NJCU Political Science Department

Some humor for those students in Professor Moran’s Political Thought class who are tackling Hobbes’ “Leviathan” over the break. Hang in.

Upcoming event… This Thursday. Live and not via ZOOM.

A wonderful opportunity to see some of the best political science undergraduate research.

Registration is free and open to all for the 2022 National Student Research Conference! Register here TODAY: https://pisigmaalpha.org/2022conference

Good luck to everyone engaged in final exam week. … deep breaths and relax before diving in.

Buckle down and hang in, folks. The most difficult part of the semester is closing fast. Stay focused and stay on track.

Beautiful fall day on campus and a heartfelt thank you to our veterans who served protecting our Constitution and our ideals.

Electing women will make Jersey City stronger | Opinion

An op ed from one of our alums running for city council in Jersey City. Good luck on Tuesday! https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/10/electing-women-will-make-jersey-city-stronger-opinion.html

Electing women will make Jersey City stronger | Opinion "We’re excited about diversity and inclusion because this is what democracy actually looks like in Jersey City," the author, a candidate for city council, writes.

NJCU Political Science Department

Just in time for Election Day. An editorial from one of our stellar alums (Adrian) concerning the Jersey City election. Includes an endorsement of another of our alums. Good luck, Danielle! https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/10/eight-years-is-enough-vote-for-change-in-jersey-city-opinion.html

NJCU Political Science Department This is the place for NJCU alumni and current students to keep in touch with the faculty in the Political Science Department.

This summer, we're catching up with PSA members across the organization on how Pi Sigma Alpha and political science have influenced their educational and professional life! Next up, we have Adrian Ghainda, an alumnus of Eta Alpha chapter at New Jersey City University (and current MPA candidate at New York University). In his own words:
"I chose political science as my path because I wanted to learn how to craft my political identity. I wanted to learn how to get involved in politics without having to rely on others to provide me the tools to do so. The tools I've developed along my academic career of studying political science translate to my everyday life since I work in local politics in my hometown in several capacities: as an organizer, strategist, policy researcher, and writing, and as both a former and aspiring political candidate.
My involvement with Pi Sigma Alpha gave me opportunities to network with like-minded individuals in my field at my campus and at Pi Sigma Alpha events. Pi Sigma Alpha gave me the opportunity to present my own original research before I began to pursue it at the graduate level. My involvement in Pi Sigma Alpha helped me build the networks I needed to surround myself as I transitioned from my undergraduate career to my graduate and professional careers."

Pi Sigma Alpha featuring one of our recent alums… https://www.instagram.com/p/CS7FSg3HdU-/?utm_medium=copy_link

This summer, we're catching up with PSA members across the organization on how Pi Sigma Alpha and political science have influenced their educational and professional life! Next up, we have Adrian Ghainda, an alumnus of Eta Alpha chapter at New Jersey City University (and current MPA candidate at New York University). In his own words: "I chose political science as my path because I wanted to learn how to craft my political identity. I wanted to learn how to get involved in politics without having to rely on others to provide me the tools to do so. The tools I've developed along my academic career of studying political science translate to my everyday life since I work in local politics in my hometown in several capacities: as an organizer, strategist, policy researcher, and writing, and as both a former and aspiring political candidate. My involvement with Pi Sigma Alpha gave me opportunities to network with like-minded individuals in my field at my campus and at Pi Sigma Alpha events. Pi Sigma Alpha gave me the opportunity to present my own original research before I began to pursue it at the graduate level. My involvement in Pi Sigma Alpha helped me build the networks I needed to surround myself as I transitioned from my undergraduate career to my graduate and professional careers."

Don’t be fooled by the relative calm… the fall semester fast approaches. If you haven’t registered yet, get to it ASAP before the seats are gone.

Video: Day of Rage: An In-Depth Look at How a Mob Stormed the Capitol

With the 4th of the July celebrations upon us, it seems a good time to take stock of the horror of Jan 6.

Video: Day of Rage: An In-Depth Look at How a Mob Stormed the Capitol A six-month Times investigation has synchronized and mapped out thousands of videos and police radio communications from the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, providing the most complete picture to date of what happened — and why.

Campus is coming to life... be sure to register for your fall courses and get vaccinated.

Finals week is fast approaching. For those so engaged, a helpful tip is to browse through the whole exam before actually starting it. It helps get the mind in gear and actually ends up saving some time.

We're getting to that time of year... buckle down and get the work done well before any due dates; try not to let the first draft and the final draft be the same draft. Same goes with presentations. Get it done and practice (not memorize) but get comfortable speaking aloud (an audience, even a virtual one, can be more nerve wracking that you may expect). Being prepared calms the jitters.

We are pleased to announce that the NJCU delegation of the National Model United Nations Conference won an Honorable Mention Delegation award at this year’s (virtual) conference.

Under the tutelage of Prof. Ning Liao, the award winning delegation included

· GA1 Committee: Frank Just, Alan Tiburcio

· GA2 Committee: Diana Concepcion, Fiona Moore

· GA3 Committee: Arisha Andha, Mariam Boules

· UN Environment Assembly: Hana Katz (Head Delegate), Gisselle Hernandez

· Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference: Hector Cabrera

Spring has sprung on the urban oasis that is NJCU. Beautiful day on campus. Get your shots, wear your mask, and visit when you can.

Spring is on the way! New Jersey also just announced new vaccine eligibility guidelines... here’s hoping we can all be back on campus soon. Stay safe.

For those of you engaged in midterms... preparation beats parkour. Good luck!

The Republican revolt against democracy, explained in 13 charts — Vox

Some excellent political science research making its way out of academia. For our majors, when friends and family ask what you’re studying and why, articles like this are good to have on hand. https://apple.news/AcvRy6F6hQR6Hj7SxNTE9gw

The Republican revolt against democracy, explained in 13 charts — Vox The Trump years revealed a dark truth: The Republican Party is no longer committed to democracy. These charts tell the story.

Opinion | How Long Can Democracy Survive QAnon and Its Allies?

An interesting op-ed piece in today's NYT featuring some work of political scientists weighing on improving American democracy. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/opinion/democracy-qanon.html

Opinion | How Long Can Democracy Survive QAnon and Its Allies? Politicians and political scientists wonder if there are electoral reforms that might blunt the lunacy.

“Spring” semester is underway.

We hope your semester is off to a great start. We’re working on some changes to our office suite to welcome you back when things return to something like the old normal. In the meantime, keep your masks on, maintain social distance, and register for your vaccine. Check your county or municipality websites for details.

'The New Dawn Blooms': Poet Amanda Gorman Recites 'The Hill We Climb'

In case you missed it... https://www.npr.org/sections/inauguration-day-live-updates/2021/01/20/958743170/poet-amanda-gorman-reads-the-hill-we-climb

'The New Dawn Blooms': Poet Amanda Gorman Recites 'The Hill We Climb' The 22-year-old composed a poem that acknowledges the recent insurrection attempt, but turns toward hope. America "isn't broken but simply unfinished," she said.

It's hard not to argue that this is just an amazing time to be studying political science. https://www.nytimes.com/

Don’t be fooled... spring semester is just around the corner. We have a few open in some sections... register and get ‘em before they’re gone.

Well, at least one perk of virtual classes is you don’t need to worry about the stress of in class finals. Hang in, all so engaged.

Final exam week begins today. The Department hopes for smooth sailing to all of you so engaged in the process.

It’s calm on campus ...but don’t let the serenity distract from the end of semester crunch looming. Stay focused, stay connected, and wrap things up successfully.

Serene campus as we wait for the ballots to be counted.

In addition to the presidential election, we also have all 435 seats in the House and 35 seats in the Senate at stake tonight. This infographic shows the demographic breakdown of the current Congress by party and compared to the US population overall.

Election Day today in the US of A! Post your electoral college predictions in the comments. Our department chair, Prof. Moran, kicks it off with his.

The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror Lists 50 Reasons Not to Vote Trump

Remember to vote... https://youtu.be/Isp_KJY9RZU

The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror Lists 50 Reasons Not to Vote Trump

What To Do if You Encounter Voter Intimidation

For anyone planning to vote in person, some helpful points here on how to spot voter intimidation and how to respond if you do: https://campaignlegal.org/update/what-do-if-you-encounter-voter-intimidation

What To Do if You Encounter Voter Intimidation You have a right to vote, and if someone is preventing you from exercising that right, speak up.

Icculus The Brave on Twitter

A question I’m quite sure students in Prof. Moran’s intro US Politics would have nailed. https://twitter.com/FirenzeMike/status/1316442837173575682?s=20

Icculus The Brave on Twitter “Ummm so Amy Coney Barrett is unable to name the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment 🤔 https://t.co/rJzstauUxw”

How Quickly Will Your Vote Be Counted? A State-by-State Timeline

From our friends at Pi Sigma Alpha...

How Quickly Will Your Vote Be Counted? A State-by-State Timeline In a year when absentee ballots are surging, not all states are providing election officials enough time to process them before Election Day, and some do not allow them time at all.