Latest news with #KennedySchool
Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Harvard creates new public service programme, as Trump slashes federal jobs
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Described as the largest one-year scholarship programme in the Kennedy School's history, the fellowships are valued at $100,000 (S$128,650), covering tuition, fees and an additional stipend. Harvard's Kennedy School of Government announced on July 17 the creation of a new scholarship programme that will fully fund master's degrees for at least 50 students with significant experience in the public sector, including the military. The one-year programme, which will enroll students in the autumn of 2026, is intended to foster careers in public service. The pilot programme, called the American Service Fellowship, comes as the Trump administration is bulldozing the federal workforce, including laying off many career public servants. The administration has dismantled the US Agency for International Development , a humanitarian relief agency, and plans to gut the Education Department . 'In this moment of political division and major challenges in America, it's never been a more important time to invest in the next generation of public servants,' Professor Jeremy Weinstein, the dean of the Kennedy School, said in the announcement. Described as the largest one-year scholarship programme in the Kennedy School's history, the fellowships are valued at $100,000 (S$128,650), covering tuition, fees and an additional stipend. Harvard did not disclose the identities of the donors who funded the scholarships. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Asia Air India probe of Boeing 787 fuel control switches finds no issues Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail When it comes to higher education, many of the Trump administration's attacks are focused on Harvard , which, it says, has tolerated campus antisemitism. The federal government, in a legal duel over university governance, has stripped Harvard of billions of dollars, tried to stop its enrollment of international students, and challenged its accreditation. The Kennedy School, known for its graduate programmes in public administration and public policy, said it would recruit nationally for the master's program. It hopes to receive applicants from all 50 states and anticipates that half the students will come from the military and the other half from other public service careers, including public school teachers. The Kennedy School said applicants should demonstrate academic and professional excellence, a proven track record of strong leadership and a 'deep commitment to public service'. Applicants should have at least seven years of service in the US armed forces or in federal, state or local government, which includes teaching and law enforcement, or in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or other full-time civilian service programmes. Earlier in 2025, the Kennedy School offered career assistance to alumni, a programme started primarily for those affected by the federal layoffs. NYTIMES
New York Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Harvard Creates New Public Service Program, as Trump Slashes Federal Jobs
Harvard's Kennedy School of Government announced on Thursday the creation of a new scholarship program that will fully fund master's degrees for at least 50 students with significant experience in the public sector, including the military. The one-year program, which will enroll students in fall 2026, is intended to foster careers in public service. The pilot program, called the American Service Fellowship, comes as the Trump administration is bulldozing the federal work force, including laying off many career public servants. The administration has dismantled U.S.A.I.D., the humanitarian relief agency, and plans to gut the Education Department. 'In this moment of political division and major challenges in America, it's never been a more important time to invest in the next generation of public servants,' Jeremy Weinstein, the dean of the Kennedy School, said in the announcement. Described as the largest one-year scholarship program in the Kennedy School's history, the fellowships are valued at $100,000, covering tuition, fees and an additional stipend. Harvard did not disclose the identities of the donors who funded the scholarships. When it comes to higher education, many of the Trump administration's attacks are focused on Harvard, which, it says, has tolerated campus antisemitism. The federal government, in a legal duel over university governance, has stripped Harvard of billions of dollars, tried to stop its enrollment of international students and challenged its accreditation. The Kennedy School, known for its graduate programs in public administration and public policy, said it would recruit nationally for the master's program. It hopes to receive applicants from all 50 states and anticipates that half the students will come from the military and the other half from other public service careers, including public school teachers. Applicants, the Kennedy School said, should demonstrate academic and professional excellence, a proven track record of strong leadership and a 'deep commitment to public service.' Applicants should have at least seven years of service in the U.S. armed forces or in federal, state or local government, which includes teaching and law enforcement or in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or other full-time civilian service programs. Earlier this year, the Kennedy School offered career assistance to alumni, a program started primarily for those affected by the federal layoffs.
Globe and Mail
14-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
How ideology can trump self-interest
Dani Rodrik is professor of International Political Economy at Harvard Kennedy School, past president of the International Economic Association and the author of the forthcoming Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World: A New Economics for the Middle Class, the Global Poor, and Our Climate. Among the disasters of U.S. President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' one is particularly stinging for political economists: it radically phases out the clean-energy subsidies introduced during former president Joe Biden's administration three years ago. These subsidies were considered by many as immune to a change of presidents, because they created new jobs and profit opportunities for firms in traditionally Republican-voting 'red' states. As allergic as the Trump-controlled Republican Party is to green policies, the conventional wisdom was that it would not dare take away these benefits. So where did the conventional wisdom go wrong? Scholars who study how political decisions are made tend to focus on economic costs and benefits. They reason that legislation that creates material gains for organized, well-connected groups at the expense of diffuse losses to the rest of society are more likely to be passed. Many elements of Mr. Trump's bill are indeed well explained by this perspective: in particular, it engineers a dramatic transfer of income to the wealthy at the expense of the poor. By the same token, legislation that creates concentrated losses for powerful economic interests is unlikely to make much headway. This explains, for example, why raising the price of carbon, a requirement for fighting climate change but a big hit to fossil-fuel interests, has been a politically toxic non-starter in the U.S. Opinion: Trump's green-bashing is precisely why it's a good time to buy green Mr. Biden's green-energy program, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), was designed to overcome this political obstacle. Instead of wielding a stick – carbon taxation – it offered carrots in the form of subsidies for solar, wind, and other renewables. The idea was that in time, as people benefitted from the subsidies and the green lobbies strengthened, perhaps even a direct push against fossil fuels would become politically feasible. These hopes have been shattered. The green lobbies did try to soften the bill's anti-IRA provisions, and they managed to delay the phasing out of wind and solar tax credits until mid-2026. But while the IRA has not been repealed in full, the Democrats' anticipated green transition now lies in tatters. Those who subscribe to the materialist version of political economy will find ways to rationalize the reversal. The regressive tax cuts for the rich required that revenues be found elsewhere, so perhaps a less influential interest group was sacrificed for a more powerful one. Or maybe three years were not enough for IRA subsidies to create a strong enough lobby in their favour. Ultimately, though, these excuses ring false. We need to accept that ideology sometimes trumps material interests. There can be little doubt that many Republican lawmakers voted against their constituents' economic interests – some because they feared reprisals from Mr. Trump, others because they truly are climate skeptics and, like the President, oppose anything that smacks of green activism. Regardless, ideas about what is important and how the world works prevailed over economic lobbies or vested interests. There is a broader lesson here: Narratives can be as important as interest-group politics in gaining traction for a party's agenda. The ability to shape worldviews and ideologies – of elites as well as ordinary voters – is a powerful weapon. Those who have it can persuade people to make choices that seem to conflict with their economic interests. In fact, interests themselves, economic or otherwise, are shaped by ideas. In order to figure out whether we gain or lose from a particular policy, we need to know how the policy will play out in the real world, and also what would happen in the absence of the policy. Few among us have the ability or inclination to figure it out. Ideologies offer shortcuts to such complicated decision-making processes. Some of these ideologies take the form of stories and narratives about how the world works. A right-wing politician, for example, might say 'government intervention always backfires'; others focus on increasing the salience of various types of identities – ethnic, religious, or political. Depending on context, the message could be 'immigrants are your enemy' or 'Democrats are your enemy.' Importantly, the concept of 'self-interest' itself relies on an implicit idea about who the 'self' is: who we are, distinct from others, and what our purpose is. These ideas are not fixed in nature or at birth. An alternative tradition in political economy views interests as socially constructed rather than determined by material circumstances. Depending on whether we identify as 'white male,' 'working-class,' or 'evangelical,' for example, we will see our interests differently. As constructivists might say, 'interest is an idea.' So for Mr. Trump's opponents to succeed, they must do more than produce well-designed policies that yield material benefits for targeted groups. Whether it is in fighting climate change, promoting America's national security, or creating good jobs, they need to win the larger battle of ideas – particularly the ideas that shape voters' understanding of who they are and where their interests lie. Democrats, in particular, must recognize that the narratives and identities they promoted until recently left many ordinary Americans behind – just like the pre-Biden economic policies that contributed to Mr. Trump's rise. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2025.
The Herald Scotland
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Who was David Gergen? What to know about advisor to four US presidents
The prominent political insider and Harvard professor regularly served as a senior analyst for CNN, drawing on insights he gained from his experience in the White House under former Republican Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, as well as Democrat Bill Clinton. A North Carolina native, he was married to English family therapist Anne Elizabeth Gergen since 1967. The pair shared two children and five grandchildren, according to Gergen's Harvard professor page. Their son is a North Carolina social entrepreneur and Duke faculty member, while their daughter, Katherine, works as a family doctor at the Boston Medical Center. "We at the Kennedy School count David among our greatest leaders: a man of courage and commitment who inspired generations of students to go out and change the world for the better," said Jeremy Weinstein, dean of the Kennedy School and Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy, in an obituary. A veteran, author and Ivy League grad with 27 honorary degrees Gergen was an honors graduate of both Yale and Harvard Law School, though he went on to receive 27 honorary degrees throughout his career. He is an attorney with the D.C. Bar, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. executive committee for the Trilateral Commission. He is also the author of two books: 2001's "Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton" and 2022's "Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made." In "Hearts Touched With Fire," Gergen wrote that Americans were living in an "immense volatility in our national life, when crises are hitting us from all directions," calling for "infusion of strong leaders to help us navigate safely." "America is experiencing one of its worst crises since the beginning of the republic," he wrote. "While the next years are likely to be rough, we can be much more helpful about the long run if we remember who we are, if we take heart from our past, and if we prepare young generations for lives of service and leadership. When did Gergen join Nixon's administration? Gergen's political career began under President Richard Nixon's administration before the Republican's 1974 resignation following speculation he was potentially involved in the Watergate scandal. In his memoir, Gergen wrote, "Before he self-destructed, Nixon was among the best of modern presidents," according to an excerpt quoted by CNN. In the 1996 memoir "Call the Briefing," former White House Secretary Marlin Fitzwater described Gergen as "a political legend, a survivor of the Nixon White House" and "trusted member of the Reagan inner circle." Fitzwater, who would serve as White House press secretary from 1982 to 1992, for Presidents Ronald Reagan and then George H.W. Bush, called Gergen the "spin master" because he had "a special knack for engaging a reporter in discussion, ascertaining the reporter's attitude on an issue, and, in midconversation, turning his explanation to fit the reporter's bias." His White House career didn't end with the Watergate scandal as Gergen later advised GOP presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan and eventually Democrat Bill Clinton. When did Gergen become a journalist? Gergen began his career as a journalist in 1984, first working for MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour on PBS. Later that decade, he served as the editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report and went on to be a public affairs commentator for three decades. Many Americans, however, best recognize him as one of CNN's longtime talking heads providing analysis on all things politics. His work has earned him two Emmy Awards for political analysis and two Peabody Awards for his contributions to election coverage teams. Gergen was also involved in various non-profit boards, including some at Yale and Duke Universities. He also served on the board of the New Profit, the leadership council of New Politics, and as an academic advisor to Leadership Now. In 2017, he co-founded and co-chaired non-profit With Honor, a group that aims to help pass bipartisan legislation and elect principled veterans. What has Gergen said about former presidents? David Gergen on the presidents he served, from his book "Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton," published in 2000: Richard Nixon: "Richard Nixon as the most fascinating man I have met in thirty years of public life. ... There was a side to Nixon, not reflected by Watergate or by the tapes, that to this day has inspired a legion of fine public servants. ... Nixon had it all and kicked it away. He complained later that he had simply made a bad mistake and it was really his enemies who destroyed him. ... He brought himself down." Gerald Ford: "While I was in office, that image of Ford as a bumble, someone who meant well, but, as Lyndon Johnson once said, couldn't walk straight and chew gum at the same time, took deep root in public thinking. ... It was an unfair characterization, but something journalists ... and many others readily popularized, as did Ford's critics on the Democratic side of the aisle. Those of us around him in the government knew that he was more intelligent and more physically graceful than the press said (after all, he had been offered a contract to play professional football), and we struggled to help people see the man we worked for each day." Ronald Reagan: "Reagan wasn't just comfortable in his own skin. He was serene. And he had a clear sense of what he was trying to accomplish. Those were among his greatest strengths as a leader. Nobody had to tell him those things. He knew where he wanted to go and how he might get there. Instead of trying to treat him like a marionette, as we did sometimes, the best thing we could do on staff was to help clear the obstacles from his path." Bill Clinton: "To friend and foe, Bill Clinton is a mass of contradictions. He is one of the smartest men ever elected president and has done some of the dumbest things. He has a deeper knowledge of history than most of his predecessors and has used less of it. He genuinely wanted, as he pledged, to have 'the most ethical administration in history,' and enters history as the first elected president ever impeached. He is attached to his wife and needs her daily affirmation, yet he has wounded her repeatedly." What is Lewy body dementia? Lewy body dementia is a type of progressive dementia and the second most common form of the condition after Alzheimer's Disease, according to Norma Loeb, the founder of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center. There are two forms of Lewy body dementia: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease dementia. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that those with LBD may live anywhere between two to 20 years from diagnosis to death. Contributing: USA TODAY's Joshua Bote and Jayme Deerwester
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Who was David Gergen? What to know about the advisor to four US presidents
David Gergen, a veteran political commentator and White House advisor to four former US presidents, died at a Massachusetts retirement community on July 10. He was 83 years old. Gergen's son, Christopher, confirmed his death to The Washington Post and The New York Times on Friday. He shared that his father died from Lewy body dementia, a brain disorder which, according to the Mayo Clinic, affects thinking, memory and movement. The prominent political insider and Harvard professor regularly served as a senior analyst for CNN, drawing on insights he gained from his experience in the White House under former Republican Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, as well as Democrat Bill Clinton. A North Carolina native, he was married to English family therapist Anne Elizabeth Gergen since 1967. The pair shared two children and five grandchildren, according to Gergen's Harvard professor page. Their son is a North Carolina social entrepreneur and Duke faculty member, while their daughter, Katherine, works as a family doctor at the Boston Medical Center. "We at the Kennedy School count David among our greatest leaders: a man of courage and commitment who inspired generations of students to go out and change the world for the better," said Jeremy Weinstein, dean of the Kennedy School and Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy, in an obituary. A veteran, author and Ivy League grad with 27 honorary degrees Gergen was an honors graduate of both Yale and Harvard Law School, though he went on to receive 27 honorary degrees throughout his career. He is an attorney with the D.C. Bar, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. executive committee for the Trilateral Commission. He is also the author of two books: 2001's "Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton" and 2022's "Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made." In "Hearts Touched With Fire," Gergen wrote that Americans were living in an "immense volatility in our national life, when crises are hitting us from all directions," calling for "infusion of strong leaders to help us navigate safely." "America is experiencing one of its worst crises since the beginning of the republic," he wrote. "While the next years are likely to be rough, we can be much more helpful about the long run if we remember who we are, if we take heart from our past, and if we prepare young generations for lives of service and leadership. When did Gergen join Nixon's administration? Gergen's political career began under President Richard Nixon's administration before the Republican's 1974 resignation following speculation he was potentially involved in the Watergate scandal. In his memoir, Gergen wrote, "Before he self-destructed, Nixon was among the best of modern presidents," according to an excerpt quoted by CNN. In the 1996 memoir "Call the Briefing," former White House Secretary Marlin Fitzwater described Gergen as "a political legend, a survivor of the Nixon White House" and "trusted member of the Reagan inner circle." Fitzwater, who would serve as White House press secretary from 1982 to 1992, for Presidents Ronald Reagan and then George H.W. Bush, called Gergen the "spin master" because he had "a special knack for engaging a reporter in discussion, ascertaining the reporter's attitude on an issue, and, in midconversation, turning his explanation to fit the reporter's bias." His White House career didn't end with the Watergate scandal as Gergen later advised GOP presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan and eventually Democrat Bill Clinton. When did Gergen become a journalist? Gergen began his career as a journalist in 1984, first working for MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour on PBS. Later that decade, he served as the editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report and went on to be a public affairs commentator for three decades. Many Americans, however, best recognize him as one of CNN's longtime talking heads providing analysis on all things politics. His work has earned him two Emmy Awards for political analysis and two Peabody Awards for his contributions to election coverage teams. Gergen was also involved in various non-profit boards, including some at Yale and Duke Universities. He also served on the board of the New Profit, the leadership council of New Politics, and as an academic advisor to Leadership Now. In 2017, he co-founded and co-chaired non-profit With Honor, a group that aims to help pass bipartisan legislation and elect principled veterans. What has Gergen said about former presidents? David Gergen on the presidents he served, from his book "Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton," published in 2000: Richard Nixon: "Richard Nixon as the most fascinating man I have met in thirty years of public life. ... There was a side to Nixon, not reflected by Watergate or by the tapes, that to this day has inspired a legion of fine public servants. ... Nixon had it all and kicked it away. He complained later that he had simply made a bad mistake and it was really his enemies who destroyed him. ... He brought himself down." Gerald Ford: "While I was in office, that image of Ford as a bumble, someone who meant well, but, as Lyndon Johnson once said, couldn't walk straight and chew gum at the same time, took deep root in public thinking. ... It was an unfair characterization, but something journalists ... and many others readily popularized, as did Ford's critics on the Democratic side of the aisle. Those of us around him in the government knew that he was more intelligent and more physically graceful than the press said (after all, he had been offered a contract to play professional football), and we struggled to help people see the man we worked for each day." Ronald Reagan: "Reagan wasn't just comfortable in his own skin. He was serene. And he had a clear sense of what he was trying to accomplish. Those were among his greatest strengths as a leader. Nobody had to tell him those things. He knew where he wanted to go and how he might get there. Instead of trying to treat him like a marionette, as we did sometimes, the best thing we could do on staff was to help clear the obstacles from his path." Bill Clinton: "To friend and foe, Bill Clinton is a mass of contradictions. He is one of the smartest men ever elected president and has done some of the dumbest things. He has a deeper knowledge of history than most of his predecessors and has used less of it. He genuinely wanted, as he pledged, to have 'the most ethical administration in history,' and enters history as the first elected president ever impeached. He is attached to his wife and needs her daily affirmation, yet he has wounded her repeatedly." What is Lewy body dementia? Lewy body dementia is a type of progressive dementia and the second most common form of the condition after Alzheimer's Disease, according to Norma Loeb, the founder of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center. There are two forms of Lewy body dementia: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease dementia. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that those with LBD may live anywhere between two to 20 years from diagnosis to death. Contributing: USA TODAY's Joshua Bote and Jayme Deerwester
