CPS Blog
The Center for Political Studies (CPS) is a non-partisan research center. Posts are not endorsements.
Strife in Egypt – using the Arab Barometer to understand the relationship between Islam and MENA politics
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Mark Tessler. Egypt attracted international attention as a key participant in the Arab Spring. Along with Tunisia, it was among the first countries to witness the fall of a decades-long authoritarian regime. In early...
Why did Assad use chemical weapons in Syria?
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with James Morrow. The horror in Syria has gripped international attention, especially in recent weeks with the release of images of those killed by chemical weapons. But why would Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria,...
Making (political) science accessible, relevant
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Arthur Lupia. The future of funding for political science research is in danger. Under particular threat is National Science Foundation (NSF) aid, a key source of support for political research. Pressure from congress...
CPS researcher profile: Mike Traugott – expert in surveys, public opinion, and voting
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Mike Traugott. This post is part of a series that explores how Center for Political Studies (CPS) researchers came to their work. Here, we follow the academic path of CPS Research Professor and Professor of...
How you map your community = how you vote?
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Cara Wong. The maps below show the same small city. The shaded area shows how residents delineate their community. The differences are notable. But do these internal maps impact how people make political decisions?...
Measuring rural electrification via satellite imagery of Senegal and Mali
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Brian Min. This satellite image identifies nightlights in Africa. The accuracy of maps like this has been validated for developed regions. But how accurate are these maps for smaller villages in developing nations,...
From rural Minnesota to enacting change around the world: Rosemary Sarri’s commitment to child welfare
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Rosemary Sarri. This post is part of a series that explores how Center for Political Studies (CPS) researchers came to their work. Here, we trace the trajectory of CPS, School of Social Work, and Women’s Studies...
How interested is your state or country in the ANES?
Post developed by David Howell. Visuals prepared by Karina Kervin. As we approach the sixty-fifth anniversary of the American National Election Studies (ANES) project, it is helpful to reflect on the continued and extensive interest in the project, both within the...
Learning from Gallup’s Missed Prediction in 2012 Election
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Michael Traugott. In the American presidential election of 2012, most polls predicted a narrow win for Democratic incumbent Barack Obama over Republican challenger Mitt Romney. But on November 5, 2012, Obama won both...
The European Union, Hezbollah, and Federalism? How the structure of the EU plays into the decision to add Hezbollah to the EU terrorist list
Post developed by Katie Brown in coordination with Ken Kollman. On July 22, 2013, the European Union (EU) declared that the military wing of Hezbollah was now on its list of terrorist organizations. This reversal of policy has implications for Hezbollah and the EU’s...
