News

Aug 05, 2020

Scoring Effectiveness in Congress

What makes someone an effective lawmaker? Surprisingly, until Batten’s Craig Volden and Vanderbilt’s Alan Wiseman began discussing that question a little over a decade ago, we didn’t have a clear answer.

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Jul 09, 2020

Students' "Main Street Speaks" Podcast Speaks to Rural America From the Northern Neck

Political Science

Democracy

Batten student Avery Shivers creates Main Street Speaks podcast with two fellow UVA students to discuss national news with a local angle. “We are not trying to add more political divisiveness, but to fill a void of information,” said Shivers.

READ IN UVA TODAY

Jul 08, 2020

Scheppach on the Opportunity States Have to Attack Income Inequality

Political Science

As they rebuild their education, health-care and tax systems after the devastation of COVID-19, they can take important steps that can significantly narrow income and wealth disparities.

Read in Governing

Jul 02, 2020

How Can We End This Enduring Legacy?

Political Science

Democracy

Racial Justice and Equity

In the wake of past injustices, truth commissions offer divided communities the chance to reach a common understanding of their history. For his Applied Policy Project (APP) at Batten, George Rudebusch (MPP ’20, Law ’20) studied eight historical truth commissions from across the nation.

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Jun 29, 2020

The Batten School and Partners Announce 22nd Century Scholars Program

Political Science

Democracy

Nearly five dozen UVA and Harvard University students have been selected for the new 22nd Century Scholars scholarship program, which is launching this week as partnered with the UVA Center for Politics, the Miller Center, and the Weldon Cooper Center/Sorensen Institute.

Read in CBS 19

Jun 10, 2020

Batten Hosts Candidate Forum with Democratic Contenders for Virginia’s 5th District Seat

Political Science

Democracy

Earlier this week, Batten professors moderated a discussion between the four candidates on issues ranging from racial justice to gun control.

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May 27, 2020

“When do you know that you know enough?” Three Batten alums on policymaking in the age of COVID-19

Political Science

Leadership

Batten professor Andy Pennock spoke with a panel of alums representing federal, state, and local government for last week’s edition of Batten’s Expert Chat Series.

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May 20, 2020

Batten's John Holbein suggests claims of ideological bias among the media may be overblown

Political Science

Batten's John Holbein and other Political Scientists found that while the nature of politics encourages politicians to undermine negative coverage through claims of bias, ideological bias in U.S. newspapers is largely nonexistent.

Read in The Conversation

May 05, 2020

Will COVID-19 impact youth voter turnout in the U.S.? A public policy expert offers answers.

Political Science

Democracy

The U.S. already has some of the lowest youth voting rates in the world, as illustrated in Batten professor John Holbein's recent co-authored book, “Making Young Voters: Converting Civic Attitudes Into Civic Action.” In the latest Batten Expert Chat, Holbein discussed the potential impacts coronavirus could have on youth voter turnout.

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Apr 17, 2020

Coronavirus policies spread quickly across the U.S. Are cities and states learning — or just copying?

Political Science

As the novel coronavirus has spread across U.S. cities and states, so have public policies aimed at stopping the pandemic. Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Charles R. Shipan examine how some states have learned from others’ policy successes, while others simply copy their neighbors or even compete against them, and why that matters.

Read in The Washington Post

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all bars, restaurants, entertainment and recreation facilities to temporarily close to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Apr 03, 2020

Governors Take Charge of Response to the Coronavirus

Leadership

Political Science

Batten’s Ray Scheppach, who served as the executive director of the National Governors Association from 1983 to 2011, on why the nation’s governors are prepared to take quick and aggressive action during a crisis and how they have exercised leadership in their states to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Read in The Conversation

Mar 06, 2020

Productive Politicians Fare Better in Primaries

Political Science

Leadership

Now that Super Tuesday is behind us, voters can look forward to another primary in the spring – this time for Congressional candidates. As a professor of public policy and politics at the Batten School and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Craig Volden has studied what factors make for a successful candidate and drawn some conclusions about this state’s congressional delegation.

Listen on WVTF

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Scoring Effectiveness in Congress

Students' "Main Street Speaks" Podcast Speaks to Rural America From the Northern Neck

Scheppach on the Opportunity States Have to Attack Income Inequality

How Can We End This Enduring Legacy?

The Batten School and Partners Announce 22nd Century Scholars Program

Batten Hosts Candidate Forum with Democratic Contenders for Virginia’s 5th District Seat

“When do you know that you know enough?” Three Batten alums on policymaking in the age of COVID-19

Batten's John Holbein suggests claims of ideological bias among the media may be overblown

Will COVID-19 impact youth voter turnout in the U.S.? A public policy expert offers answers.

Coronavirus policies spread quickly across the U.S. Are cities and states learning — or just copying?

Governors Take Charge of Response to the Coronavirus

Productive Politicians Fare Better in Primaries