Our POLITICS + POLICY category provides users with an extensive list of articles dealing with past, present, and future issues relating to politics and policy throughout the UP.
Recently Published
Births, Deaths and Migrants: The U.P.’s Changing Population 2020-2024
Rural Insights contributor Michael Broadway examines newly available data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and IRS Migration data to provide an update on population changes in the UP between 2020-2024.
Eviction in the U.P. Deserves a Closer Look
Mia Brodeur, a research assistant at the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), writes about eviction rates in the Upper Peninsula based on the available data, and notes the importance of more and better data that will better serve the UP on this issue.
Left Behind Places: The Example of the Upper Peninsula
Michael Broadway explores the concept of “left-behind places,” focusing on economic disparities in the U.S., particularly Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Beyond the Bubble: Perceptions of Drug Crime in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Tristin Smith, research assistant at the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), explores the prevalence of drug crime in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, highlighting how isolation contributes to the issue and calling for greater awareness, local action, and support for at-risk communities.
Taxing Tourists: A Global and Local Perspective
In his latest article for Rural Insights, Michael Broadway highlights how tourism drives economic benefits in the U.P. but also creates challenges like congestion, environmental strain, and housing shortages, prompting debate over increasing tourist taxes to balance community and business interests.
