On this episode of “Unlocked,” host Nancy Gibbs taps Syracuse University professor and leading immigration policy expert Austin Kocher to help break down the complex world of immigration enforcement in the United States, and untangle the roles of agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Homeland Security. They discuss […]
Unlocked: Who Enforces America’s Immigration Laws? Read More »
On this episode of Unlocked, Shorenstein Center Director Nancy Gibbs talks with Justin Mankin, associate professor of geography and earth sciences at Dartmouth College, about the impacts of government-collected climate data. They discuss the history and vital importance of publicly funded data collection, the growing risk of privatization, and what it means for access to
Unlocked: Who is collecting America’s climate data—and why does it matter? Read More »
On this episode of Unlocked, Shorenstein Center Director Nancy Gibbs talks with Karen Dynan, Professor of the Practice in the Harvard University Department of Economics and at the Harvard Kennedy School, about the federal debt—who the U.S. owes money to, why it matters, and what the implications of rising debt are for state and local
Unlocked: Understanding the Federal Debt Read More »
What do Inspectors General actually do, and why has their role become a battleground in recent years? On this episode of Unlocked, Michael Missal—former Inspector General of the US Department of Veterans Affairs—joins host Nancy Gibbs to break down the vital work of IGs in safeguarding federal agencies from waste, fraud, and abuse. Together, they
Unlocked: What is the role of US Inspectors General? Read More »
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University or the organizations and institutions with whom the authors are affiliated. Discussion Papers have not undergone formal review and approval. Such papers are included in this series to elicit feedback
The Journalist’s Resource’s Clark Merrefield put together a new explainer for reporters covering the potential funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The explainer highlights important background information and research, and provides answers to the following questions: How much does the federal government spend on SNAP? How do states contribute funding to SNAP
What is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)? Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School announces Mina Hsiang as its newest fellow. Hsiang, the most recent Administrator of the United States Digital Service (USDS), led the organization through unprecedented growth – improving critical services and technological advances across more than two dozen agencies. During her tenure, USDS
The Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is delighted to announce the Grand Prize Winner, Finalists, and Honorable Mentions for the inaugural Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary. Shorenstein Center Director Nancy Gibbs says, “The Henry Awards honor films that investigate,
Inaugural Winners of Henry Awards Shine Light on Importance of Freedom of Expression Read More »
The Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is excited to announce a new award for documentary film—The Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary—and its first list of 15 semifinalists. The Henry Awards recognize nonfiction films that advance public understanding of the
Announcing the semifinalists for the Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary Read More »
The Shorenstein Center welcomes leading photo editor and creative director Kira Pollack as a 2025 Walter Shorenstein Media & Democracy Fellow. Pollack is known for pioneering innovative approaches to visual storytelling, harnessing emerging technologies, digital platforms, and multimedia to expand the possibilities of visual journalism in traditional media. During her fellowship at the Shorenstein Center,
Emmy award-winning visual storyteller Kira Pollack Joins Shorenstein Center as a fellow Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is pleased to announce that The Washington Post’s Opinions series “Who is Government?” is the winner of the inaugural Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting. The prize will be awarded at the 2025 Goldsmith Awards ceremony on April 3 at the JFK Jr. Forum at Harvard Kennedy
Announcing the winner of the inaugural Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School is proud to announce the six finalists for the 2025 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The Goldsmith Prize, first awarded in 1993 and funded by a gift from the Greenfield Foundation, honors the best public service investigative journalism that has made an
Announcing the Finalists for the 2025 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting Read More »
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University or the organizations and institutions with whom the authors are affiliated. Discussion Papers have not undergone formal review and approval. Such papers are included in this series to elicit feedback
Each year, the Shorenstein Center presents the Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism to recognize outstanding contributions to the field and honor work that has enriched our political discourse and our society. This year’s winner is Anderson Cooper, award-winning CNN anchor and CBS 60 Minutes correspondent. “Year after year, Anderson Cooper has navigated the
Our judging committee was tasked with reviewing over 120 entries for this year’s Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The following semifinalists are the top 30 entries that our judges deemed to be of extremely high quality and in keeping with the Prize’s criteria for impact on US government, public policy, or the practice of politics.
Announcing the semifinalists for the 2025 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is pleased to announce the Spring 2025 cohort of Shorenstein Fellows. Shorenstein Fellows join the center for a semester or year of research, events, and engagement with HKS students, faculty, and the wider university community. This semester’s fellows range from technologists and entrepreneurs to political strategists,
Announcing the Spring 2025 Shorenstein Fellows Read More »
The Shorenstein Center is proud to announce the Spring 2025 cohort of Documentary Film Fellows. The group joins the Center under the auspices of the Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative and will spend the semester conducting research and engaging with the HKS community about the challenges facing the field and its impact on
Announcing Spring 2025 Cohort of Documentary Film Fellows Read More »
Journalism is facing a trust crisis. Audiences are increasingly skeptical that mainstream media serves their interests and are turning their attention away from traditional news outlets. Meanwhile, online content creators who engage in journalist-style work are building huge, loyal audiences that eclipse those of traditional media. Walter Shorenstein Fellow Julia Angwin, a longtime technology and investigative journalist, explains what journalists can learn from creators about building audience trust.
The Future of Trustworthy Information: Learning from Online Content Creators Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is pleased to announce the Fall 2024 cohort of Shorenstein Fellows. Shorenstein Fellows join the center for a semester or year of research, events, and engagement with HKS students, faculty, and the wider university community. Alex Smith | Joan Shorenstein Fellow Alex Smith founded The
Fall 2024 Shorenstein Fellows Read More »
As a Documentary Film in the Public Interest Fellow (Spring ’24), Karin Chien’s research focused on how the most impactful documentary projects get funded, and presented recommendations for new economic models that center sustainability and creative risk.
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is a Harvard Kennedy School research center dedicated to exploring and illuminating the intersection of press, politics and public policy in theory and practice. The Center strives to bridge the gap between journalists and scholars, and between them and the public.
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