PolicyCast

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Better Policy Through A.R.T. May 27, 2015

Show notes

Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus, Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and professor of the practice of theatre at Harvard, explains why the arts are critical to the shaping of public policy. Paulus offers examples of how artistic works have engaged audiences to pursue change, and explores the responsibility artists have to account for the results of their works.

A Wholesale and Retail Approach to Digital Government May 20, 2015

Show notes

Nick Sinai, formerly a U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the White House and currently a Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy fellow at the Shorenstein Center, describes in detail the effort the Obama administration has put into modernizing the federal government’s digital services, both by opening up data to public and private groups, as well as to individual citizens by creating comprehensive online portals to access government services.

Tunisia and the Arab Spring May 13, 2015

Show notes

Former Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa and the Middle East Institute’s Dr. Paul Salem discuss Tunisia’s relative success in establishing a stable democracy in the wake of the Arab Spring. Jomaa, who recently delivered an address at the JFK Jr. Forum, and Salem, who lead a seminar at the Belfer Center’s Middle East Initiative, go into detail about how Tunisia’s strong national identity, existing civil service society and commitment to a secular government have set it apart.

Cursed with Clarity May 06, 2015

Show notes

Former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a spring 2015 fellow at the Institute of Politics, recounts how she became interested in a career in politics and speaks about issues of sexism and LGBT rights both in New York and across the United States.

Why Afghanistan Still Matters Apr 29, 2015

Show notes

Former NPR Kabul Correspondent and HKS alumnus Sean Carberry, here at HKS to lead a seminar at the Belfer Center's Future of Diplomacy Project as part of its South Asia Week, lays out the political situation in Afghanistan months after the official end of the war. He explains why Americans should still care about Afghanistan's stability, what difficulties the country’s new President Ashraf Ghani has encountered, and whether the conflict between the Taliban and ISIS could be a good thing for American interests.

How Presidential Campaigns Influence Governance Apr 22, 2015

Show notes

Republican strategist Matt Lira, a spring 2015 fellow at the Institute of Politics, discusses the early days of a presidential campaign, the importance of primaries, how campaign management eventually influences governance and what technologies will likely emerge as critical to 2016.

Cracks in the Glass Ceiling: Lessons From Finland's Former President Apr 15, 2015

Show notes

Former Finnish President Tarja Halonen, currently in residence at the Kennedy School as an Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow, recounts the challenges she faced as a woman ascending the Finnish ranks of power. She also explains some of the factors behind Finland’s consistently high rankings in many quality of life metrics.

Taking Down DOMA Apr 08, 2015

Show notes

Former Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, a spring 2015 fellow at the Institute of Politics, recounts the legal journey that ultimately led to the US Supreme Court’s 2013 decision to strike down a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act - a major victory for the LGBT rights movement.

A Political Crossroads in Indonesia Apr 01, 2015

Show notes

HKS Adjunct Lecturer Jay Rosengard, faculty chair of the Ash Center’s HKS Indonesia Program, breaks down the political climate in Indonesia, just months after the election of a new, potentially transformational president. He explains how Indonesia’s still-young democracy will be put to the test as the new president seeks to work with a parliament controlled by the opposition.

Behind the Steady Recovery in Cyprus Mar 25, 2015

Show notes

Cyprus’ Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Yiorgos Lakkotrypis describes his country’s slow emergence from a deep economic recession following a 2013 EU bail-in that came with significant austerity measures attached. He points out bright spots in the country’s traditional industries as well as the promise of building a new energy industry through offshore gas exploration. He also speaks about negotiations with Turkey over reunification of the island of Cyprus and how Turkish exploration has, at least temporarily, scuttled progress in those talks.

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