Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

We all want innovative policies that propel our nation forward. But getting things done in DC isn't always easy. This week, Thomas Kalil joins us to share some of the practical lessons he learned during his years working in the White House—have a concrete plan of action, make it easy, and don't worry about who gets the credit. For more on this Topic: Read Kalil's essay, Policy Entrepreneurship at the White House Check out his TEDx talk on 21st Century Moonshots Further Reading: Episode 96: Informing Policy, Jenni W. Owen, Duke University Regulation, Participation, and Policy Design, K. Sabeel Rahman, Brooklyn Law School

In 1965, the passage of the Voting Rights Act helped secure equal access to the ballot, and it has enjoyed bipartisan support ever since. Right? Professor Rhodes shows how, over the years, politicians who publicly supported this law worked behind the scenes to dismantle it. For More on this Topic: Read Rhodes' book, Ballot Blocked Check out his opinion piece in The Washington Post Further Reading: The Dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, Dewey M. Clayton, University of Louisville Episode 97: Who Has the Right to Vote?, Douglas Spencer, University of Connecticut

The 2018 midterms are rapidly approaching and voters want to believe they're going to make rational choices at the polls. But as Professor Casey Klofstad explains, there is an unexpected factor influencing voter behavior and affecting our elections—the tone of a candidate's voice. For More on this Topic: Read Klofstad's article in The Scientific American, How Voice Pitch Influences Our Choice of Leaders Check out his book, Civic Talk: Peers, Politics, and the Future of Democracy Find his brief, Talking about Politics Boosts Civic Participation Further Reading: Why Beards and Mustaches are Rare for Modern American Politicians, Rebekah Herrick, Oklahoma State University To Win Elections, Do Women Candidates Have to be Better Qualified than Men?, Sarah Andrea Fulton, Texas A&M University

A $50 citation, $100 in court costs—for many Americans navigating the criminal justice system, fines and fees like these add up quickly. Professor Alexes Harris reveals why local governments charge convicts to pay for the justice system and how this disproportionately burdens marginalized people and communities. For More on this Topic: Read Harris's OpEd in the New York Times, Justice Shouldn't Come With a $250 Fine Check out her book, A Pound of Flesh: Monetary Sanctions as a Permanent Punishment for Poor People. Find her two-page brief, How Reliance on Fees and Charges to Fund U.S. Criminal Justice Weakens Public Faith in Poor Communities Further Reading: Episode 39: Change from the Inside, David Dagan, Johns Hopkins University Using Fines to Fund Municipal Government Hurts Low-Income Minorities, Just as Sharecropping Did a Century Ago, Brandi Blessett, Rutgers University-Camden

Professors all across the country have expertise that can improve public policy, but how can they get their research into the hands that matter? Professor Lee Badgett provides the tips and tools scholars need to make these connections in the new year and tells the stories of a few successful public professors. For More on this Topic: Read Badgett's book, The Public Professor Find her two-page brief, How Scholars Can Become Influential Public Professors Check out SSN's new policy engagement workshop Further Reading: Episode 96: Informing Policy, Jenni Owen, Duke University Building Public Trust and Improving Policy Through Deliberative Engagement Between Officials and Citizens, Daniel Patterson, University of Utah

Trust in our governments is low, and seems to only be getting worse. Professor Donald Kettl explains why widespread distrust plagues governments around the world, what this means for democracy, and how, if at all, governments can earn back our trust. For More on this Topic: Read Kettl's book, Can Governments Earn Our Trust? Check out the research mentioned in the episode by Professor Vesla Weaver Further Reading: Episode 47: A Path for Police Reform, Tracey L. Meares, Yale Law School How Participatory Budgeting Strengthens Communities and Improves Local Governance, Isaac Jabola-Carolus, City University of New York

Republicans and Democrats alike have complained about the speed with which the recent tax bills are going through Congress. In light of this, we're bringing you an archive episode with Professor James Curry who explains that lacking expertise, staff, and time, most members of Congress rarely get to analyze or contribute to the bills on which they vote. For More on this Topic: Read Curry's two-page brief or his book, Legislating in the Dark Check out Professor Frances Lee, mentioned in the episode, and her books on partisanship and competition in Congress. Further Reading: Who are the Most Effective Legislators in Congress?, Craig Volden, University of Virginia, Alan E. Wiseman, Vanderbilt University Why U.S. Conservatives Shape Legislation across the Fifty States Much More Effectively than Liberals, Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Columbia University, Theda Skocpol, Harvard University

Nicole Bedera and Miriam Gleckman-Krut stay post-interview to discuss their ideas for changing university policies on campus sexual assault.

Campus sexual assault is a problem across the country, but colleges differ widely in how they respond to these cases. PhD candidates Nicole Bedera and Miriam Gleckman-Krut lay out why national standards are changing under the Trump administration and how they are shifting protections and resources to the accused. For More on This Topic: Read Bedera and Gleckman-Krut's piece in The New York Times Listen to their interview on Michigan Radio Further Reading: Episode 80: Unequal Play to Unwanted Contact, Celene Reynolds, Yale University Fighting Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Amy Blackstone, University of Maine

This week we are showcasing an episode from The Measure of Everyday Life, a podcast hosted by SSN member Brian Southwell. He spoke with Professor Deondra Rose about the policy moves that helped opened doors for women in higher education. For More on This Topic: Read Rose's piece for Inside Higher Ed in defense of "me" studies Check out Rose's brief, How Federal Government Policies Have Helped Women Earn College Degrees Read her piece in Talking Points Memo on women in higher education Further Reading: What We Know - and Need to Learn - about Progress against Sex Discrimination in Higher Education, Celene Reynolds,Yale University Why Higher Education is a Must for Low-Income Mothers, Lisa Dodson, Brandeis University, Luisa S. Deprez, University of Southern Maine