Supply and demand is reason why "essential workers" are paid so little. “Many of the ‘essential’ occupations are easy to enter, and jobs with a large supply of potential workers are paid less,” says Wojciech Kopczuk.

It's incredibly risky for low-wage workers to stage strikes and walkouts-- and even more so during a pandemic. Alexander Hertel-Fernandez and Suresh Naidu discuss why it's becoming such a common place sight to see in recent days.

“This outbreak presents an incredible learning opportunity because it just crosses so many issues.... This is a moment for SIPA to stand up,” says Barrett, a leading scholar on transnational and global challenges.

Extreme conservatives poisoned talk radio in the 1980s and created a movement against "elite news." Anne Nelson's book, "Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right" covers how that became the "fight against fake news."

Former director of the United States Census Bureau, Kenneth Prewitt says the census has become politicized and it's important now more than ever for university students to complete the census to empower the communities they live in.

The COVID-19 epidemic is incredibly difficult to tackle as it is. John Mutter wonders how cities and countries can prepare for natural disasters. "You can’t evacuate New York City, or any other large city, and have everyone maintain their social distance."

With states making exceptions for "essential employees" to avoid stay-at-home order, Suresh Naidu this gives companies much to think about: “The workers have a lot of bargaining power in the sense that they’re worth a lot to the company right now.”

In a CNN op-ed, Joseph Stiglitz writes about his surprise at the COVID-19 stimulus package and how it looks to strengthen the very weak US unemployment insurance system.