Harvard Kennedy School is embracing disagreement
At a time of division, Harvard Kennedy School is helping people disagree better. “I think we can have more conversations, we can have better conversations, and we can have less drama,” she Professor Julia Minson, who researches and teaches disagreement. Programming across campus also brings together varied viewpoints, from John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum events to study groups and podcasts.
The Middle East Dialogues leads unfiltered conversations on the region’s toughest issues
Professor Tarek Masoud, faculty chair of the Middle East Initiative, says Harvard “is a place founded on reason and fearless inquiry,” even—or especially—when it comes to challenging topics.
Featuring Tarek Masoud
Creating a community of peacebuilders and changemakers through HKS negotiation courses
For 30 years Brian Mandell, the Mohamed Kamal Senior Lecturer in Negotiation and Public Policy, has taught HKS students real-world skills through simulations that shape careers in conflict resolution and leadership.
Featuring Brian Mandell
HKS alumni show that bipartisanship can be powerful
Harvard Kennedy School alumni at the Recoding America Fund are working to make state and federal government more functional and efficient.
Leadership under fire
Twenty-five years after 9/11, the first battalion chief to send firefighters into the Twin Towers tells his story. The tragedy led Joseph Pfeifer HKSEE 2006, MC/MPA 2008 to learn and teach crisis leadership. “The courage of ordinary heroes is in each one of us,” Pfeifer says. “And each of us, sooner or later, will be presented with a moment to be one.”
For 30 years, faculty member David King has taught Harvard students how Congress works
Harvard Kennedy School Senior Lecturer in Public Policy David King has inspired generations of students to run for office after taking his unique course “The U.S. Congress and Law Making.”
Featuring David King
Lessons for leading across difference
Leading across difference takes courage, empathy, and skill. Throughout this issue of HKS Magazine, faculty, fellows, and alumni show what it takes to bring people together and drive real change. We capture some of their insights here.
Featuring Archon Fung, Julia Minson, Brian Mandell, Tarek Masoud, Nancy Gibbs
Visiting Voices: Spencer Cox and Jake Auchincloss, Cherelle Parker, Ken Burns, and more
Throughout the academic year, dozens of public figures from the worlds of politics, civil society, and academia speak at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, part of Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics. Read what some of them had to say.
Leading in the age of influence
We are living through a media transformation as consequential as the invention of the printing press, says Professor Nancy Gibbs, faculty director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy. Through research and teaching, Gibbs and others at the center explore the factors that shape the information environment: dis- and misinformation, polarization, new media formats, and the content creator economy.
The American Service Fellowship: Powered by philanthropy and primed to lead
Fifty U.S. public servants will enter MC/MPA program in the fall through the ambitious new American Service Fellowship, the largest scholarship in Harvard Kennedy School’s history.
In Print: Faculty Books
Faculty books by Harvard Kennedy School faculty members Julia Minson, Arthur Brooks, Dani Rodrik, Danielle Allen, and Bruce Schneier
Featuring Danielle Allen, Arthur Brooks, Julia Minson, Dani Rodrik, Bruce Schneier
Research Insights: Trust in scientists, stigma and social safety nets, universal basic income, and more
Research Insights are bite-sized, usable takeaways from HKS faculty working papers, peer-reviewed articles, and other publications. These insights span a variety of important policy topics.
Featuring Matthew Baum, Elizabeth Linos, John Holdren, Randall Kekoa Akee, Iris Bohnet
The Institute of Politics at 60
For 60 years, Harvard Kennedy School’s IOP has connected students with leaders, varied viewpoints, and public service. We revisit IOP offerings, including those on campus and opportunities to work within the community. And we revisit some of the notable public figures who have spoken at the IOP’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, Harvard’s premier arena for political speech and debate.
Dean’s Letter
Dean Jeremy Weinstein introduces this issue of HKS Magazine. “In this moment of deep division and increasing uncertainty about the future,” he writes, “I find great inspiration in the stories of HKS community members who are leading with courage, empathy, and compassion. I hope you will, too.”
From the Field
Stay in touch with your classmates and peers
More than five decades of Harvard Kennedy School alumni come together to share their stories and achievements. Stay in touch by reading their classnotes. And don't forget to submit your own.