As we near the end of 2024, it is time to revisit the most viewed stories of the year, from in-depth research studies to HKS experts’ reflections on major world events.
Most viewed articles of 2024
The Ghost Budget: How U.S. war spending went rogue, wasted billions, and how to fix it
Faculty member Linda Bilmes discusses the tremendous costs of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Legalized gambling is exploding globally. What policies can limit its harms?
Professor Malcolm Sparrow explains the challenges around online gambling and what governments can do.
Powering the energy transition
The clean energy transition will be hard to attain. HKS experts explore what’s at stake.
Re-examining the role of positive emotion in harmful health behaviors: implications for public health campaigns
Research by Professor Jennifer Lerner shows gratitude can reduce cravings to smoke.
Massachusetts has made community college tuition-free. What will that mean for enrollment, quality, and workforce development?
Professor David Deming says more people in the state may go to community college, but it is important to keep quality high.
U.S. diplomacy and the path to stability in Israel and Gaza
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Edward Djerejian says pushing hard for a two-state solution is the only viable path to stability in Israel, Palestine, and the wider region.
Happiness may be in decline. But we can all build habits to get happier
At a John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, Professor Arthur Brooks spoke about evidence-backed ways to create a more meaningful life.
Jeremy M. Weinstein named dean of Harvard Kennedy School
The political scientist, who also served as an academic leader and in various roles in the Obama administration, assumed the post on July 1.
We can productively discuss even the toughest topics—here’s how
Harvard Kennedy School faculty members Erica Chenoweth and Julia Minson explain the motivation and science behind the school’s new Candid and Constructive Conversations initiative.
Public policy, values, and politics: Why so much depends on getting them right
Good public policy can vastly improve people’s lives, while bad policy can lead to terrible suffering, says former HKS Dean Doug Elmendorf. The difference lies in how it’s made and implemented.
Two Graduate Student Ambassadors reflect on the fall semester
By Carol Jin MPA/ID 2025 and J.B. Branch MC/MPA 2025