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The Behavioral Science Revolution is Over-Hyped

12.29.17

BY DAVID FULL The October 2017 decision to award the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences to Professor Richard Thaler, a pioneer of behavioral economics and the father of ‘Nudge’ theory, promotes the narrative that behavioral science has sparked a public policy revolution. Even the latest series in the Harvard Kennedy School Review declared that “the […]

Dear Opioid Czar, Start Here. Sincerely, Physicians.

12.27.17

BY DR. ALISTER MARTIN The knocks came in three shrill taps on the screen door to her apartment in Everett, Massachusetts. An hour before Cheryl, whose name was changed for this story, had sent a text to her dealer telling him to delete her phone number. She had two young children and her prescription pain […]

Singapore: A Climate-Resilient City?

12.23.17

Extreme weather events made worse by climate change are wreaking havoc on cities worldwide. Al Lim evaluates Singapore’s climate resilience through the lens of the recent MRT flooding incidents, and explores how Singapore can strengthen social resilience as a community.

Development and Economic Growth

Redefining Mass Shootings, Searching for the Right Words

12.17.17

BY JULIUS LIM For most of us, last Thursday passed by just like any other day. But December 14, 2017, marked the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting. Though most of us carried on with our lives unaware of the day’s significance, memorials were held to mourn the tragic loss of twenty children and […]

Singapore’s Economic Future is Southeast Asia

12.16.17

To secure Singapore’s economic future, look to Southeast Asia. In the past fifty years, Singapore has been the economic success story of the region. The tables are now starting to turn. ASEAN countries are now some of the fastest growing countries in the world, and Brendan Chia argues that Southeast Asia holds the key to Singapore’s own economic growth.

Development and Economic Growth

The Day I Learned from Elton John

12.12.17

Early last month, like many other Harvard affiliates, I lined up for tickets to the Harvard Foundation’s Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award ceremony at the Sanders Theater. The nominee of the year was no one else but Sir Elton John. Beyond the willingness to support his charitable work on AIDS/HIV, I would guess many there […]

Human Rights

Video Interview: Alex Greenwich MP

12.11.17

Our very own, Jessi Whitby, interviews Alex Greenwich MP at the Victory Institute‘s International LGBTQ Leaders Conference! They chat about the recent gay marriage vote in Australia, and more – take a look! #victoryinst #lgbtq#LGBTQLeaders17

Gender, Race and Identity

The Perils of Data-Driven Policy Decisions

12.11.17

BY ANGELICA QUICKSEY Although quantitative data and analysis can help us design better policies and programs, we have edged alarmingly close to a worldview that suggests the use of data automatically scrubs away ideology and prejudice. This worldview neglects the ways that numbers can reflect human biases and the ways data can be dangerous. Data […]

Tax Havens are Rogue States: It’s Time for Sanctions

12.8.17

BY ABE BALDRY True, Monaco doesn’t have a nuclear program. But when the Paradise Papers were leaked in early November, the world learned that tax havens such as Monaco cause as much harm as rogue states. When tax havens help the rich to avoid paying their fair share, every pound that goes uncollected is a […]

Uncertain allies: the Jerusalem announcement amid shifting regional priorities

12.7.17

President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem undoubtedly complicates the picture; is the Holy City a red-line issue which the Saudis will feel compelled to publicly object to? As guardians of the two holiest sites in Islam, there has historically been an expectation that the Saudis would repudiate such a move. But, in these new times, will the royals bite their tongues, calculating that the Kingdom’s deepening links with the Jewish state are more important than demanding that East Jerusalem be reserved as the future capital of a Palestinian state?

International Relations and Security

Americans are morally responsible for America’s war on Yemen – a series on Yemen, part 1

12.5.17

Despite over two and a half years of war, the average American seems oblivious to the United States’ role in fueling the conflict in Yemen. The US government (beginning with the Obama administration and continuing with Trump) has continued to fully support the Saudi-led coalition through the sale of weapons, mid-air refueling, targeting intelligence, and other logistical support.

International Relations and Security

The US-Saudi coalition’s impact on Yemen’s health – a series on Yemen, part 2

12.5.17

In 2016, at least 63,000 children either starved to death or died of preventable diseases such as cholera. Another 50,000 are estimated to have died this year, bringing the total to over 113,000 children.

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