Episode 287: Why Local Elections Matter

This Election Day is the perfect moment to look beyond the national headlines and focus on what's happening closer to home. As Americans head to the polls, Professor Brian Adams breaks down why state and local elections matter—from the mayors, town councils, and school boards shaping daily life to the policies that affect housing and public safety. He explains how voters make decisions with limited information in these races, the growing partisanship in local politics, and new initiatives aimed at reducing the influence of money in local elections.  For more on this topic:  Read Adams's article in The Conversation, Local Elections Are Less Partisan Because Voters Will Cross Party Lines When Issues Hit Close to Home, coauthored with Edward L. Lascher Jr. and Danielle Martin Check out his book: Citizen Lobbyists: Local Efforts to Influence Public Policy

As access to abortion and contraception are curtailed across much of the U.S., Professor Lina-Maria Murillo explains that today's reproductive rights debates are part of a much longer story. Her research in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands show how race and power have always influenced who can get care and who cannot. She connects how earlier attempts to control women's bodies still shape current laws and discussions, and she shares what history can teach us about defending reproductive freedom now. For more on this topic:  Check out Murillo's book, Fighting for Control: Power, Reproductive Care, and Race in the US-Mexico Borderlands Read her perspective in the Washington Post: Before Roe v. Wade, U.S. residents sought safer abortions in Mexico Read her SSN brief: Reproductive Freedom along the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands  

The number of people held in immigration detention centers in the U.S. has exploded in recent years, reaching record highs under multiple administrations. And thanks to the Republican-led budget bill that became law in July, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has seen a major influx of federal funding, further fueling the expansion of detentions. Professor Nancy Hiemstra explains how detention became a multi-billion-dollar industry, breaking down who profits, who pays, and how communities across the country, not just along the border, have become tied to detention economies.  For more on this topic: Check out Hiemstra's book with co-author Deirdre Conlon, Immigration Detention Inc.: The Big Business of Locking up Migrants Read the op-ed they co-authored in Newsweek: People Will Die at Alligator Alcatraz Read their SSN brief: How Expanded Migrant Detention Drives Profiteering and Leads to Tougher Immigration Policies  

Student loans are shaping the college experience more than ever. As tuition rises and financial aid rules keep changing, more students are taking on college debt. Professor Monnica Chan explains what's happening with student loans, Pell Grants, and repayment plans, and how these choices affect students long after graduation. She discusses the real impact of debt on college affordability, career decisions, and family life—and what solutions could make paying for college less stressful. For more on this topic Listen to Chan speak about proposed federal student aid regulations: Nine Scholars Provide Public Comment at U.S. Department of Education Hearing on Student Loan Reforms Read the piece she co-authored in The Conversation: 5 things to consider before taking out a student loan

 Political maps decide who has a voice in government, and who doesn't. And right now, big legal battles in Texas and California are putting redistricting in the spotlight. Professor Michael Latner breaks down the difference between redistricting and gerrymandering, why unfair maps weaken voters' voices, and what today's gerrymandering fights mean for the future of American democracy.  For more on this topic: Check out the book Latner co-authored, Gerrymandering the States: Partisanship, Race, and the Transformation of American Federalism Read his SSN brief: How Election Reforms Could Improve American Democracy Read the op-ed he co-wrote in the New York Daily News: How the Supreme Court Made Gerrymandering Worse

In the U.S., 2025 began with devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, followed by hundreds of tornadoes across the central states, and has recently been marked by catastrophic flooding in Texas and across the South and Midwest. These escalating weather disasters aren't isolated events—they're part of a global pattern in which climate change is making disasters worse, with the most vulnerable communities often getting hit hardest. Professor Farhana Sultana explains how the history of colonialism and ongoing inequalities shape who suffers most from climate disasters, both in the U.S. and around the world. Drawing from her experiences in Bangladesh and her global research, she makes the case for climate justice that addresses power dynamics, not just pollution. For more on this topic: Check out Sultana's book, Confronting Climate Coloniality: Decolonizing Pathways for Climate Justice Watch her interview with Al Jazeera about COP29: A New Era for Climate Finance  Read an op-ed she co-wrote in The Guardian: In 2023 we've seen climate destruction in real time, yet rich countries are poised to do little at Cop28

On July 4, President Trump signed a sweeping new law that makes major changes to the social safety net—with serious consequences for families and children. Child and family policy expert Professor Taryn Morrissey breaks down the Republican-backed legislation, which slashes Medicaid, SNAP, and other key supports that millions of families rely on. She examines how the law shifts resources away from low-income and younger Americans—especially children—and toward wealthier, older households. Morrissey discusses how these changes could make inequality worse and what it would actually mean to put kids at the center of national policy. For more on this topic: Read Morrissey's recent opinion article published in The Hill: Trump's Medicaid and SNAP red tape will devastate millions of Americans  Read her op-ed published in The Progressive: GOP Tax Bill Will Hurt Children and Families Check out the book she co-authored, Cradle to Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality   DrKfdZ5s5lsT6o5wu9hU

Gun violence is down, but you wouldn't know it from the headlines. This progress didn't happen by accident—it's at least partially the result of smart, targeted strategies that address the root causes of violence. Professor Daniel Semenza explains what's working, drawing lessons from Camden's dramatic shift from "murder capital" to record-low homicide rates, and what we stand to lose as federal support for violence prevention is being rolled back. For more on this topic: Read Semenza's op-ed in Common Dreams Check out a research paper he co-authored: In-person and media gun violence exposure in the United States

When Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the entire federal vaccine advisory committee and installed new members, it raised alarms across the public health world. At the same time, measles is making a comeback as more Americans are hesitant about getting vaccines. Professor Lindsey Haynes-Maslow explains how we got here and what it will take to rebuild public trust. Drawing on her work in community-based health outreach, she shares why clear, consistent communication is critical for vaccine education and how local leaders and trusted messengers can help cut through the noise. For more on this topic: Watch Haynes-Maslow's video, "A Journey through Public Health: Health Policy," produced by UNC's Department of Health Policy and Management. Check out her work on immunization education and vaccine hesitancy at EXCITE.   

Congress is in the middle of a high-stakes budget debate that includes fighting over tax policy and funding for many vital public programs. But what's often missing from that budget debate is a focus on the people these decisions affect, especially kids. Professor Jean Junior explains how tax policy choices made on Capitol Hill directly affect health and well-being, and why taxes can be a powerful tool to improve health outcomes for everyone. Drawing from her experience as a pediatrician, Professor Junior challenges us to see policy choices through the eyes of a doctor by putting people's well-being first. For more on this topic: Read Junior's SSN brief, Tax Policy as a Potential Tool for Reducing Infant Mortality. Check out her study, Association of State-Level Tax Policy and Infant Mortality in the United States, 1996-2019.