Considerable research in the field of local governance has focused on how levels of public participation can influence perceptions about the fairness and justice of decisions by municipalities. Common occasions where such dynamics are on display in communities across America are town or city meetings at budgeting time.

Mitt Romney is first Mormon in U.S. history to become a presidential nominee for one of the country’s major political parties. His running mate, Paul Ryan, is Catholic, but this has caused far fewer waves in 2012 than John Kennedy’s religion did in 1960. Instead, it’s the presidential nominee’s faith that has brought attention to a religion once considered outside the mainstream of U.S. culture.

Corporations often claim to be meritocracies where advancement is based strictly on performance. However, subtle barriers can block advancement for minorities in some settings. One framework of understanding proposed by academics is the “minority vulnerability thesis,” which suggests that meritocratic “ideologies” can mask workplace decisions that — intentionally or not — reinforce historical patterns of discrimination.

Studies have shown that a young child’s ability to make and maintain friendships is a critical developmental milestone; this early success is typically reflected in subsequent social and behavioral achievements. Less is known, however, about the importance of friendship quality on positive developmental growth.

California established the first sex-offender registry in 1947, and since then such lists have expanded to all 50 states. In 1994 the federal “Megan’s Law” was enacted, requiring public notification of convicted sex offenders’ presence in communities. The stated intent of such registries is to both reduce the number of sexual assaults and increase the ability of law-enforcement officials to find and prosecute offenders when crimes do occur.

As the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age, U.S. policymakers are struggling to ensure the long-term viability of Social Security. In 1990 there were roughly five people of working age for every retiree; by 2035, that ratio is expected to diminish to three to one, according to the 2011 Social Security Board of Trustees report.

Women in the United States are often financially vulnerable after divorce. At risk are material assets, liquid assets and insurance benefits.

Issue-specific political advertisements are ubiquitous during elections, and they’re often assumed to be effective in increasing voter turnout. Such ads frequently target specific groups — what political scientists sometimes call “issue publics” — such as veterans, parents or senior citizens.

In the post-9/11 era, the practice of establishing profiles to help identify potential terrorists has been the subject of significant public controversy. Despite this, building such data has remained a core goal of law enforcement and intelligence officials.