. 112 Fragile Democracy: Race and Voting Rights in North Carolina
In the past few elections cycles North Carolina has been at the center of discussions around race-based voter suppression, most recently focused on stringent voter ID requirements. With election day only two months away, there is growing concern in the pivotal swing state of North Carolina about whether their voice will be heard. James Leloudis, […]
Ep. 109: Local Challenges in a Global Pandemic: Durham’s Response to COVID-19
Since the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Durham, North Carolina in March 2020, the Durham city and county governments have had the tall task of containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus while also responding to the struggles of local residents. Sanford alumni Ryan Smith MPP’14 and Mariel Beasley MPP’13 as well as current […]
Ep. 98 Getting Out the Vote on Campus
The number of college students across the nation who voted in the midterms doubled between 2014 and 2018. At Duke University, the voting rate was even higher – it jumped 114 percent. We explore how that jump happened and what specific strategies other colleges could use to increase their own student voting rates. Sanford School […]
Ep. 84 Do Big-Time Sports Belong in College?
With college basketball season in full swing and March Madness close approaching, the attention of the sports world is centered around student athletes. Yet despite the press brought to universities by these sports, they are rarely mentioned in the mission statement or acknowledged to be as influential as they are. On this episode of Policy […]
Ep. 73 Hidden Hurricane Lessons for Policymakers
Leaders in towns and cities affected by Hurricane Florence are attempting to get operations running again. Soon they will likely be thinking about how their communities can do things differently so the next big weather event doesn’t cause as many problems. Elizabeth Albright studies how communities recover after devastating natural disasters. For one research project, […]