Media & Politics Must Reads, December 11, 2015

Our weekly roundup of news found at the intersection of media, politics, policy and technology, from the Shorenstein Center and from around the web.

This Week at the Shorenstein Center

Affirmative Action in University Admissions: Research Roundup, from Journalist’s Resource.

Terrorism Sentencing: Challenges for Criminal Prosecutors in the U.S. and Abroad, from Journalist’s Resource.

News from Our Fellows

Becoming Radicalised – and Keeping a Secret. Tara McKelvey, former fellow and White House reporter for BBC News, writes about “people who’ve become radicalised under the radar,” such as Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook.

President Obama’s Challenge to Muslim Americans. Michael Tomasky, former fellow and The Daily Beast special correspondent, writes about President Obama’s recent speech on terrorism and the role of the media in exaggerating public anxiety.

Tone Poem for the “Leave It There” Press. Jay Rosen, former fellow and professor of journalism at New York University, critiques the press’s “bewilderment” over political polarization, arguing that the media’s role in creating such a climate cannot be ignored.

Voice of America and the Value of Soft Power. David Ensor, current Joan Shorenstein Fellow and former director of Voice of America (VOA), calls for an increase in the use of U.S. soft power, particularly through journalism and media outlets such as Voice of America.

Yes, Senator Rubio, There’s Plenty of Evidence of Discrimination against Muslim Americans. Uzra Khan, Harvard Kennedy School MPP candidate and Shorenstein Center scholarship recipient, responds to recent commentary about Muslims from politicians and the media.

From around the Web

NPR and The New York Times Teamed up to Make Election Reporting Faster, from Poynter.

Why Do Data Journalists Keep Missing the Political Story of the Year? From The Washington Post.

As More Money Flows into Campaigns, Americans Worry about Its Influence, from Pew Research Center.

It’s Time for the TV Networks to Challenge Trump, from The New Yorker.

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