Department of Political Science Archives

international arrivals section signifies us foreign policy

Despite lifting of travel ban, tensions toward U.S. linger among European allies

European nations thought working with Biden would be easier than with Trump, but in some ways the president is continuing his predecessor’s policies, say Northeastern international relations experts. Even with the lifting of the U.S. travel ban, the transatlantic relationship remains frayed, they add.

by Peter Ramjug September 22, 2021

mai'a k davis cross interviewing ben rhodes

Obama’s chief speechwriter diagnoses rising authoritarianism in the changing world order

Ben Rhodes, a senior foreign policy aide to Obama, visited Northeastern to talk about his new book on autocratic rulers and the decline of democracy. “The more I pulled this thread, I discovered America's fingerprints on this world more than I think we would like to acknowledge,” he says.

by Peter Ramjug September 21, 2021

masked man walking by nyc mobile vaccine clinic bus

Why aren’t the unvaccinated getting their shots?

Vaccine risks and concerns about side effects were the primary reasons why people remain unvaccinated, according to a U.S. study by researchers from Northeastern and several partner institutions. Those who are vaccine willing are almost equal in number to those strongly vaccine resistant, the survey found.

by Peter Ramjug September 16, 2021

A new sustainability seminar lets students propose their own sustainability program. They learn to think critically and propose solutions, says Jacob Glickel, who works in the Office of Sustainability. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

New course to cultivate ideas about how to expand campus sustainability efforts

A weekly seminar this fall will bring together researchers, campus operations, and people who live near the Boston campus into the discussion about the environment. Universities are anchors in their communities, and the class is an opportunity to demonstrate best practices for environmental sustainability and resilience, say faculty experts.

by Peter Ramjug September 7, 2021

Why the Remain in Mexico policy, recently upheld by the Supreme Court, can still be trumped

Northeastern experts on the high court and U.S. immigration law say the Supreme Court told the Biden administration it will have to create a new, more carefully-worded rule justifying why it wants to end the Remain in Mexico program.

by Peter Ramjug September 3, 2021

Student military vets say US needs to help endangered Afghans

Michael Trudeau and Amanda Knowles served in the U.S. military before coming to Northeastern. Both of them are personally touched by the frenetic refugee situation in Afghanistan.

by Peter Ramjug August 20, 2021

Healthcare workers are getting vaccinated, but more still need convincing, US survey finds

A U.S. study finds 27 percent of healthcare workers were unvaccinated as of early summer, posing a risk to sick and elderly patients. The low employee vaccination rate in one Kentucky nursing home “provided the kindling” for an outbreak that killed two patients, researchers from Northeastern and several partner institutions said.

by Peter Ramjug August 18, 2021

Afghan citizens gather near the airport in in Kabul as the Taliban close in

What just happened in Afghanistan? And what comes next?

A humanitarian crisis is brewing in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the government, Northeastern political science experts say. The United States may end up taking in thousands of Afghan refugees, possibly opening the U.S. to more criticism if it doesn’t accept enough of them, the professors add.

by Peter Ramjug August 16, 2021

Child is held by parent while getting vaccinated

Here’s why parents are hesitant about vaccinating their kids

Parents of unvaccinated children cite insufficient testing and long-term health effects as the chief reasons behind their skepticism of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to a new U.S. study by researchers from Northeastern and several partner institutions.

by Peter Ramjug August 12, 2021

How false information could be affecting COVID-19 vaccination rates

People who believed popular COVID-19 vaccine myths on social media had a higher chance of being unvaccinated than those who flagged the postings as false, researchers from Northeastern and several partner institutions report in a new U.S. study.

by Peter Ramjug August 10, 2021