Government

A physics-based analysis of U.S. elections finds that the electorate has become more polarized over time, leading to an unstable situation in which very small chages in opinion can lead to wide swings in electoral outcomes.

Study uses physics to explain democratic elections

U.S. elections have become more “unstable,” sometimes swinging in the opposite direction from the greater electorate’s preferences.

January 21, 2020

3 Questions: Maria Zuber on guidance for foreign nationals following recent Homeland Security memo

Vice president for research clarifies the memo’s intention and provides guidance.

January 14, 2020

Assistant Professor Valerie Karplus and her collaborators have demonstrated that measurements of air pollutants taken by NASA satellites are often a good indicator of emissions on the ground. Their approach provides regulators with a low-cost tool to ensure that industrial firms are complying with emissions standards.

Tracking emissions in China

Evaluating a 2014 policy change yields some good news and some concerns.

December 30, 2019

Anoushka Bose is moving purposefully toward a public-service career in nuclear policy and diplomacy.

Anoushka Bose: Targeting a career in security studies and diplomacy

Nuclear science and engineering and physics met political science to illuminate a new path.

December 17, 2019

“There is a grand strategy of fear at play here, and to be frank, it is, for the most part, effective,” says Nigerian journalist Shola Lawal. “It’s hard not to self-censor when you know you can be kidnapped or detained and that you’ll only become another statistic.”

3 Questions: Shola Lawal on human rights and social justice

The Nigerian journalist is the recipient of a prestigious fellowship that provides residencies at MIT, The Boston Globe, and The New York Times.

December 17, 2019

TPP student Nina Peluso shares discussion takeaways at the inaugural event for the Technology and Policy Program’s new Research to Policy Engagement Initiative.

Technology and Policy Program launches Research to Policy Engagement Initiative

Initiative will support efforts to inform policy with scientific research.

December 5, 2019

According to MIT Professor Jonathan Gruber, there are two important barriers to MIT research influencing policy decisions: the translation of sometimes complicated research findings into policy-relevant lessons, and making connections between MIT faculty and relevant government policymakers. The MIT Policy Lab has been very successful in overcoming both barriers.

3 Questions: Jonathan Gruber on academics engaging with policymakers

Professor of economics cites the importance of initiatives like the MIT Policy Lab, which helps academics focus some energy on influencing public policy.

November 6, 2019

The State of Minnesota is one of J-PAL North America's five new partners across the U.S. The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy and Minnesota Management and Budget will look to identify ways to increase the use of Minnesota’s prescription monitoring program. The Minnesota State Court Administrator’s Office and Minnesota Management and Budget will seek to determine which behavioral strategies are most...

J-PAL North America announces five new partnerships with state and local governments

New partners will work with J-PAL to develop rigorous evaluations of policies related to criminal justice, health, housing stability, and economic security.

October 28, 2019

"The story here is not just about whether people are legally allowed to vote," says Ariel White, "but about whether they are practically able to vote, whether they know they're allowed to vote, and whether they think they have any reason to do so."

3 Questions: Ariel White on the impact of incarceration on voting

The political consequence of even short jail terms is disproportionately pushing African-American voters out of the electorate.

October 28, 2019

The MIT Vote-a-saurus in Lobby 7 helped encourage students to register to vote.

MIT student voting rates climb to nearly 40 percent

New technologies and campus engagement helped to spur a 26.4 percent increase in voting rates from 2014 to 2018.

October 22, 2019

Guillermo Toral (left) and Tugba Bozcaga

What makes for better bureaucracy?

Political science PhD candidates Guillermo Toral and Tugba Bozcaga find that government-appointed officials deliver the goods — given the right circumstances.

October 21, 2019

"In my view," says MIT Professor Elizabeth Wood, "the core motivation behind [election] interference is Russia's two-fold belief a) that the most important goal of the Russian state is world power status and b) that such status cannot be achieved without recourse to espionage and manipulation."

3 Questions: Historian Elizabeth Wood on election interference

How do we understand Russia’s multi-layered interference in the 2016 elections? A Russia expert and professor of history analyzes Russia’s motives.

October 17, 2019

New MIT study identifies “model” Indian cities that effectively preserve citizen privacy, while leveraging their data to improve government efficiency.

How cities can leverage citizen data while protecting privacy

Study offers models for preserving the privacy of citizens while using their data to improve government services.

September 25, 2019

Looking under the surface of politics in Latin America

Associate Professor Danny Hidalgo’s work reveals some difficult truths about money, elections, and political influence.

September 24, 2019

Daron Acemoglu and his new book, “The Narrow Corridor.”

The permanent struggle for liberty

Daron Acemoglu’s new book examines the battle between state and society, which occasionally produces liberal-democratic freedom.