civil-rights

In the first half of the 20th century, a convergence of social attitudes, market forces and government policy in the United States contributed to significant increases in racial segregation. While segregation continues to be seen as a significant problem, a 2012 analysis of historical U.S. Census data indicates that racial separation has diminished significantly since the 1960s.

Under the current system of justice in the United States, people charged with crimes who cannot afford to hire an attorney are provided one by the government. While this has long been true at the federal level, this has not always been the case at the state and local level.

Research has found a strong relationship between poverty and health, and lower levels of income are associated with higher levels of sickness and premature death. In seeking to understand this relationship, researchers often focus on what is called “allostatic load” — the wear and tear on the body as it manages physical and social stresses.

From the Scholars Strategy Network, written by Rebekah Herrick, Oklahoma State University

Some of the strongest opposition to same-sex marriage is generated by religious groups and leaders. Simultaneously, many opinion polls and studies have shown that close personal contact with homosexuals is associated with an increased likelihood of support for same-sex marriage. So how much can contact with gay persons affect the views of religious individuals?

Researchers have been increasingly focusing on the science behind interrogation techniques and confessions — and emerging criminal justice system data patterns — with the hope of better understanding how false confessions are produced and how to limit the chances innocent persons are imprisoned.

The U.S. Constitution has been a respected model for governance around the world for two centuries. According to a 2012 study by scholars from Washington University and the University of Virginia School of Law, as of 1987, 160 of 170 international constitutions were based at least partially on it. But 25 years later, is this still the case as constitutions continue to be written and revised?

Social issues — and the associated “culture war” in America — continue to play prominent roles in politics. There is an ingrained notion of a static political standoff: To many, the country seems split into two camps that have stubbornly dug in on issues. But survey data suggests that public support for some social issues has fluctuated significantly over recent history.