Politics
How do policy ideas and political power intersect? What are the most effective ways public leaders can balance political realities and policy priorities?
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The Man Who Would be King: Muqtada al-Sadr’s Legitimation in the Iraqi Shi’a Field
Western media and analysts have scrambled to ask, “Who is Muqtada al-Sadr?” Harvard Divinity School student Ryan Zoellner offers an analysis of the Iraqi leader.Explore all Articles
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Historic moment: Joe Biden sworn in, as Kamala Harris takes oath as the first African-American Vice President in US history
01.27.21
Joseph R Biden has been sworn in as the 46th President of the United States of America. Mr. Biden won the US presidential election in November 2020 with 306 electoral colleges. Kamala Harris, who was Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick made history after she took an oath of office in a colorful ceremony at the Capitol […]
DSA Muslim Caucus: a New Home for the Muslim Left
01.18.21
“Even if the end of time is upon you and you have a seedling in your hand, plant it.”
Ron Johnson: Senator for the Rich
01.17.21
Wisconsin’s political history has no shortage of embarrassments, from Joseph McCarthy to modern Republican demagogues like Scott Walker and Reince Priebus. Ron Johnson has contributed to that legacy of shame with gusto.
Capitol Rioters Have Not Lost Control
01.13.21
With more pro-Trump actions planned before Joe Biden’s inauguration, it is crucial we address the real shortcomings of Capitol Police: their sympathy towards and involvement in white supremacy.
Responding to the Right
12.12.20
The rise and (hopeful) fall of populist right-wing movements like Trump’s holds three important lessons for progressives.
Op-Ed: Fare Thee Well JJ Rawlings
12.4.20
On Thursday, 12 November 2020, I learned of former Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings’ passing when I noticed a slew of “WhatsApp” condolence messages from fellow Harvard Kennedy School students, sharing with one another perspectives of Rawlings’ legacy as a leading historical Ghanaian leader, transforming the nation from authoritarianism to a multi-party democracy. Rawlings’ storied […]
Latin America in the Limbo
10.22.20
When Mauricio Claver-Carone was elected as president of the Inter American Development Bank (IADB) last September, a 60-year tradition was broken, deepening the irrelevancy of Latin America in the global stage. This is so because the IADB, a key player when it comes to funding projects for the Latin American countries, has had a non-written […]
The Room Where it Happens: Women in Democratic Politics in the United States
10.19.20
To the outsider, it may appear that a long-delayed reckoning with sexism is finally occurring within the Democratic party. In the past two years, women drove the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives, the head of the National Institutes of Health declared an end to all-male panels, and women now make up the majority […]
In Guarding Democracy, Hindsight Really Will be 2020: The Tabletop Exercise as a Model for Securing American Elections
10.15.20
When it comes to securing US elections against foreign interference, training humans may be the best investment.
Random Man Runs for President: Andrew Yang and the Media
08.2.20
When the media never fully determined how to cover the first Asian-American Democrat running for president nationally, it created a plethora of challenges for Andrew Yang’s historic campaign. Despite receiving disproportionate obstacles for a candidate of his polling level, Yang resiliently left a legacy that shaped national discourse on policy and empowered other Asian-Americans to […]
This Time is Different, or So They Say
07.30.20
We are less than four months away from a very contentious election in Myanmar. The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party is desperate to make a comeback, the case accusing Myanmar of genocide continues at the International Court of Justice, the repatriation of Rohingya refugees remains an open question, and COVID-19 has delayed the ongoing […]
More Than a Numbers Game: Gender Quotas in Africa’s Parliaments
07.9.20
2020 MARKS THE twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a seminal moment when world leaders committed to key principles that still guide global action to advance women’s rights.[i] The platform called for greater representation of women in all spheres of society and, more specifically, for countries to establish goals for gender […]