Podcast
Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon
Hosted by The Scholars Strategy Network · EN
No Jargon, the Scholars Strategy Network's bi-weekly podcast, presents interviews with top university scholars on the politics, policy problems, and social issues facing the nation. Powerful research, intriguing perspectives -- and no jargon. Find show notes and plain-language research briefs on hundreds of topics at https://scholars.org/podcast.
15episodes
Episodes
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Episode 299: Can Cash Improve Pregnancy Outcomes?
3w ago00:26:37Tap to summarizePregnancy is often treated as a personal responsibility, but the effects don't stay personal. When expectant parents can't afford basics like stable housing or healthy food, it can have ripple effects for society. That's why some communities are trying a different approach: giving expecting parents direct cash support during pregnancy. Professor Ali Groves explains how these programs work, focusing on the Philly Joy Bank, and why receiving money with no strings attached can ease stress and help families during a critical period. For more on this topic: Read Groves' analysis in The Gender Policy Report, Parenting is Expensive, Guaranteed Income May Help, co-authored with Libby Valdez and Yuan He Check out her op-ed in Penn Live, When Washington fails expecting mothers, Philadelphia shows a better way
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Episode 298: The Fight Over Climate Rules
Apr 2800:34:12Tap to summarizeThe EPA's 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding has been the legal foundation for U.S. climate regulation under the Clean Air Act for over a decade. In February, the Trump administration repealed it. That move puts the future of federal climate policy in question. Professor Alejandro Camacho explains what the endangerment finding did and why it mattered for policies ranging from vehicle emissions to power plant rules. Drawing on his new book, he also puts this moment in context: showing how earlier waves of environmental policymaking took shape in the 1960s and '70s, and why today's approach is marked by polarization, legal battles, and uncertainty. For more on this topic: Check out the book Camacho coauthored, Lessons for a Warming Planet: A Vital History of US Environmental Law Read his commentary in Legal Planet, The Trump Administration is Squandering Our Natural Heritage Read his op-ed in The Hill, Donald Trump's record-breaking race to wreck the planet
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Episode 297: New Rules for College Admissions
Apr 1400:45:36Tap to summarizeBy now, most students who applied to college for the fall semester have received their decisions, bringing a mix of emotions, from excitement and relief to disappointment and uncertainty. For many, especially those turned away from top-choice schools, the admissions process can feel arbitrary and even unfair. Professor Julie Park breaks down what's changed for college applicants since the Supreme Court's 2023 decision restricting race-conscious admissions. She also explores the uneven return of standardized testing and how policy shifts are reshaping who gets into selective colleges and what schools can still do to make the process more fair. For more on this topic: Check out Park's new book, Race, Class, and Affirmative Action: College Admissions in a New Era Read her op-ed in The Hechinger Report, There's a 'cascade effect' from the Supreme Court's affirmative action ban, and it's hurting Black and Latino students Read her essay in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Economic Diversity Is Ticking Up at Elite Colleges. Why?
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Episode 296: The Politics of What We Eat
Mar 3100:42:32Tap to summarizeNutrition policy is back in the spotlight. Under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, the federal government has been especially vocal about and involved in what Americans eat, including policies that change what can be bought with federal benefits. Nutrition policy researcher Pasquale Rummo breaks down what the debate about ultra-processed foods is all about, how Americans' diets are shaped by both choice and policy, and what coming changes could mean for consumers and the food industry. For more on this topic: Read Rummo's op-ed in The Hill, co-written with Jesse Strunk-Elkins: SNAP Benefit Cuts Will Leave Millions of Americans Overworked and Underfed
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Episode 295: The Affordable Housing Myth
Mar 1700:35:23Tap to summarizeHousing costs keep rising across the United States, and policymakers are scrambling for solutions. In Congress, policymakers from across the aisle are advancing legislation aimed at encouraging more housing construction, based on the idea that increasing supply will help bring prices down. But what actually makes housing "affordable" and who benefits from the policies meant to fix the problem? Drawing on decades of research and experience working on housing issues in New York City, Professor Hilary Botein explains how politics and local housing markets affect who has access and why simply building more housing may not help people with the lowest incomes.
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Episode 294: What Did We Learn From Covid?
Mar 300:35:03Tap to summarizeSix years after the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global emergency, are we any better prepared for the next pandemic? Professor Joseph Harris reflects on what Covid revealed about the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. public health system and the fragility of global cooperation. Drawing on his research on universal health coverage and AIDS treatment politics in countries such as Thailand and Brazil, he explains how politics and power shape who has access to care—and how professional and social movements can drive reform. For more on this topic: Listen to Harris's podcast: The Global Health Politics Podcast Check out his commentary in The Conversation: What the US could learn from Thailand about health care coverage
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Episode 293: Haiti and the Weight of Uncertainty
Feb 1700:38:21Tap to summarizeHaitians living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are once again facing uncertainty. Though a federal judge intervened just a day before the Trump administration was set to end TPS for Haiti, thousands of families are still left not knowing what happens next. Professor Evan Auguste explains the emotional strain of living with the constant fear of losing legal status, and how history, trauma, and racism have shaped the mental health of Haitian immigrants. He also shares his work to help create a culturally rooted healing initiative that brings Haitian traditions into mental health spaces, and what this project can teach psychologists and policymakers alike. For more on this topic: Read his opinion piece in the Haitian Times, How we hold Haiti's diasporic grief Check out his co-authored analysis in NACLA Report, To Save Haitian Lives, Global Health Leaders Call for Solidarity
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Episode 292: When Tariffs Hit Home
Feb 300:30:37Tap to summarizeA year into President Trump's second term, tariffs and trade disputes have once again become central to U.S. economic policy. Professor Menzie Chinn looks back at the biggest economic trends of the past year and explains how rising tariffs are shaping prices, business decisions, and household budgets. Drawing on his research and public writing, he breaks down what these changes mean for everyday affordability and long-term economic stability. For more on this topic: Check out Chinn's blog, Econbrowser, about current economic conditions and policy Read his analysis in EconoFact, The U.S. Agricultural Sector Under Stress
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Episode 291: The Ripple Effects of Attacks on Higher Education
Jan 2000:31:45Tap to summarizeThe Trump administration has made changes to how the federal government approaches diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, using executive actions, funding rules, and legal challenges that are reshaping how colleges operate. In response, campuses across the country are reassessing these programs — some ending them, others renaming offices or pausing services as they navigate new legal and funding realities. Professor Anthony Hernandez shares what he learned from a listening tour across New Mexico, California, Texas, and Wisconsin, where he spoke with students and educators experiencing these shifts firsthand. He explains what's at stake for Hispanic-Serving Institutions and why these issues matter for college access, upward mobility, and the broader civic landscape. For more on this topic: Read Hernandez's op-ed in USA Today: Trump education cuts quietly declare that opportunity should be rationed on race Check out his op-ed in the Chicago Tribune: America cannot compete globally if it undermines its own people Read his op-ed in The Fulcrum: Tennessee's Attack on Federal Support for Hispanic-Serving Colleges Hurts Us All
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Episode 290: When Nonprofits Can't Count on Washington
Dec 1600:31:26Tap to summarizeAs we head into the holiday season, many nonprofits are entering their busiest time of year while uncertainty around government funding continues to loom. Professor Dyana Mason explains how President Trump's executive actions and funding freezes have disrupted essential services — from food programs to international aid — and what that means for the people who rely on them. She breaks down why so many nonprofits depend on federal dollars, what happens when that money suddenly disappears, and how political pressures are putting new strain on these organizations. For more on this topic: Read Mason's op-ed in The Conversation: Nonprofits that provide shelter for homeless people, disaster recovery help, and food for low-income Americans rely heavily on federal funding – they would be reeling if Trump froze that money, coauthored with Mirae Kim.
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