Sandra Knispel
Sandra Knispel's Latest Posts

Russia and Ukraine: Putin ‘has his back up against the wall’
Randall Stone, an expert on Eastern and Central Europe, discusses the direction of the war in Ukraine, including the likelihood of Russia’s using biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons.

What is intimate partner violence? It’s not just physical abuse
Victims’ advocate Catherine Cerulli offers expert advice on how to spot an unhealthy relationship before this form of domestic violence starts.

Anti-trans laws use child protective services to harm transgender youth
Professor Mical Raz argues in the Washington Post that for trans children, their “very existence is at stake” when definitions of neglect and abuse become overly broad.

How to end the war in Ukraine
Rochester political scientist Hein Goemans, an expert on war termination, applies possible scenarios to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Fact-checking Putin’s claims that Ukraine and Russia are ‘one people’
Rochester historian Matthew Lenoe explains how Ukraine’s history is intertwined with Russia’s—but also with that of many other nations, empires, ethnicities, and religions.

Why does Russia want Ukraine?
Political scientist Hein Goemans, Rochester’s expert on international conflicts, explains why Ukraine’s fate might be tied to Putin’s survival.

Will Russia invade Ukraine?
Randall Stone, a professor of political science and director of the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies, says Putin “has set a trap for himself.”

Pro-White hiring bias for NFL head coaches, analysis finds
Writing in the Washington Post, Rochester political scientist Bethany Lacina shows the degree to which Black coaches are underrepresented in the NFL.

Brain-based arguments to reduce child poverty miss the point
In a Washington Post op-ed, Rochester professor Mical Raz outlines the pitfalls of using babies’ brain function and biology to inform anti-poverty family policies.

Who fared better during Covid: those living with or without family?
A study led by researchers at the University of Toronto and coauthored by Rochester’s Bonne Le, showed that people who lived with family during COVID-19 had better mental health outcomes than people living alone.