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Democracy in 2025: Harvard professors on rising authoritarianism in the United States

“Authoritarianism is new to many Americans,” said Steven Levitsky late last month. “And Americans have responded in a couple different ways—but we see a couple of misperceptions that concern us.” ...
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Harvard’s Growth Lab researchers diagnose South Africa’s decline and suggest tough choices to move forward

Concluding a two-year investigation, researchers at Harvard Kennedy School’s Growth Lab have issued a stark diagnosis of the “collapsing state capacity” in South Africa after decades of policy ...
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Citizens have long taken to the streets to demand change, expressing political views that may otherwise be suppressed. Protests have produced change at local, national, and international scales, ...
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Explainer: Understanding the SNAP program—and what cuts to these benefits may mean

Between the government shutdown and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called Food Stamps) is undergoing significant cuts. This 60-year ...
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Explainer: Why the “casual invocation” of the Insurrection Act by President Trump is so unusual

A little-used federal law is getting quite a bit of attention in the Trump administration. The Insurrection Act, first enacted in 1807, allows the president to deploy the United States military and ...
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We write today with profound sadness to share that Setti Warren, Director of the Institute of Politics, has passed away. Setti was a beloved member of our community, and we are devastated by this ...
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From AI to EVs, industrial policy plays a strategic role in a nation’s power and security

Economists, industry leaders, and policymakers explored the current debates over industrial policy—the strategies a government takes to stimulate economic growth through tools like subsidies, tax ...
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Nancy Pelosi speaks on culture wars, redistricting, and the Democrats’ stand on the shutdown—but don’t tell her that her party is “rudderless”

Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House of Representatives, visited Harvard Kennedy School to speak in class with Ambassador Katherine Tai, Institute of Politics (IOP) fall 2025 fellow and former ...
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Young voters shifted right in the 2024 election; the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation examined why

One of the most surprising statistics from the 2024 presidential election was the surge of support President Trump received from Gen Z voters. While these voters, born between 1997 and 2012, turned ...
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Explainer: Why government shutdowns keep happening in the United States

The U.S. government shut down on October 1 as Republican and Democratic funding bills failed to reach the necessary number of votes in the Senate and efforts to prevent a shutdown failed. Government ...
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On the Digital Frontline with Russia: Hybrid Warfare, Ukraine, and Lessons Learned for the West

In this publication, Technology and Human Rights Fellow Anna Romandash examines Russia’s use of hybrid warfare against Ukraine, which blended cyberattacks, disinformation, economic coercion, and ...
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The views expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights or Harvard Kennedy School. These perspectives have been presented to ...