Posts in Fellows
UNC Plans to Close Its Six Study Centers Amid Federal Funding Cuts

The proposed closure of study centers has mobilized both students and faculty members who are engaged in campus-wide activities such as student discussions, presentations, press conferences, and lobbying with a hope to garner more support, visibility, and demonstrate the impact of the study centers in a bid for the University to reverse its decision.

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Texas Becomes the First State to Drop ABA-Accreditation for Law School

On January 6th, the Supreme Court of Texas amended the state constitution so that law schools are no longer required to receive accreditation by the American Bar Association (ABA), the organization in charge of overseeing legal education in the United States. An accreditation is a recognition that the education a law school provides is consistent with standards laid out by the ABA. Graduates from ABA-accredited law schools are eligible to take the Bar, the final exam necessary to become an attorney. Instead of the ABA providing this accreditation, it is now the responsibility of the court.

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Black History Month: The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the American Dream

In the United States of America, Black History Month is celebrated between 1st of February - 1st of March. It is a national moment to reflect on the historical inequalities of the past and think about the present challenges of political, social and economic polarization and look forward to the  future where there is equality of life and opportunities, regardless of one’s background based on the American Dream based on life, liberty and happiness. What lessons can we draw from the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr’s life whose day we celebrated on January 17?

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Delays in the October Unemployment Rate Figure Present Major Risks to American Workers

On November 19th, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it would delay its usual October estimate of the national unemployment rate until December. The recent government shutdown has impeded their ability to release the figures this month. This is not the first time the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has faced issues with calculating the unemployment rate, as the Trump Administration has raised issues over the integrity of its data collection methods. Recent doubts and delays over the number of unemployed workers in the United States have the potential to prolong the current rise in unemployment for American workers in the coming months.

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Biden Administration Reverses Trump-Era Changes to the Endangered Species Act

While the new guidelines are certainly an improvement from the Trump administration’s cuts, many activists still feel that they aren’t enough. By leaving some Trump-era rules in place, including one requiring agencies to prove “reasonable certainty” that a species would suffer unless listed, critics argue that today’s protections still fall short of what existed under the Obama administration.

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The Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on Common Abortion Pill Mifepristone

The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine is relying on a series of hypotheticals: that a woman might have serious complications from a medication abortion with mifepristone, that one of these women might end up in the emergency room, and that they might feel compelled to offer care to these women against their personal moral codes.

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Republican Politicians Didn’t Kill Nex Benedict, but They Certainly Don’t Seem to Mind When Trans Kids Die.

When the highest levels of a school system not only fail to protect trans students but portray them as the opposing side of a civil war, is it any surprise that Nex “didn’t really see the point” of taking his bullying to school officials?


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A Brief Introduction to the Invasive Species Crisis in North Carolina

10 foot pythons. Giant African snails. Lizards the size of cats. In Florida, the invasive species crisis takes center stage: the invasive animals are large, often threatening, and visibly foreign.  According to Dr. Johnny Randall, retired Director of Conservation at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, many North Carolinians don’t even know invasive species when they see them.

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Abbey Speaker Series: The Politics of the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Before the October 7 attack by Hamas, the Middle East had fallen into a state of relative equilibrium between Israel and its neighbors. Many Arab states in the region, including Saudi Arabia, had become considerably more open to diplomatic relationships with Israel in the preceding years, according to Professor Spinner-Halev. The October 7 attack and Israel’s brutal response, however, have caused rippling effects from within the country to the surrounding region and, ultimately, the world. 

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“Day of the Forest Defender:” Communities Gather to Remember Tortuguita, One Year Later

Dubbed “Day of the Forest Defender,” community and political groups in 30+ U.S. cities and beyond gathered to memorialize Tortuguita in a number of ways. Some took on a politically activist approach, taking the opportunity to discuss community organizing and how to get involved in the movement. Others hosted artistic events, vigils, and communal meals, all with a common theme: “bring what you can.”

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Does Faith Belong in the Discussion About Abortion?

“Abortion seems to be a never-ending issue in the discussion about American politics and public policy. Faith, and specifically Christianity, has long played a role in this discussion and has been a dominant force as of late. While it is a dominant religion in the country and it has played a large role thus far, does faith have a place in the political discussion about abortion?”

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The Supreme Court Leaves Millions of Americans in Limbo Awaiting Student Loan Debt Forgiveness

“Colleges give their students new experiences away from home, friends who love unconditionally, memories to last a lifetime, and, in many cases, crippling debt. However, President Biden announced a three-part plan to erase student loan debt for borrowers who need it the most. When the application for debt forgiveness opened, 26 million borrowers applied and began anxiously waiting to see if their debt would be forgiven. However, the wait will have to continue.“

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Controversial CNN Host Don Lemon Allowed to Return to the Air Pending Completion of Training

“In today’s world, social media reports on nearly every issue before the media does. This fundamentally alters what the media’s original role was supposed to be – that of gatekeepers. In response, the media has shifted in a variety of different directions, oftentimes reporting on media from competitors only to bash it. Television news is now more about analysis of news, or putting a certain spin on things, than it ever has before.“

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