Conservative Supreme Court set to end affirmative action

How a 2013 US Supreme Court ruling enabled states to enact election laws without federal approval

Joshua F.J. Inwood, Penn State; Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee

In the Shelby v. Holder decision, a key section of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act was eliminated, thus enabling states with histories of racial discrimination to enact new voting laws.

Abortion is not influencing most voters as the midterms approach – economic issues are predominating in new survey

Matthew A Baum, Harvard Kennedy School; Alauna Safarpour, Harvard Kennedy School; Jonathan Schulman, Northwestern University; Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Harvard Kennedy School

New surveys carried out by a team of social scientists find no evidence that Democrats, Republicans and independents are more likely to vote because of the Supreme Court’s abortion decision in June.

Vigilantes at the polls were a threat in the 19th century, too, but the laws put in place then may not work in 2022

Kristin Kanthak, University of Pittsburgh

All 50 states have laws that ban potentially intimidating behavior at polling places. They will need enforcement during the 2022 midterm elections.

How to ensure election integrity and accuracy – 3 essential reads

Jeff Inglis, The Conversation

Amid discussion of how best to conduct and tally a hotly contested election that is potentially subject to nefarious meddling, three experts explain the basics.

Beyond passenger cars and pickups: 5 questions answered about electrifying trucks

Daniel Sperling, University of California, Davis; Lewis Fulton, University of California, Davis; Marshall Miller, University of California, Davis; Miguel Jaller, University of California, Davis

As California goes on regulating air pollution, other states often follow – including the Golden State’s ambitious goals for cleaning up emissions from trucking.

Why inflation will likely stay sky-high regardless of which party wins the midterms

William Chittenden, Texas State University

Many voters say inflation is the issue that matters to them most as they head to the polls. The problem is, the people they choose can’t do much about it.

Men don’t trust female central bankers on inflation or the economy, survey data shows

Cristina Bodea, Michigan State University; Andrew Kerner, Michigan State University

Men were significantly less likely to express confidence in the Federal Reserve and optimism about the economy when monetary policy information came from a woman versus a man.

Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world

Fatema Z. Sumar, Harvard Kennedy School

The United States has more economic inequality than other wealthy nations.

Everyday African American Vernacular English is a dialect born from conflict and creativity

Walter Edwards, Wayne State University

African American Vernacular English is a stigmatized dialect that is still ridiculed in education and the workplace. Its speakers are coherent and intelligent communicators, but remain disadvantaged.

Access to sports betting in the US has exploded since 2018 – and we’re just starting to learn about the effects

Joshua B. Grubbs, Bowling Green State University; Shane Kraus, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Any increase in people seeking help for gambling disorders could overwhelm the nation’s treatment centers, which already find themselves overextended and underfunded.

How to survive crowd crush

Brazil election: victorious Lula faces an uphill struggle – a damaged economy and a deeply divided country

From QAnon to The Sandman: how demons found a place in popular culture