News

Concerns about US institutions suggest that ongoing loyalty from other democracies can no longer be taken for granted

February 17, 2026 - Ha Eun Choi, Shahryar Minhas, Scott de Marchi and Max Gallup

The last two decades have seen the US intervene in Iraq and Afghanistan. In new research, Ha Eun Choi, Scott de Marchi, Max Gallop, and Shahryar Minhas explore the effects of these often-costly overseas commitments on other countries’ diplomatic alignment with the US. They find that while autocracies tended to move closer to China in response to US foreign policy constraints, democracies remained loyal. They write that the “stickiness” of democratic alliances even in times of constraint may depend on the US being seen as a credible democratic anchor; with new questions over the health of US democratic institutions, this loyalty may no longer hold.

Ask the expert: Political pressure on the Fed has reached a climax

February 6, 2026 - Cristina Bodea

Cristina Bodea is a professor in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University’s College of Social Science where she studies central bank independence and monetary policy. Here, Bodea explains why independence matters, how political interference can backfire and the implications for the economy.

Two PLS students win awards in the Diversity Research Showcase

February 3, 2026 - Karessa Weir

MSU PLS majors Alexandra Beck and Lowell Monis took home prizes in this year’s 9th Annual Diversity Research Showcase hosted by the MSU Honors College.

Access Torch: Benjamin Yoel

January 26, 2026 - Emily Jodway

This January, the Office of Institutional Access recognizes Holocaust Remembrance Day, an international memorial day held each year on January 27 commemorating the victims of the Holocaust. We also spotlight members of our Michigan State University community that are doing research or work relevant to this month’s topic. Benjamin Yoel, a PhD candidate in the MSU Department of Political Science and a predoctoral fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Yoel is a descendant of three Holocaust survivors, a facet of his family history that greatly influences his work.

PLS PhD student inducted into national honor society

January 23, 2026

MSU PLS PhD student Raymundo Lopez has been selected to be an inductee in the seventh cohort of the MSU Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.

Four things to watch in Uganda's 2026 election

January 16, 2026 - Kelechi Amakoh

From Museveni’s long rule to repression of opposition parties, these issues have shaped this year’s election, by MSU PLS PhD candidate Kelechi Amakoh, a 2025-26 Good Authority Fellow.

Five lessons from Africa’s 2025 elections

January 9, 2026 - Kelechi Amakoh

MSU PLS PhD candidate Kelechi Amakoh is a 2025-26 Good Authority Fellow. Here is his latest report on African elections.

Faculty-Student Research Collaborations make Political Science real for students

January 7, 2026

Collaborative research between faculty and students has become a defining strength in PLS. In just the last year, 16 faculty members—about two-thirds of the Department—reported working with students on research projects, with several supervising multiple collaborations at once. These projects span topics from representation to international conflict and public opinion, and they show how shared inquiry deepens learning for both students and faculty. They take many forms, including co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals, joint data collection, and mentoring relationships that develop as students move from coursework into independent research.

Three MSU PLS grads named 2026 Michigan Political Leadership Program Fellows

January 5, 2026 - Karessa Weir

MSU Political Science alumni Jolie Lawrence, Josh Darnell, and Ava Vitale are among the incoming cohort of 24 rising leaders for the Michigan Political Leadership Program.