Skip to Content Skip to Content

Political Science

The politics of pandemics: Why some countries respond better than others
Sign mounted at a playground that reads “In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this facility is closed (cerrado) to the public until further notice.”

The politics of pandemics: Why some countries respond better than others

The capacity of a state and the degree of economic inequality among its residents will determine how it copes in a pandemic. Whether it is a democracy or a dictatorship matters relatively less.

From Knowledge at Wharton

Can, or should, the Insurrection Act be invoked?
Armed soldiers stand in the grass in front of a low wall behind which a large protest is taking place.

Military police soldiers attached to the Texas Army National Guard’s 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade support local law enforcement during a protest in Austin, Texas, on May 31, 2020.

Can, or should, the Insurrection Act be invoked?

Claire Finkelstein of the Law School spoke to Penn Today to discuss the history and meaning of a rarely used law, propelled into the news this week.

Kristen de Groot

Politics, pandemics, and protests 
protective face mask colored to look like an american flag

Politics, pandemics, and protests 

Exactly how the coronavirus pandemic, the current unrest, and the nation’s economic woes will affect November’s presidential election is unclear, but voter turnout will be key, according to two political experts. 

Kristen de Groot

Social media usage is at an all-time high. That could mean a nightmare for democracy

Social media usage is at an all-time high. That could mean a nightmare for democracy

Pinar Yildirim of the Wharton School spoke about the uptick in social media usage amidst the pandemic and about its impact on politics. “If you asked me two months ago, I would have had very different predictions about social media’s role on the election,” she said. “But now it’s become the primary source of information and social communication.”

Do political beliefs affect social distancing?
Group of people standing on the steps of a state building holding signs in protest of the state’s stay at home orders due to the pandemic.

Do political beliefs affect social distancing?

A new study found that political partisanship influenced Americans’ decisions to voluntarily engage in physical distancing at the start of the pandemic, particularly in response to communications by state governors.

Kristen de Groot