There’s an old rule about politics: Don’t talk about it. “Retain, if you will, a fixed political opinion, yet do not parade it upon all occasions,” stated Cecil Hartley’s “A Gentlemen’s Guide to Etiquette” in 1875. Or, as Linus put it in Peanuts, “I’ve learned there are three things you don’t discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”

With apologies to Charles Schulz, we’re going to break that rule. This page draws upon the tremendous political expertise, experiences, and research occurring in the College of LAS to offer a deeper understanding of the many forces that shape government and policy.

We strive to balance political views when necessary, but our goal is to transcend the contentiousness of today’s political climate. We believe that there is a way to talk about politics that leads to enlightenment and thoughtful debate. We hope that you read these stories, watch the videos, and learn from our tremendous faculty, students, and alumni.

LAS research

Learn more about faculty research and expertise that enlightens our understanding of the many dimensions of politics.

Divided flag image
Is reconciliation realistic?
Reconciliation is an odd thing. It seems ideal to replace anger and conflict with warmth and respect, but, historically, people aren’t always ready to embrace the word. While many Americans have become weary of the nation’s political divisiveness, particularly in the wake of the November 2020...
The White House
A tense time for transition
Just a few weeks ago the main question hanging over Inauguration Day was whether the outgoing president would attend the ceremonies. Now the question seems quaint, with many people concerned that January 20 will be marked by violence similar to that which  occurred on January 6.   The...
Voters at the polls
The dynamic history of Black voters
About 160 million Americans voted during the past election, which represents the highest overall number in history and the highest percentage of eligible voters since 1900. Included in that number was a strong turnout by Black voters, many of whom voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and are...
Yang
Political chatter and the social media effect
Some may claim that politics will never change, but we are still learning a lot about political behavior itself—which in recent years has grown to include how people express opinions and process information on social media. 
William Howard Taft visits the University of Illinois
A presidential past
From witnessing airplanes stuck in the mud to hearing predictions that Champaign and Urbana would soon unite into one city, the University of Illinois has played host to several memorable presidential visits since the early 1900s. In fact, more than half of the U.S. presidents elected since 1911...
Bed with American flag covers
The politics of sleeping
We’d all like to think we’re rational beings who arrive at our political views strictly through logic. That anyone faced with the same obvious facts would reach the same obvious conclusion. But according to Aleksander Ksiazkiewicz, professor of political science...