Policy 360

Duke professor William A. (Sandy) Darity joins host Manoj Mohanan, interim Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, to discuss his research on the racial wealth gap and its historical roots. They examine the implications of various policy proposals, including reparations and baby bonds, and how these policies might address the persistent disparities between Black and white h...

In this episode we will explore a policy idea that Republicans and Democrats seem to agree upon: expanding the Child Tax Credit. Duke professors Anna Gassman-Pines and Lisa Gennetian join host Manoj Mohanan, interim Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke, to discuss their recent op-ed, "Cash Alone Won't Relieve 'Surviving' American Families." They delve into the history of the Child T...

Frank Bruni discusses his new book, "The Age of Grievance." --- Frank Bruni is a distinguished journalist and celebrated author. He talks with Judith Kelley about his latest book, "The Age of Grievance," which explores the cultural and political impacts of Americans' fixation on grievances: "More and more Americans are convinced that they're losing because somebody else is winning. More and more t...

Maria Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for challenging corruption in her native country, the Philippines. She is now focused on the threat to democracy from big tech. --- Maria Ressa is a groundbreaking international journalist. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her efforts to address corruption in the Philippines. Ressa is CEO of Rappler, an international news organization that she...

New series of related courses at Duke University explore civil discourse and democracy. --- Today's guests argue that the January 6th storming of the Capitol in the United States is a stark example of the violence that can come from the way in which people talk to each other across the political divide. To address the issue, Duke faculty members Stephen Buckley and Sue Wasiolek have developed a se...

In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded her the National Humanities Medal for "championing the stories of an unsung history." A conversation with Isabel Wilkerson. --- Isabel Wilkerson, an esteemed American journalist and author, visited the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy recently to meet with students and present the 2024 Terry Sanford Lecture. Born in Washington, D.C., and a graduate of Ho...

"In 2018,  Gallup recorded that some 74% of Americans said they had 'a great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in the military; in 2023, that number had dropped to 60%.  That is still high compared to other governmental institutions, but it is a marked decline." – Peter Feaver Peter Feaver is a professor at Duke University, where he runs the Program in American Grand Strategy. He talks with Jud...

Jasmine Crowe-Houston is a social entrepreneur and founder of Goodr.co. Jasmine started her journey cooking soul food for hungry unhoused people in her kitchen in her one-bedroom apartment in Atlanta. She fed upwards of 500 people a week for years with pop-up kitchens and parks and parking lots. Then in 2017, she founded  Goodr , a technology-based food waste management company that connects firms...

Cal Newport's books, with titles like Deep Work ,  Digital Minimalism , and  A World Without Email,  have sold over two million copies worldwide. He's a contributing writer for the New Yorker, weighing in on hot button tech issues of the day. He is also a professor and a founding member of Georgetown University's Center for Digital Ethics. He joins host Judith Kelley, Dean of the Sanford School of...

In this episode: how a program that supports kids outside of the school hours is driving student educational outcomes. New research shows that programs like Student U, which provides extra academics to participants after the school day and on summer breaks, along with field trips, social workers for families and more, should be considered closely as models by policymakers. The results indicate "co...

Richard Burr retired recently from public service after serving five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2005) and three in the U.S. Senate (2005-2023). He came to Duke's campus to speak to students in Professor Jon Rosenwasser's Master of National Security Policy course, PubPol 890: Promise and Peril of US Intelligence. While on campus, he spoke with Duke Sanford School of Public Pol...

Stephen J. Hadley served as deputy national security advisor, and then national security advisor to President George W. Bush. He recently edited a new book, along with Duke professor Peter Feaver and others,  Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama. The book is a collection of the national security and foreign policy memos that were prepared for the transition between th...

The Marvel Cinematic ​Universe (MCU) features compelling characters and intertwined storylines. Think Captain America, Iron Man, X-Men, Thor, the Hulk, The Fantastic Four, Ant-Man, Wolverine, Black Panther, the Avengers and more. Today's guests argue that in addition to being exciting stories to watch, the MCU features lots of messages about government, public policy, and society — and they've col...

It's no secret that the United States has major issues with gun violence and police brutality, but with a growing distrust between communities facing high rates of gun violence and law enforcement, how can we prevent future crimes and make our communities safer? Judith Kelly, Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University considers this question and more with Professor in the Schoo...

Plastics are a huge part of our everyday life, and most people know that plastics contribute to litter, but did you know that plastics also add to climate change? Host Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy, Judith Kelley discusses this issue and potential policy solutions  with Duke Ph. D. candidate Zoie Diana.  Guest:   Zoie Diana, Ph. D. candidate in Marine Science & Conservation at Duke U...

CO2 emissions play a major role in climate change. Guest host and J.D./UPEP doctoral candidate Gabriela Nagle Alverio speaks with Sanford Professor and Interim Director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Brian Murray about different carbon tax approaches and their pros and cons for curbing emissions. Guest: Brian Murray: Interim Director of the Nicholas Institute...

Climate change is forcing many people to move due to environmental stressors like heat, hurricane, and drought. Duke Sanford School of Public Policy Dean Judith Kelley speaks with Kerilyn Schewel and Sarah Bermeo of the Duke Center for International Development about emerging climate migration patterns and how research might better inform policy. Guests: Sarah Bermeo: Director of Graduate Studies...

When it comes to climate change, it's important for all of us to think in new ways. For example, can we use artificial worlds to improve access to energy data? Are there ways to track climate change with satellites and AI? Guests: Marc Jeuland, faculty member at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University Kyle Bradbury, Managing Director of the Energy Data Analytics Lab at the Nicholas...

According to a recent bipartisan report from the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institution, the federal budget inadequately addresses children's needs. After three years of work, the group's consensus outlines a range of budget-neutral policy recommendations. Guests: Michael Strain, the Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute and one of the working gr...

Ray Starling grew up on a hog and tobacco farm in rural North Carolina. He recalls working on the property by age five. Abdullah Antepli grew up in poverty in a slum in Turkey - his father left school in the fifth grade, and his mother is illiterate. Today, both men live in North Carolina, and their politics could not be more different. Starling leans right - he is a former principal agriculture a...

Russia has invaded Ukraine. In response, President Biden has promised that the U.S. will impose "severe sanctions" against Russia for its actions. But what are sanctions exactly? How do they work? Do they have a history of working? Do they work well? Bruce Jentleson is a former State Department official. He has held numerous senior foreign policy positions in past U.S. administrations. He's a prof...

COVID-19 has upended lives around the world. Prior to the pandemic, Jennifer Lansford and her colleagues were conducting in-depth. multi-year research on children and families in nine countries. They are now expanding their research to consider COVID-19 and children and parents' mental health. Jennifer Lansford is a research professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University where...

Duke Sanford School of Public Policy Professor Stephen Buckley argues In some ways, the events of January 6 and related actions by Trump and his allies feel "like a coup that will never end. An almost invisible, drip, drip, drip coup. Or, as one friend recently called it, 'a termite coup.'" Read the article in The Atlantic Get show notes, transcript & credits

Stephen Glass's story is legendary in certain circles –  he is one of the most famous liars in journalism. In 1998, as a young writer for the New Republic and other magazines, Glass fabricated more than 40 articles. And not just small details, he made up whole characters and scenes. His story even became a film called  Shattered Glass. After Glass was caught, he had to somehow put his life back to...

Twelve Duke students had an exciting opportunity recently – they attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. They join us to discuss what stood out to them, what worries them, and what gives them hope. Get show notes, transcript & credits.