Outside the Beltway

America’s war colleges have some problems but we can’t close them.

A NATO airstrike killed 13 rebel fighters, who were mistaken for Gaddafi’s forces. Apparently, they were shooting at NATO planes.

The experiences of two well-known academics denied tenure at Chicago provide some clues.

The legendary columnist David Broder has died.

Northwestern’s Human Sexuality course includes a naked woman being brought to orgasm with a dildo.

Several “correct” answers on the American citizenship test are technically incorrect.

A new poll finds that Republican policies on immigration are chasing Latino voters straight into the arms of the Democratic Party.

Later this week, Clarence Thomas will have gone five years without asking a question during oral argument at the Supreme Court. Is that really a big deal?

Ellis Goldberg, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington and an expert on Egyptian politics, has a pessimistic view about the likelihood that the military is interested in democratization.

The coverage of Egypt shows an over-reliance on pundits and an under-reliance on actual experts.

A new study suggests college students aren’t learning the critical thinking skills they’re supposed to learn, but that isn’t necessary the fault of the university they’re attending.

We’re producing more PhDs and JDs than there are full time openings for professors and lawyers.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, who may end up running for President in 2012, has reopened wounds that finally seemed like they were closed.

The institutions charged with solving our Information Age social problems are stuck in the Industrial Age.

A new study seems to show that student evaluations of teachers are something other than a popularity contest.

Columbia political science professor David Epstein has been charged with a 3-year incestuous relationship with his adult daughter.

After days of hype, National Opt-Out Day fizzled. It’s a classic collective action problem.

NYT columnist Nick Kristoff says America’s income inequality makes us a banana republic.

Neither Law Schools nor law students are admitting the fact that the legal market has changed significantly.

Politico says 99 Democratic House seats are “in play.” They’re not. But dozens are.

“Those who doubt that the failings of higher education in America have political consequences need only reflect on the quality of progressive commentary on the tea party movement.”

54% of Americans want an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans. The question remains as to what kind of third party they want.

Affluent whites are astounded that Adrian Fenty appears about to lose his bid for re-election as DC’s mayor. But the majority black population is less than thrilled with his tenure.

While Republicans will likely take over some key governorships and state legislature after November’s midterms, America’s changing demographics will limit their ability to gerrymander safe districts.

The winners of state legislatures in November will have a great deal of influence over Congressional elections for the next decade. Should it be that way?

With Rahm Emanuel apparently set to leave the White House to run for Mayor of Chicago, speculation is turning to who may replace him in what some have called the nation’s de facto Prime Minister-ship.

No, the discipline isn’t having a George Constanza situation. Rather, a job market that has been dismal for decades has gotten worse.

When professors blog, they send signals to their students about their attitudes. Where do we draw the line between free expression and unprofessional conduct?

Career fields dominated by women tend to pay less than those dominated by men. But gender discrimination isn’t the main reason.

If lawyers and MBAs don’t understand their mortgage documents, what chance do the rest of us have?

In the first entry in this series we looked at a basic question of democratic theory. In this one, we look at whether the EC ever worked as the Framers intended.

The concentration of policy wonks in the Washington-New York-Boston corridor produces skewed analysis.

While political junkies dissect every vote and utterance, most Americans vote based on their gut sense of how the economy is doing.

The evidence that humans are irrational continues to mount. What does this mean for self-governance?

A lot of Americans don’t know that the US gained its independence from Great Britain. How can this be? Is it a liberal conspiracy?

Political science journals, particularly those which exist to provide scholarly insights into matters of public policy, ought to be freely available online.

Contrary to popular belief, Adolf Hitler didn’t come to power by democratic means or because of his ability to whip the public into a frenzy.

A comedian’s farcical run for mayor of Reykjavik ended in victory. It’s as if Stephen Colbert’s 2008 presidential bid had worked. Or Al Franken got elected to the Senate!