Kennedy School Review
Established in 1999, the mission of the Harvard Kennedy School Review (KSR) was to publish articles that offer compelling analysis and insight and put forward pragmatic and innovative solutions for the major issues of our time. KSR sought to publish timely, provocative, important articles that influence policymakers and practitioners, stimulate public debate, and showcase the best work of Kennedy School students. KSR provided an opportunity for students to challenge, change, and influence the policy debate on crucial policy issues.
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Last Chance to Save the World? COP21 in Perspective
11.23.15
BY JOELLE THOMAS Before the attacks in Paris last weekend, French President Hollande had been calling the upcoming climate conference the “last chance to save the world” from catastrophic climate change. These words seem to take on a deeper meaning as Paris, shaken yet resilient, is gearing up to welcome 50,000 people, including 90 heads […]
Refugee Resettlement and Responsible Rhetoric
11.18.15
BY ANDREA BLINKHORN AND DANIEL TOSTADO Washington, D.C. – As the asylum interview dragged into its second hour, Sandrine became very sleepy. In my office in D.C. sat two sisters, Sandrine and Camille, ages 15 and 17. During political unrest, government militias killed their parents, and so over the course of 18 months, they fled […]
Indonesia in Flames
11.17.15
Indonesia’s forest is burning. Around 8,100 square miles of land, almost equivalent to the size of New Jersey, is in flames. According to the World Resource Institute, the daily emissions from the forest fires since the first week of September are larger than the average daily emissions produced by the entire U.S. domestic economy. Forests […]
Where Does France Go From Here? A Manifesto For Another Debate
11.16.15
This is an open letter signed by French, Francophone and Francophile members of the Harvard community. This page will be updated with more signatures: if you’d like to add your name to the list, please contact Hugo Zylberberg. The dust of the explosions has hardly settled in Paris and it is still hard to put […]
From Losing to Leading: How Justin Trudeau and the Liberals Formed Canada’s New Government
10.31.15
BY BENJAMIN GILLIES It is not often Canadian federal politics makes international headlines, but youthful and charismatic Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau caused a minor global stir last week when he ousted Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s governing Conservatives. Likely, however, nobody was more surprised to wake up last Tuesday morning to a Liberal majority government […]
Everybody Loves Space But Nobody Wants to Pay for it
10.30.15
BY DAVID PAYNE Packed seats, people standing wherever they could find space, and a rush towards the stage at the end to meet the event’s stars. That scene, characteristic of a pop star’s reception, unfolded on October 27th when NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and 100-Year Starship Principal Dr. Mae Jemison spoke at Harvard’s JFK Jr. […]
Third Republican Debate by the Numbers
10.29.15
BY LAUREN LEATHERBY Last night, GOP presidential candidates took to the stage for the third Republican presidential debate of the 2016 election season. This debate was the first Republican debate since the Democratic candidates made their first appearance on the debate stage just over two weeks ago, on Oct. 13. Moderators and candidates in both […]
The Changing Role of the Moderator and the Debate
10.26.15
BY LUCY BOYD “That’s how we’ve been crafting our questions, so that Senator X will respond to what Governor Y said about him or a policy he proposed and try to encourage them to actually debate Lincoln-Douglas style as much as possible.” – Jake Tapper, moderator, before second GOP debate on September 16, 2015. The […]
A Value Crisis: Brazil’s Long Journey to Social Cohesion
10.18.15
BY FELIPE ORIÁ Avoidance coping (noun) – A maladaptive mechanism characterized by the effort to avoid dealing with a source of tension or stress. Avoidance coping is common for individuals, but also not a rare sight at the societal level. Brazil is currently showcasing the impressive power of avoidance mechanisms. Facing the choice between a […]
A Relative Discovery
10.11.15
Why the Harvard Kennedy School Must Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day BY DELORIS WILSON AND CHRISTINA FLETES In telling your friends you’ve “discovered” a new restaurant, you imply to have found something you like; something your social circle is not yet “hip” to; something that should be on everyone’s radar but – because of your keen […]
Raising and Indexing the Federal Minimum Wage: An Ethical and Economic Imperative
10.7.15
BY ADAM LAROSE In an era of federal congressional gridlock and lack of movement on issues with the likes of immigration, budget resolutions, climate change, and gun regulation reform, it comes as no surprise that an increase in the federal minimum wage has been cast aside. The most recent and serious proposal came from the Obama […]
Routine Horror
10.5.15
BY DAVID PAYNE This is part of a student series stemming from a discussion at the Harvard Kennedy School on gun control. If you would like us to include your voice, send your pitch to harvardksrpitches@gmail.com. Ten die in a mass shooting. The shooter was impressively well armed. President Obama takes the podium to offer […]