Democracy and Institutions

When it comes to politics, April 2020 may be just as important as November 2020. Why? 1 April 2020 is enumeration day for the 2020 Census, a monumental task the federal government undertakes every ten years to count each and every resident—but this time, part of that count will occur for the first time over […]

This moment offers a rare opportunity for foreign powers to help break Lebanon’s historical cycles of violence and support demands for a shift to a more robust and representative democracy.

Singapore practices a brand of “accommodationist secularism” that is premised on the assumption that a separation between religion and politics is possible. Yong Han Poh argues that this assumption is flawed, and unpacks its implications on policy, political representation and religious harmony.

Conversation with Jidenna: Music, Memory & The Black Atlantic This week the Harvard Africa Policy Journal and Harvard African Law Association hosted Jidenna at Harvard Law School. APJ Interview Editor Jacob Omorodion (JD ’20) sat down with Jidenna to discuss his latest album, the 85 to Africa Tour, the “Black Atlantic,” and transnational black identity.

Listen Here! Welcome to our first HJHP Podcast episode for the 2019-2020 academic year. We kick off this year’s series, Pain to Power, with an interview with Delia Garcia, Kansas Secretary of Labor. In our conversation with Secretary Garcia, we learned about her journey from her family’s restaurant in Wichita to her role as an […]

Ameze Belo-Osagie: Today, we have the honor of sitting with His Excellency, President Nana Akufo-Addo on his birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. President!  My name is Ameze Belo-Osagie, and I’m an interview editor for the Africa Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School. Memme Onwudiwe: My name is Memme Onwudiwe, and I’m senior interview editor for […]

“It is tempting to believe that the cynic is, somehow, more intelligent than the dreamer. But in truth, pragmatism is no smarter than idealism.” Lee Chin Wee argues that, in discussions about Singapore’s future, we should leave room at the table for idealists and dreamers. In his view, it is a mistake to treat the government’s growth-oriented and metrics-focused narrative of pragmatism as gospel truth. When Singaporeans present and grapple with competing visions of the ‘good’, this strengthens social inclusion and improves policy-making.

Their symbol: a white headscarf. Their weapon: a list of names spoken aloud. Their mission: to keep the memory of their children, “disappeared” by the Argentine military junta four decades ago, alive in the memory of modern-day Argentina and beyond. The Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Mothers of May Plaza), many now in their 70s […]

In December 2017, Iraq’s government declared victory over the Islamic State (ISIL), ending more than three years of ISIL’s brutal occupation of large swaths of Iraq. Yet for the 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Iraq today, the conflict is far from over.[1] This is especially true for ordinary Iraqi Sunnis affiliated with ISIL, […]

After nearly eight years and immense human suffering, the Bashar al-Assad regime is nearing victory in Syria. Aleppo City, Homs, and Rif Damascus—once strongholds of the opposition—have fallen to government forces. President Assad, who in the course of the conflict has employed chemical weapons and indiscriminate violence against Syrians, has now turned his sights on […]

Social media has indeed amplified, but still simply carried on, the tradition of American politics that favors appearances over reality.

In their first debates on June 26 and 27, twenty candidates made the case for why they should be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee. The candidates highlighted a number of tangible and compelling reasons, including their prior records in government, their well-conceived policy solutions, and their electability. But, while pedigree and experience are important predictors […]