News
Study: ‘Classic example’ of sexual dimorphism in fossil record actually shows nuance between males and females
A new study from the University of Kansas appearing in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS One shows the differences between male and female uintatheres might not be as vast as paleontologists have long believed.
More news
Tue, 10/14/2025
Study finds group reflective practice beneficial to planning commissions, staff, yet rarely used
A University of Kansas researcher conducted a study on how staffing reports for planning commissions could be improved. The results showed that group reflective practice, or simply making time for elected officials and staffers to discuss why they do what they do, can lead to better practice.
Tue, 10/07/2025
Untold story of AIDS in the Midwest ‘Heartland’ revealed in new book
A new book shares the untold story of AIDS in the Midwest heartland, where unlikely coalitions cultivated their own distinct strategies for survival that became a surprising and lasting blueprint for LGBTQ politics today.
Wed, 10/01/2025
Dole Archives awards 2025 research fellowship and travel grants, launches new educational grant program
The 2025 award cycle from the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archives and Special Collections featured a record number of awards distributed for research and travel grants as well as the launch of a new grant program designed to support faculty at KU.
Wed, 09/24/2025
Distinguished professor to discuss water and property rights in inaugural lecture
Robin Kundis Craig, the Robert A. Schroeder Distinguished Professor of Law, will present her lecture on private property rights and environmental protection on Oct. 20.
Wed, 09/17/2025
2024 Kansas Statistical Abstract now available
The Kansas Statistical Abstract is published annually by the Institute for Policy & Social Research at KU. It includes information on a wide range of topics about Kansas, with information in downloadable tables, maps and graphs.
Wed, 09/03/2025
New book tells story of Kansas labor court that both flirted with fascism, stood up for workers' rights
KU professor Ben Merriman tells the story of the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations in a new book. The author shares how it was the only such court in the nation and the legacy it has for American labor law today.
Fri, 08/29/2025
Democracies’ ‘de-risking’ strategies for trading with China compared in new study
In a new paper, Jack Zhang, assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas, compares the “de-risking” strategies the U.S. and Japan employ by analyzing legislative measures to identify products considered a security risk when trading with China.
Mon, 08/25/2025
Researcher outlines ‘cluster of topics’ for legal approach to address global climate crises
KU Law scholar John Head has outlined the ecological, cultural, global and legal reforms necessary to address climate crises around the world in a new article for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law Review. While the political reality may seem unlikely to address the issue, Head addresses why it is necessary and what steps could be taken.
Tue, 08/19/2025
Law scholar examines water law approaches around the world, analyzing how nations protect vital resource
Robin Kundis Craig, an environmental law expert at the University of Kansas, has written a chapter in “Comparative Environmental Law,” examining and comparing how countries around the world approach water law.
Tue, 08/12/2025
Study traces history of legislation to help low-income households pay for energy
A new article by Uma Outka, William R. Scott Professor of Law at the University of Kansas, traces the history of how American legislation has helped low-income households pay for energy. The scholar suggests the topic should not only be considered part of poverty law, but expanded via energy law as well.
Mon, 07/21/2025
Women activists seek to raise Tanzanian girls’ age of consent from 15 to 18
In a new scholarly article, Agnes Phoebe Muyanga, doctoral candidate in women, gender & sexuality studies at the University of Kansas, investigates the steps women’s organizations, activists and advocates are taking to raise the age of consent from 15 to 18 years old for girls in Tanzania.
Wed, 07/16/2025
KU professors awarded Big 12 Faculty Fellowships for 2025-2026 academic year
Six KU faculty members have been selected to participate in the Big 12 Faculty Fellowship over the summer and the upcoming academic year. These scholars will visit and collaborate with faculty and students across the Big 12 Conference.
Mon, 07/14/2025
Study finds cities with proactive, risk-tolerant governing styles most likely to have ambitious climate strategies
A new study from KU has found that cities that base their governance style on a proactive, learning-oriented and risk-tolerant approach are the mostly likely to have implemented ambitious climate resilience strategies. The study also introduces the concept of transformative governance capacity, a measure that can gauge how cities approach climate readiness.
Mon, 07/07/2025
Women of color fare better in personal earnings where racial minority men struggle most, study finds
In a new study, ChangHwan Kim, a professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, examines why the stronger the power of race in accounting for earnings inequality among men in a local labor market, the weaker double disadvantage married women of color experience.
Mon, 07/07/2025
Author spotlights ‘Algorithmic Age of Personality’ in African literature
A University of Kansas scholar of African digital humanities examines how social media tends to reduce important discussions to name-calling in a new book titled “The Algorithmic Age of Personality: African Literature and Cancel Culture.”
Tue, 06/24/2025
KU Law professor’s article selected as a Top 10 Corporate and Securities Article of 2024
Alex Platt, University of Kansas professor of law, has received one of the highest honors in the field of corporate and securities law. His article, “The Administrative Origins of Mandatory Disclosure,” was selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate and Securities Articles of 2024 by the Corporate Practice Commentator.
Tue, 06/24/2025
Plaintiffs left 'standing in the dark' when seeking redress for police misconduct, researcher finds
In a new scholarly article, Sharon Brett of KU Law writes that current legal frameworks set forth by Supreme Court rulings make it unnecessarily difficult for plaintiffs to prove standing in cases regarding police misconduct. Brett's new work proposes methods to remedy the obstacles.
Mon, 06/16/2025
Dole, Kennedy institutes publish landmark report on funding of election administration
Local election administrators consistently lack sustained funding, adequate staffing and necessary technology at a time of intense public scrutiny and diminished trust in voting results, according to the report.
Wed, 06/11/2025
KU to host international conference on civility, politics
A group of scholars will convene at the University of Kansas from July 19 to 21 to discuss the state of civility in contemporary politics. KU faculty are among the speakers at the free, in-person conference, which organizers hope will establish an international network of scholars working in this field.
Tue, 04/29/2025
Study finds engagement journalism training reduced 'horse race' political coverage, boosted more substantive content
A study co-led by the Universty of Kansas found that news outlets that took part in Democracy SOS engagement journalism training reduced the amount of false-binary "horse race" coverage of elections that focused solely who was winning, instead producing more substantive content. Researchers argue the training could help generate content for a less polarized, more engaged populace.
Tue, 04/22/2025
Partisan politics proved most significant factor for speed of corporate shutdowns during pandemic, study shows
In a new study, Shradha Bindal, assistant professor of finance at the University of Kansas, investigates the speed with which U.S. firms shut down their headquarters because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that the political orientation of the firms and their CEOs proved the most significant factor.
Wed, 04/16/2025
Limits of nation’s belief in manifest destiny explored in new ‘Borderlands’ book
In a new book, Andrew Isenberg, Hall Distinguished Professor of American History at the University of Kansas, offers a reconsidered history of manifest destiny that breaks from traditional narratives of U.S. territorial expansion.
Tue, 04/08/2025
Study highlights role of social workers in addressing marginalized communities bearing brunt of climate disasters
A KU researcher calculated carbon footprints of residents of one of the poorest neighborhoods in Seoul, South Korea. Joonmo Kang found that, despite contributing much less to climate change than other residents, they bore the brunt of the effects. This highlights the vital role of social workers in helping address climate injustice and advocating for equitable solutions, according to researcher.
Tue, 04/08/2025
Research explores engagement with climate change in state and national parks
A new study from the University of Kansas suggests many parks sidestep the opportunity to educate millions of Americans and to “inspire civic engagement” around the issue of climate.
Mon, 04/07/2025
The Care Board, KU-led site to gather information on care work's role in the economy, now live
The Care Board, a project that gathers information on care work, which often goes unnpaid, done every day in the American economy is now live. The site can help journalists, policymakers, communities, nonprofits and the public better understand the influence care work has on the American economy.
Fri, 03/28/2025
Institute for Policy & Social Research Doctoral Research Fellows will share work at Spring Symposium
The Institute for Policy & Social Research at the University of Kansas will host a public reception to showcase the research efforts of the 2024-2025 IPSR Doctoral Research Fellows. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 4.
Fri, 03/28/2025
LandBack Leadership Summit will bring tribal leaders and scholars to university
Tribal leaders and scholars will collaborate on campus at the LandBack Leadership Summit to discuss leadership skills and strategies related to land reclamation and land stewardship initiatives.
Wed, 03/26/2025
Subset of Taylor Swift fans who question her sexual identity are focus of new study
In a new study, Brian Donovan, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, focuses on a thriving subset of Taylor Swift fans called “Gaylors,” who embrace subversive readings of Swift’s songs and seek to compile evidence she is secretly queer. His study explores how those interpretations cultivate joy, shape personal identity and build community.
Tue, 03/18/2025
Kansas, Missouri farmers avoid discussing climate change regardless of opinions, study finds
Despite belief or skepticism on the topic, Kansas and Missouri farmers avoid talking about climate change with neighbors, community members and even family for a variety of reasons, including avoiding arguments or violence or fear of damage to their livelihood, research from the University of Kansas has found.
Tue, 03/11/2025
Study: Social media doesn’t always bring people together, even when they have shared goals for democracy
A study of feminist protesters who took part in the 2019 Algerian “Hirak“ protests found they experienced dismissal and violence from people on social media, even when they shared goals of reforming their government. The findings indicate the power of social media to unite people around a common cause can be limited when all are not viewed as equals.