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By Dan Greenberg and Robert Steinbuch[i],[ii]   The best way to help Arkansas’s economy grow is through tax reform: policymakers who want to foster economic growth and attract job-creating capital investment should work to lower our income tax rates. Our nation’s experience with the tax reform that President Reagan and a bipartisan Congress produced in … A PRACTICAL PLAN TO LOWER ARKANSAS’S INCOME TAX RATES

By Mara D’Amico and Sara Chapman   One in three women around the world will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. With seven billion people on this planet, that equals more than one billion women who will become victims of violence. Playwright and activist Eve Ensler wrote The Vagina Monologues after interviewing a diverse … “The Vagina Monologues”: Turning Inspiration Into Action

By Kendall Shortway[1] I. Introduction Swaziland, Lesotho, Papua New Guinea, and the United States of America. These four countries seemingly have nothing in common. Swaziland and Lesotho are located in Africa, Papua New Guinea is in a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia and obviously, the United States is located in North … The United States and Swaziland; The Case for Paid Maternity Leave and Protection against Pregnancy Discrimination

by Robert Steinbuch [1] Freedom of press, expression, and thought means that government actors cannot prohibit such action.  But some governmental officials and academics seem not to understand the basic elements of this formula. The common and thoughtful refrain amongst free-speech experts is that the best check on offensive public speech is more speech, to … I AM CHARLIE

by: Jillian Fisher[i]   Free and fair elections are the cornerstone for America’s democracy. In the last several election cycles there has been a prominent shift resulting in the introduction of legislation that places limitations on citizens’ most fundamental right. Restrictions implemented across the nation include shortening or eliminating early voting, repealing same day election … Voter ID Laws: Unnecessary Burden of Our Most Fundamental Right

We live in a democratic society where voting is a right of citizenship. History shows that democracy works bests when informed citizens exercise their voting right. In an attempt to help inform Arkansas voters about what they will see on the November 4th ballot, the Arkansas Journal of Social Change and Public Service offers the … A Review of the 2014 Arkansas Ballot Initiatives

Dear Readers,   We are taking a break for the summer to regroup and will have new articles in September for you to think about. During this break if there are things that you would like to comment on feel free to Tweet @ARSocialChange or hit us up on Facebook.  You can also send us … 2014 Third Annual Bowen Poetry Slam

By Westley Ashley My knowledge of social change in America (in particular, the Civil Rights Movement) was personalized at a young age by my mother and grandmother. My mother helped integrate a school in small town Arkansas and her mother served as a social worker of sorts for a five county area in southwest Arkansas. … Art Inspiring Social Change: A review of <em>March: Book One</em> & conversation with illustrator Nate Powell

V.L. Cox, born in Shreveport, Louisiana and later raised in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, is an Arkansas artist who over the years as shown her commitment to public service. Cox currently lives and works in North Little Rock’s Lakewood neighborhood. It is just north of the river that Cox’s public service is more prominently on display. Cox … Spotlight: V.L. Cox–Artist and Public Servant

Dear Readers, I hope that you all enjoyed our articles last month on Women’s issues. We published an article written by Christina Sudduth and Mara D’Amico. This article talks about Nicaraguan law 779 which gives victims of violence stronger protection under Nicaraguan law. This is an important step in a country where 1 in 3 … Letter from the Editor