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

Local Government Officials’ Assessments of Community Poverty in the Upper Peninsula

In her recent article, UofM Research Assistant Mia Brodeur explores the issue of poverty in the Upper Peninsula and how local government leaders perceive and address this challenge. This is the first in a series from the “CLOSE UP on the UP” project, a collaboration between the UofM Ford School of Public Policy’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), UofM’s UP Scholars Program, and Rural Insights.

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2020-2023 Census Population Estimates: A Mixed Bag for UP Counties

In their latest research piece, Michael and John Broadway explore the mixed demographic trends in the Upper Peninsula. While some counties see modest population growth due to remote work and migration, economic challenges remain deep-rooted in distressed communities.

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Addressing Rural Challenges: A Conversation with Scott Erbisch

In the latest episode of the Rural Insights Podcast, seasoned public administrator Scott Erbisch joins David Haynes to discuss the unique challenges faced by rural areas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

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Global Service from Upper Peninsula Roots: Talking to Karen Ogle About Her Foreign Service Career

In the latest episode of the Rural Insights Podcast, David Haynes sits down with Karen Ogle, a Marquette native who has carved out a distinguished career in the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service.

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Health in the UP: Is it Improving?

Is overall health in the Upper Peninsula improving? Michael and John Broadway take a look at the data, comparing UP county health rankings for the state in 2011 to 2023.

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