News

No clear path for U.S. in Venezuela, Cuba, scholar says

John Sanford — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800

With Venezuela in the thrall of U.S. oil demands and Cuba confronting massive fuel shortages due to an American blockade, the two countries face a more uncertain future than at any time since becoming close allies at the start of the 21st century.

Candidates for governor face off on healthcare and economic issues

David Danelski — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Four of the leading Democratic candidates for California governor sparred off on healthcare, housing, and economic issues Friday, Nov. 7, at a debate at UC Riverside. UCR co-hosted the event organized by 11 nonpartisan California health-focused advocacy organizations.

With Prop 50, is Cali voting on Trump, Texas, or both?

John Warren — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

In August, Texas state legislators voted for a mid-decade redistricting plan that is likely to turn five U.S. House of Representatives seats from Democrat to Republican. Soon after, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a retaliatory effort, a special election in which California voters are asked to approve new congressional maps drawn by Democrats, bypassing the state’s independent redistricting commission. The plan would likely flip five red seats to blue. Republican donors including Charles Munger Jr.

Representation translates into more support for LGBT rights

Susan T. Mashiyama — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0700

In a study published in PS: Political Science & Politics, University of California, Riverside researchers found that openly lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) members of the United States Congress took more actions to promote LGB and trans people’s rights than non-LGB colleagues with otherwise similar backgrounds.

Gerrymandering erodes confidence in democracy

David Danelski — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0700

UCR political science professor Shaun Bowler used survey data from tens of thousands of voters in the 2020 and 2022 elections show that Americans view gerrymandering with the same disdain they reserve for bribery and other blatant forms of political corruption.

Marching to the beat of his own drum

Sandra Baltazar Martinez — Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 -0700

UCR graduate student Donald Zárate is a U.S. Army Reservist and a committed community volunteer.

Platform developed at UCR reinvents the webinar

David Danelski — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Online webinar platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams have enabled public discourse at an unprecedented scale. But when hundreds of people join a meeting, the flow of feedback—often reduced to rapid-fire chat messages—becomes chaotic and overwhelming.

UCR experts demystified voter props in online forum

David Danelski — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Once again California voters are facing a plethora of state initiatives to decide on issues ranging from increasing penalties for theft and drug offenses to borrowing money to build schools. To help voters better understand the myriad of propositions on the Nov. 5 ballot, the UC Riverside Office of Alumni Engagement and School of Public Policy hosted on Oct. 1 an informative webinar to help voter navigate the complexities of the 2024 California ballot propositions.

Q&A: 10 states face abortion rights initiatives

David Danelski — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Shaun Bowler, professor of political science, and Andy Crosby, an assistant professor of teaching in the School of Public Policy, weigh in on how the plethora of state abortion rights initiatives may affect the presidential election.

The 2024 elections: gender and reproductive rights

Sandra Baltazar Martinez — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Prior to the Sept. 10 presidential debate, UC Riverside faculty weigh in on various topics including the now-infamous ‘childless cat ladies’ reference.

Banning misinformation tweeters improved online discourse

David Danelski — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0700

A study co-authored by UC Riverside public policy and political science scholars found that the Jan. 6, 2021 crackdown by Twitter that banned more than 70,000 misinformation traffickers also significantly reduced the number of misinformation posts by users who stayed on the platform.

New center to study labor issues in the Inland Empire

Sandra Baltazar Martinez — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Inland Empire Labor and Community Research Center at UC Riverside is one of five UC centers meant to advance timely labor research.

Are you voting for a populist candidate?

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0800

Study highlights potential for populist leaders to undermine democracy.

How is Europe responding to the coronavirus pandemic?

Tess Eyrich — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0700

In hard-hit Europe, responses to COVID-19 could be lessons for the global community, says political economist Jana Grittersova

Movement for census awareness swells in Inland Empire

Tess Eyrich — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0700

In a two-county region at risk of an undercount, grassroots momentum has grown to ensure participation in the 2020 census

The consequences of calling COVID-19 a ‘Chinese virus’

Tess Eyrich — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Political scientist Kim Yi Dionne explains why responses to COVID-19 reveal a failure to learn from history

Research finds support for ‘Trump effect’

Tess Eyrich — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0800

Racially inflammatory speech by political elites can embolden members of the public to express their own prejudice

AAPI Data releases mapping tool for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Tess Eyrich — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0800

Ahead of census, UCR-based research initiative offers resource to better understand fastest-growing racial groups in U.S.

Political scientist’s book takes honest look at sanctuary cities

Tess Eyrich — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0700

In his new book, Loren Collingwood traces the history of — and attitudes toward — contemporary U.S. sanctuary policies

Center for Social Innovation launches regional platform for public discourse

Tess Eyrich — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0700

The SoCal Policy Forum platform is a collaboration between UCR and Southern California News Group