HARVARD + KENNEDY THE DECISION SCIENTIST A RIVER IN THE DESERT SCHOOL HELP YOURSELF magazine spring 2019 FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT ELEVATING CIVIL DISCOURSE GOES TO THE HEART OF PUBLIC LEADERSHIP THE SIXTH COURSE WHEN 63 NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS of the U.S. Congress came to Harvard Kennedy School in December to attend the now- traditional orientation program hosted by the Institute of Politics, HARVARD PRESIDENT LARRY BACOW encouraged them to see the country’s colleges and universities as resources on which to draw. “We are a source of expertise, and I hope you will use us and exploit all of us mercilessly, because every college and university in America exists to serve the nation in one form or another. That is what we do; it’s why we’re here,” he said. But he also reminded them, as they were about to dive into the cauldron of national politics (and a government shutdown), that they had a “special responsibility” to model respectful behavior and proper civil discourse. “We need to demonstrate to the rest of the world that we believe in the fundamental decency of this country by how we treat each other,” Bacow said. — PHOTO BY MARTHA STEWART spring 2019 | spring 2019 | harvardharvard kennedy kennedy school school 1 1 2 HKSmag_su19_IFC2-11_F r1.indd 2 4/2/19 11:12 AM 2 HKSmag_su19_IFC2-11_F r1.indd 1 4/2/19 11:13 AM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN THIS ISSUE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS during the past few years I have spoken about how economic, social, Associate Dean for and political changes have eroded people’s trust in governments and in leaders. Of course, I have Communications and Public Affairs also refl ected on what we at Harvard Kennedy School can do to respond to these challenges. As Thoko Moyo Harvard’s new president, Larry Bacow, said at his installation ceremony this past fall, “We have a Director of Strategic Communications responsibility to use the immense resources entrusted to us—our assets, ideas, and people—to Gail Chalef address diffi cult problems and painful divisions.” Editor Some of the problems we see in the world have exacerbated divisions between people and Robert O’Neill fostered a breakdown in productive dialogue. Therefore it has been one of our aims this year at Director of Alumni Relations the Kennedy School to bolster civil discourse in our community. In this issue of the magazine, you Karen Bonadio can read about some of the ways that we are teaching and modeling civil discourse on campus. Designers Often when people with different backgrounds and views come together, the results of these Janet Friskey connections are powerful—and the Kennedy School aims to foster those sorts of connections. Rachel Harris Raychel Casey Some of the wonderful connections occur between alumni: For example, you can read in this issue about two alumni with very different backgrounds who met as Kennedy School students and Contributing Writers Tania Del Rio mpp 2016 is executive Michael Blanding have since established a university in Niger. director of the Boston Mayor’s Office Nora Delaney MARK OSTOW of Women’s Advancement. Other important connections are formed Susannah Ketchum Glass between our faculty members and government Mari Megias leaders and policymakers. For instance, one Ralph Ranalli of our professors is working with the Chief Printer FEATURE STORIES of U.S. Naval Operations to help teach the Lane Press science of decision making to members of the Harvard Kennedy School 14 For the Sake of Argument Civil discourse isn’t just about polite conversation. Navy in order to improve outcomes in high- Magazine is published two times It’s a vital ingredient of better public policy and public leadership. stakes scenarios. And faculty affi liated with a year by the John F. Kennedy School of Government Offi ce of our Center for International Development are 20 The Decision Scientist As the Navy’s first chief decision officer, Professor working with government offi cials in dozens Communications and Public Affairs 79 John F. Kennedy Street Jennifer Lerner is teaching the military how to harness the science of decision making. of countries to conduct research and develop Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 policy approaches for solving thorny problems Phone: 617-495-1442 26 What Happens in the Arctic Like lines of longitude, issues converge in the world’s in economic development. E-mail: [email protected] northernmost region. Many important connections take place Copyright © 2019 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. between our faculty and our students and 28 Like a River in the Desert Kad Kaneye and Meredith Segal, both mc/mpa 2017, alumni, and you can read about some of these connections in the following pages. For example, All rights reserved. have built a new type of university in Niger. one alumna worked with Kennedy School professors to develop a signifi cant new program on Magazine Advisory Board Joe Bergantino mc/mpa 1985 the Arctic. An alumnus drew on faculty guidance to launch a bipartisan organization for veterans 32 Help Yourself Development economists look to better governance to improve the lives seeking offi ce. Yet another alumna was so inspired by her study of gender inequity while at the Phil Cronin mpp 1996 Tiziana Dearing mpp 2000 of the world’s poorest people. Kennedy School that she changed careers to focus on this issue for the City of Boston. Melodie Jackson mc/mpa 2001 These are just a few of the stories in this magazine. There are many more that demonstrate David King, faculty 36 In Memoriam Devah Pager’s fierce commitment and lasting legacy. how the Kennedy School community is advancing the public interest in powerful ways. Chris Olver mpp 2012 Among all of our efforts to improve lives around the world, we also stop to mourn the Craig Sandler mc/mpa 2000 loss of Devah Pager, who was the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy. She was Janice Saragoni mc/mpa 1989 DEPARTMENTS Jeffrey Seglin, faculty a pioneering scholar who illuminated the effects of discrimination in the labor market and 4 Ideas Global Reach 38 Bully pulpit Malala Yousafzai 42 Alumni voices Classnotes | exemplifi ed the commitment to the common good that distinguishes the Kennedy School. Ken Shulman mc/mpa 2004 Steven Singer mc/mpa 1986 | Beth Myers | Julius Maada Bio | Matthew Aronson mpp 2010 | Ruby Ajanee Devah remains an inspiring model for our community, and we miss her very much. 8 Alumni Tania Del Rio mpp 2016 Scott Talan mc/mpa 2002 Juan Manuel Santos mc/mpa 1981 | mc/mpa 2009 | Robert Reynolds mpp 2015 | | Palak Shah mpp 2009 | Rye Donald Tighe mc/mpa 1999 and more Kimberly Dowdell mc/mpa 2015 Dean Doug Elmendorf Barcott mpa 2009 Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy 40 In print The Hell of Good 62 Ways and means 11 Faculty Richard Zeckhauser | March 2019 Intentions | Click Here to Kill Thirty years of support by Malcolm Wiener Mathias Risse Everybody | Not for the Faint of | The Bacon Environmental Leadership Heart | Kissinger the Negotiator | This magazine is printed on 100 percent Fellowship postconsumer waste paper (text) and The Formula 30 percent postconsumer waste paper 64 Exit poll TOM FITZSIMMONS TOM (cover) and is fsc® certifi ed. Cover Illustration Christian Northeast 2 www.hks.harvard.edu spring 2019 | harvard kennedy school 3 2 HKSmag_su19_IFC2-11_F r1.indd 2 4/2/19 11:13 AM 2 HKSmag_su19_IFC2-11_F r1.indd 3 4/2/19 11:28 AM IDEAS 7 ICELAND 9 FINLAND 10 CANADA FRANCE 8 Our work in the United States was featured in the Summer 2018 issue. Learn more at ken.sc/map 12 CHINA 11 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 3 HONDURAS 2 VIETNAM SIERRA LEONE 4 5 GHANA 6 INDONESIA 1 BRAZIL GLOBAL REACH The Kennedy School’s mission is to improve public policy and public leadership across the United States • Making democracy count and around the world so that people can • Improving public services lead safer, freer, and more prosperous lives. The Summer 2018 issue focused • Expanding economic opportunity on the United States. This time, we • Enhancing global security and human rights look at what our faculty, our alumni, • Strengthening public leadership and our programs are doing across the To see more, go to our interactive Find the corresponding world in each of our priority areas. map at ken.sc/world • Expanding the reach of our training stories on page 6–7 44 www.hks.harvard.edu www.hks.harvard.edu spring 2019 | harvard kennedy school 5 2 HKSmag_su19_IFC2-11_F_R2.indd 4 4/4/19 11:00 AM 2 HKSmag_su19_IFC2-11_F r1.indd 5 4/2/19 11:15 AM INIDEAS MEMORIAM Making Improving Expanding Enhancing Strengthening Expanding Democracy Public Economic Global Security Public the Reach of Count Services Opportunity and Human Rights Leadership Our Training 1 BRAZIL (Democracy in Hard Places): The 3 HONDURAS (Building State Capability): The 5 GHANA (Social Innovation + Change Initiative 7 ICELAND (Arctic Initiative): The rate of 11 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (Emirates Ash Center’s Initiative on Democracy in government of Honduras faces key delivery and Center for Public Leadership): MEGHAN temperature increase in the Arctic as a whole Leadership Initiative): A collaboration Hard Places aims to foster social science and implementation gaps, especially in MCCORMICK mpa 2019 cofounded OZÉ, has been twice the global average and, in some between Harvard Kennedy School’s research on democratic experiments— areas that involve many agents and require a business insights engine that enables parts, three to four times the global average. Center for Public Leadership and the both successful and failed—throughout new and undeveloped capabilities. Building investment readiness for small to medium The Arctic Initiative, a joint project of the Belfer Center’s Middle East Initiative, the the developing world, including Brazil, State Capability (bsc), a program of the enterprises in West Africa.