Date received:
November 1, 2022
Subject:
Conservative Supreme Court set to end affirmative action
Preview text:
+ sports betting rising in the US
Location:
Waltham, MA
Text version for screen readers:
Nearly 20 years ago, then-U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor ruled in favor of using race in college admissions but ominously warned that the clock was ticking on affirmative action.
She gave it 25 years.
But given the conservative majority now on the Supreme Court — and the tenacity of affirmative action opponents — the end of the 1960s-era policy designed to right the wrongs of the past may come sooner.
As Travis Knoll, a University of North Carolina Charlotte associate professor of history, writes, ending such programs would have a significant impact on an unlikely organization — the U.S. military, its four service academies and its ROTC programs on college campuses across the country.
On the battlefield, Knoll writes, the lack of a diversified officers corps is a matter of life and death — as the U.S. military painfully learned during the Vietnam War.
It’s unclear whether the Supreme Court will heed the lessons from military officials. The court heard oral arguments on Oct. 31, 2022, and based on the questions from conservative justices, the goal of having diverse campuses may rest on a college’s ability to develop race-neutral policies.
Also today:
- Inflation will likely prevail, no matter which party wins
- Next stop for electric vehicles: trucks
- The rise of sports betting in the U.S.Howard Manly
Race + Equity Editor
The U.S. Supreme Court in its official portrait on Oct. 7, 2022. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Conservative US Supreme Court reconsidering affirmative action, leaving the use of race in college admissions on the brink of extinction
Travis Knoll, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
The US Supreme Court is poised to determine the fate of the use of race in college admissions. Supporters of affirmative action, like the military, fear the worst.
Politics + Society
How a 2013 US Supreme Court ruling enabled states to enact election laws without federal approval
Joshua F.J. Inwood, Penn State; Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee
In the Shelby v. Holder decision, a key section of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act was eliminated, thus enabling states with histories of racial discrimination to enact new voting laws.
Abortion is not influencing most voters as the midterms approach – economic issues are predominating in new survey
Matthew A Baum, Harvard Kennedy School; Alauna Safarpour, Harvard Kennedy School; Jonathan Schulman, Northwestern University; Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Harvard Kennedy School
New surveys carried out by a team of social scientists find no evidence that Democrats, Republicans and independents are more likely to vote because of the Supreme Court’s abortion decision in June.
Vigilantes at the polls were a threat in the 19th century, too, but the laws put in place then may not work in 2022
Kristin Kanthak, University of Pittsburgh
All 50 states have laws that ban potentially intimidating behavior at polling places. They will need enforcement during the 2022 midterm elections.
How to ensure election integrity and accuracy – 3 essential reads
Jeff Inglis, The Conversation
Amid discussion of how best to conduct and tally a hotly contested election that is potentially subject to nefarious meddling, three experts explain the basics.
Environment + Energy
Beyond passenger cars and pickups: 5 questions answered about electrifying trucks
Daniel Sperling, University of California, Davis; Lewis Fulton, University of California, Davis; Marshall Miller, University of California, Davis; Miguel Jaller, University of California, Davis
As California goes on regulating air pollution, other states often follow – including the Golden State’s ambitious goals for cleaning up emissions from trucking.
Economy + Business
Why inflation will likely stay sky-high regardless of which party wins the midterms
William Chittenden, Texas State University
Many voters say inflation is the issue that matters to them most as they head to the polls. The problem is, the people they choose can’t do much about it.
Men don’t trust female central bankers on inflation or the economy, survey data shows
Cristina Bodea, Michigan State University; Andrew Kerner, Michigan State University
Men were significantly less likely to express confidence in the Federal Reserve and optimism about the economy when monetary policy information came from a woman versus a man.
Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world
Fatema Z. Sumar, Harvard Kennedy School
The United States has more economic inequality than other wealthy nations.
Arts + Culture
Everyday African American Vernacular English is a dialect born from conflict and creativity
Walter Edwards, Wayne State University
African American Vernacular English is a stigmatized dialect that is still ridiculed in education and the workplace. Its speakers are coherent and intelligent communicators, but remain disadvantaged.
Access to sports betting in the US has exploded since 2018 – and we’re just starting to learn about the effects
Joshua B. Grubbs, Bowling Green State University; Shane Kraus, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Any increase in people seeking help for gambling disorders could overwhelm the nation’s treatment centers, which already find themselves overextended and underfunded.
From our international editions
- How to survive crowd crush
- Brazil election: victorious Lula faces an uphill struggle – a damaged economy and a deeply divided country
- From QAnon to The Sandman: how demons found a place in popular culture
Today’s graphic
Multiple bar charts comparing how likely white evangelicals, atheists and agonistics are to engage in different political activities such as donating to a candidate/campaign or participating in a political protest.
From the story, Americans who aren’t sure about God are a fast-growing force in politics – and they’re typically even more politically active than white evangelicalsAbout The Conversation:
We’re a nonprofit news organization dedicated to helping academic experts share ideas with the public. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you.
Donate now to support research-based journalism