From their founding, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) educated as many as 90 percent of Black college students in the United States. Although many are aware of the significance of HBCUs for expanding Black Americans’ educational opportunities, much less attention has been paid to the vital role that they have played in enhancing American democracy. Drawing on six years of mixed-method research that informs The Power of Black Excellence: HBCUs and the Fight for American Democracy, this book talk considers the history of HBCUs and the unique role they have played in shaping American political development since 1837. Moreover, it considers the lessons that HBCUs offer the broader higher educational landscape as we consider the essential role that colleges and universities can play in helping to promote democracy.Deondra Rose is the Kevin D. Gorter Associate Professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, with secondary appointments in the Department of Political Science and the Department of History. Her research focuses on U.S. higher education policy, political behavior, American political development, and the politics of inequality, particularly in relation to gender, race, and socioeconomic status. In addition to her newest book, The Power of Black Excellence: HBCUs and the Fight for American Democracy, Rose is also the author of Citizens by Degree: Higher Education Policy and the Changing Gender Dynamics of American Citizenship, which examines the development of landmark U.S. higher education policies and their impact on the progress that women have made since the mid-twentieth century. A summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Georgia, Rose received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University, with a specialization in American politics and public policy.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about his new book "The ABCs of Democracy," and Democrats' outlook following the 2024 election.

A Democratic member of the U.S. Congress is doubling down as he faces calls to resign after expressing concern about trans-identified male athletes competing in female sports. 

Nancy O'Brien Simpson Death by a thousand cuts.  There are as many postmortem reasons for the Trump landslide as there are pundits.  It was a historic comeback with inroads in every demographic group.  However, Trump did not win by millions of new voters joining the Trump Train he won because Democrats stayed home and did not vote for Kamala Harris.  Trump gained about 300,000 new voters and Democrats lost three million voters from the 2020 election.   This is my take on the top five reasons why the Democrats did not show up for Harris.

Dayana Custer, MBA, serves as the division director at BAYADA Home Health Care

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:30pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Spectrum Center

Join Spectrum Center and the Maize & Blue Cupboard for a virtual chef demo! You'll be able to cook the same meal alongside a chef (virtually), from your kitchen. Plus, you'll be able to enjoy a nice meal and be in community while doing so. All core ingredients will be provided and you will be able to pick them up from the Maize and Blue Cupboard, prior to the event. Further details about pick-up will be emailed to you.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 5:30pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Turn Up Turnout

Note: this is a virtual event open to students on all three University of Michigan campuses.

Public schools are run and funded by the government. The federal, state, and local governments all play a role in shaping education policy, but which areas of government influence different areas of policy in our schools?

Join Turn Up Turnout for a nonpartisan, educational presentation on Education Policy to find out. GIFT CARD for participants. *Please note that gift cards will not be sent immediately and will take a few weeks to process.*

Register here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/81566

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 12:30pm
Location: LSA Building
Organized By: Department of Sociology

Fall 2024 Semester Line-Up:

9/19: Lanora Johnson, "Car Accidents & Disability in Rural Kentucky"

10/3: Spencer Allen, "Disparities and Implications of Survey Measurement Error: NSF GRFP Proposal"

10/10: Jane Furey, "The Consequences of Racialized Education Careers"

10/31: Janet Wang, "Overqualification across the life course"

11/14: Davis Daumler, "Changing Marriage Patterns and the Shifting Foundation of Wealth"

11/21: Junchao Tang, "A Mirrored Equalizer? An Assessment of Boarding Institution and STS-based Achievement Gap"

KYIV, 15 July 2016 – The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine today opened a new sphere of project assistance to Ukraine – improving democratic control of defence and security sectors – with a presentation of international experience and best practices at a conference in Kyiv.

The event, co-organized with the Parliament and the Ministry of Defence, brought together more than 120 parliamentarians, military and civilian representatives of various ministries, experts, and civil society activists to learn about the basic principles in this area, as well as practical examples from other countries.

During the conference, the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and the OSCE Security Sector Governance and Reform Guidelines were presented. Ukrainian translations of these documents can be found at www.osce.org/fsc/41355  and www.osce.org/uk/secretariat/253156, respectively.

The participants discussed in detail the national models of parliamentary and civic control over the defence sectors of Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway.

“The ability of Parliament, and of society at large, to exercise control over its security services is a true litmus test for democracy and rule of law,” said Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s Office. “Such oversight contributes to a much more effective security sector by rooting out corruption, and by strengthening the bond between society and the armed forces.”

Igor Dolgov, Deputy Minister of Defence, said: “For me there is no question of whether it is possible to simultaneously deal with current crisis and implement reforms in defense sectors, including strengthening mechanisms of democratic control over armed forces. It is needed and it is already happening.”

Until the end of the year, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator will provide expertise in developing a concept paper and implementation plan for democratic oversight; assist in promoting dialogue between the military, parliamentarians, experts and civic activists; and contribute to raising awareness among the public by publishing relevant online resources.  Further assistance efforts will continue after 2016.

In partnering with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), the project will also draw on their expertise.

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PODGORICA, 3 May 2016 – On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Janina Hrebickova, stressed the media’s crucial role in building and sustaining democracy.

 “Free, independent, and professional media are an indispensable resource in any democratic society,” Hrebičkova said. “Members of the media must be able to perform their duties in a free and safe manner. The Mission expresses its support to all journalists in Montenegro, in their efforts to practice independent and professional journalism.”

This year's World Press Freedom Day is dedicated to the right of access to information.

“Access to information is a fundamental freedom and human right. It allows members of the media to seek and receive information on issues of importance to the public,” Hrebičkova said.

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VIENNA, 21 July 2016 – The mass cancellation of broadcasting licenses, criminal investigations against, and dismissal of, hundreds of journalists at the state broadcaster, and blocked websites are the latest, severe challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today.

Fully aligning herself with the statement made by the Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier on 16 July, strongly condemning any attempt to change the democratic order of Turkey through the use of force (statement available at www.osce.org/cio/254431), the Representative said:

“Democratically elected governments must be safeguarded, but they in turn must protect media freedom and support the role journalists play in ensuring and strengthening democracies,” Mijatović said.  “Fully recognizing the difficult times that Turkey is going through, the authorities need to ensure media freedom offline and online in line with their international commitments.”

On 19 July, the Radio and Television Supreme Council of Turkey (RTÜK) cancelled the licenses of radio and television stations that allegedly support the Gulen movement. The following television channels are currently affected: STV, Samanyolu Haber, Samanyolu Haber Radyo, Can Erzincan TV, Kanal 124, Yumurcak TV, Hira TV, MC TV, Dünya TV, Kanal Türk, Bugün TV, Mehtap TV, Berfin FM, Kanal Türk Radyo, Burç FM, Samanyolu Haber Radyosu, Radyo Mehtap, Haber Radyo Ege, Dünya Radyo, Radyo Küre, Merkür TV, Esra Radyo, Tuna Shoping TV, and Radyo Anadolu.

“Using the full force of my mandate, I urge the authorities of Turkey to ensure that pluralistic debate, diverging views and safety of journalists are respected,” Mijatović said, adding that the deteriorating media freedom situation in Turkey have been subject to numerous interventions from her Office in the past few years (available at www.osce.org/fom).

Also on 19 July, the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against 370 staff members of the state broadcaster TRT, for their alleged links to the Gulen movement.  

Further, the Representative expressed concern about the rapidly growing number of blocked websites in Turkey. In the past few days, dozens of websites suspected for endangering national security and public order have been blocked. More than 112.000 websites are reported being blocked in the country today.  

Mijatović noted with deep concern reports about death threats being made in social media against journalists critical to the authorities, and emphasized the importance of journalists’ safety. She also recalled warnings in several major media outlets announcing the possible arrests of members of the media on terrorism charges. She said that Turkey holds more journalists in prison than any other OSCE participating State – a fact her Office continuously raises attention to, by regularly publishing a detailed table on imprisoned journalists.

“Freedom of expression does not stop at views deemed appropriate by the government,” Mijatović said. “It remains the role of journalists to inform people of public issues, including highly sensitive ones, and it remains the role of the authorities to ensure that journalists can do so freely and safely.”

The Representative offered the continued assistance and expertise of her Office to the authorities in Turkey ensuring that media freedom and freedom of expression are protected, even under difficult circumstances.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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ULAANBAATAR, 30 June 2016 – Election day was orderly and followed a competitive campaign. This, however, did not offset the impact of late fundamental changes to election laws on Mongolia’s democratic development, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. While the June 29 parliamentary elections were highly contested and freedoms of assembly and association were respected, restrictive campaign provisions, coupled with the media’s subservience to political interests, limited impartial and comprehensive information available to voters, the statement says.

“We were pleased to see that voting took place in a calm and peaceful manner. This was a genuinely competitive contest, with high turnout and no certainty as to which party would win. We applaud the fact Mongolia is a functioning democracy,” said Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “There were, however, some elements which cause concern, including significant last-minute changes to the election laws, which, among other things, prevented 150,000 Mongolian citizens living outside the country, including diplomats, from voting.”

The observers said the consolidation of election legislation into a new law adopted on 25 December 2015, following an inclusive process, was a positive development toward establishing a cohesive electoral framework. However, changes in May 2016 – from a mixed electoral system to a solely majoritarian one, establishing 76 single-mandate constituencies and approving their boundaries – were introduced by parliament in a process that lacked transparency, public consultation and adherence to established criteria, the observers said. This resulted in profound population discrepancies among constituencies.

A total of 498 candidates, including 69 independents, was registered in a process that was largely inclusive and provided voters with a range of political choices. Contrary to OSCE commitments and other international obligations, however, there are disproportionate restrictions on candidacy rights the statement says. While there was general confidence in the accuracy and inclusiveness of the voting register, the May changes to the election laws also effectively disenfranchised 150,000 citizens living abroad for the parliamentary elections.

“For an election to be meaningful, voters first have to be offered a genuine choice, and voters were given that choice here. That choice also has to be between candidates competing on a level playing field and who have equal access to independent media to explain their platforms. In this, there is still work to do,” said Ambassador Audrey Glover, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term election observation mission. “Elections are about voters, and the main problem for voters was understanding the significant last-minute changes to election laws, which affected the rules of the game profoundly and raised questions about political motivation.” 

Despite undue campaign restrictions, the freedoms of assembly and association were respected and candidates were generally able to convey their messages to the electorate. At times the lines were blurred between parties and the administration at both the national and local levels, the observers said. There were multiple instances of alleged vote-buying, which resulted in a number of formal complaints and the deregistration of two candidates.

The GEC received some 50 pre-election complaints. Courts reviewed 21 cases regarding candidate registration, and the police handled more than 1,000 campaign-related complaints. Although legislation clarifies the complaints and appeals process to some extent, a general lack of formalization and transparency in the process within the election administration and the protracted handling of disputes in courts undermined the right to effective remedy.

The media offered extensive election coverage, but abandoned their journalistic role, for the most part simply granting direct access to the politicians. Paid political advertisements and free airtime overshadowed editorial content, and campaign material prepared by political parties was also included in news programming, undercutting the credibility of the media. Consequently, voters were deprived of independent and analytical reporting, the observers said.

In preparation for election day, the General Election Commission met key operational deadlines and fulfilled its mandate. At the same time, the observers said, it lacked transparency and accountability to stakeholders, diminishing trust in the credibility of the process. The testing of vote-counting machines was conducted professionally by the Commission in the presence of stakeholders and, to address concerns over the machines’ accuracy and integrity, the law was amended stipulate that up to 50 per cent of polling stations would be subject to manual recounts. The procedures stipulating the manual re-count, however, were only finalized two days prior to the elections.

All parties and coalitions complied with the 20 per cent gender quota provided for by law, and 26 per cent of contestants were women. There were, however, no women candidates in more than one-third of the constituencies. While there is only one woman member of the General Election Commission, women were better represented in lower-level election commissions. Overall, women remain underrepresented in political life.

Election day proceeded in an orderly manner in most of the country and, while the right to vote was respected, the secrecy of the vote was not consistently ensured. The observers’ assessment of the counting and tabulation of votes was a notable exception to the overall positive assessment of voting, mostly as a result of significant procedural errors or omissions. A number of civil society organizations monitored the pre-election environment, including campaign finance and the media, and issued timely statements highlighting key shortcomings.

For further information, contact:
Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, +976 95 14 1635 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Tim Boden, European Parliament, +976 99 976294 or +32 473 844431, timothy.boden@europarl.europa.eu

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https://www.city-journal.org/article/green-grifters By Heather Mac Donald The latest global climate conference opened Monday in Azerbaijan. The timing is excellent. Any doubt regarding the wisdom of the next Trump administration’s likely pullout from such meetings should be dispelled by the conference photos alone. Here are tens of thousands of well fed, well-dressed members of the global elite—activists, […]

A team captain to start the season, David Long Jr. was demoted from his starting post two weeks ago and has now been waived. The Dolphins made room to claim tight end Jack Stoll off waivers.

Es la espiral del silencio: quien no forma parte de los círculos se calla, pero por dignidad.

Recurre en amparo la inadmisión a trámite en un juzgado de Barcelona de la querella presentada por dos hermanos Leer

Los escándalos políticos y judiciales y la proliferación (a diario) de los casos de corrupción parecen estar abonando el futuro hacia un mundo nuevo. Un lugar en el que Podemos recoja en su cesta todos los votos que pierden los partidos tradicionales por las grietas de sus espuertas. Su dominio de los medios de comunicación, incluidas las redes sociales, hacen el resto.

Así es la imagen de la nueva política: limpia (la fotografía) y nórdica, aséptica, construida con muebles sin barnizar, sin logotipos, donde manda el blanco y (aunque no está en esta imagen) el cemento sin enlucir.

Senate Democratic leadership is speaking to reporters as the 118th Congress enters its final weeks. The press conference comes after Senate Democrats lost their majority in last week’s elections for the incoming Senate in January. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Until the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, the […]

It has been reported that Tufts University has cut ties with MA Rep. Seth Moulton in the wake of his sudden turn against transgender athletes

The post Tufts University Accused of Cutting Ties with Democrat Congressman Over Trans Athlete Comments appeared first on Breitbart.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said Wednesday on CNN's "The Lead" that President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as his attorney general was a "red-alert moment for American democracy."

The post Dem Sen. Murphy: Trump Nominating Gaetz for AG ‘Red Alert Moment for American Democracy’ appeared first on Breitbart.

Je to zvláštní přelom roku. V září bylo 35 let mně. V listopadu je 35 let tuzemské demokracii. A v dubnu bude 35 let Reflexu. O sobě mluvit nechci, ty druhé dvě další věci jsou důležitější a jako stejně starý člověk si je dovolím hodnotit. I když se to tak ve vašem okolí nemusí zdát, současný politický sy­stém je stále to nejlepší, co dokázalo lidstvo vymyslet. A časopis Reflex má pořád co říct.

“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”—James Madison Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Unadulterated power in any branch of government is a menace to freedom, but concentrated power across …

Remember: It’s only “election denial” if you have an R after your name. Sure, the Democrats raised a stink about the presidential election results in 2000, 2004 and 2016. The […]

The post Election Denier: Top Senate Democrat Still Refuses to Concede Race as Post-Election Tantrum Continues appeared first on The Western Journal.

Nov. 13, 2024 — When researchers use high-performance computing (HPC)—to model electric vehicle infrastructure or to test the performance of sustainable technologies, for example—they can see how advanced computing impacts their […]

The post NREL Partnership Demonstrates Computationally Efficient Analysis of Hybrid Plants appeared first on HPCwire.

Democratic Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Jared Polis of Colorado on Wednesday announced the launch of a non-partisan coalition of governors aimed at protecting state-level democratic institutions.

It appears as though all Athanasiou needed was an opportunity to play again.

For the first time in four years, Democrats are leaderless. But chaos is a ladder, as the saying goes, and the party is packed with climbers.

Tulsi Gabbard -- a military veteran who once sought the Democratic presidential nomination, was chosen by Trump to be his director of national intelligence.

Donald Trump on Wednesday named former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who has opposed US support for Ukraine and met Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, as his incoming Director of National Intelligence.

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House after his victory over Kamala Harris in the November 5 US presidential elections. The 78-year-old leader Republican has secured all seven swing states.

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House after his victory over Kamala Harris in the November 5 US presidential elections. The 78-year-old leader Republican has secured all seven swing states.

Juba, South Sudan — The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has called for tangible evidence of progress toward democratic elections the country. Briefing the United Nations Security Council this week, special representative of the secretary-general and head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, told government leaders “the clock on the extension is already ticking.” Since winning its independence in 2011, South Sudan is just beginning its fourth extension of the transitional period government, with elections now rescheduled for 2026. Speaking for Haysom, U.N. South Sudan acting spokesperson Rabindra Giri said, “The international community needs tangible evidence that this country’s leaders and political elite are genuinely committed to a democratic future.” As the country struggles with increasing internal conflict, the delay in democratic reform affects the hopes for peace, stability and development, even beyond South Sudan's borders, impacting the entire East African region. UNMISS officials stressed that time is running out for political leaders to fulfill their obligations under the peace agreement. “We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve,” Giri said. On the streets of Juba, South Sudanese citizens were eager to talk about how the delays in implementing the peace agreement raise doubts about whether their leaders genuinely care about the nation’s well-being and are impacting their hopes for peace, stability and development.    Nunu Diana, a women’s rights advocate in South Sudan, is one of them. “I think because of the extension, personally, as a young person, I have lost morale in the governance system of the country,” Diana said. Data Gordon, an advocate for peace and gender equality, is another. “The time for political statements without tangible and time-bound action is over," Gorton said. "For elections to take place as scheduled, the government needs to walk the talk.” UNMISS said it is moving ahead with support to the National Elections Commission, while Haysom highlighted civic education, preparing for voter registration, a code of conduct between political parties, civil society, media and election security among the areas that the parties could immediately address. Haysom said time is a nonrenewable resource. He said this is South Sudan’s last chance to deliver on its promise of democracy, and there is a need for sustained international support while holding South Sudan's leaders accountable to their own commitments. “This cannot be business as usual for the parties to the peace agreement, the political elite, the guarantors of the peace agreement or the international community," Giri said. "We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve.”

Meanwhile, the losing Democrats have turned the rifles on each other, seeking blame, but ignoring the larger reasons and implications of their decisive defeat.

[VOA] Juba, South Sudan -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has called for tangible evidence of progress toward democratic elections the country.

This brief shows how civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) are rooted in strong village traditions of community support, maps their growth, and explains how they help drive resilient development.

Every day in the mainstream media, Trump was dumped on as hysterical and Harris praised as positive and sane while pushing for national unity.

Today on TAP: After Kamala Harris's defeat, the DNC chair should be a party-builder in the spirit of Howard Dean, whose service from 2005 to 2009 paved the way for Obama.

Trump has shattered the Dems' blinkered assumption that racial minorities are defined by their race.

Now that the 2024 election is over, it's time for Democrats to get over our feelings and face the truth about why Donald Trump won.

A Democratic elected official was arrested in Chicago after allegedly causing a three-car pileup and making inappropriate comments about the arresting officer’s penis.

The 22nd Amendment already states that presidents can only be elected twice, but that's not enough for Rep. Dan Goldman, New York Democrat, who plans to file the resolution Thursday.

Voters in Washington state appeared to have approved a ballot measure that would restrict future regulations on natural gas and gas stoves.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre bristled when FOX Business correspondent Edward Lawrence asked her if President Biden apologized to President-elect Trump.