Publications

The Shorenstein Center publishes reports and papers written by fellows, affiliated researchers, and faculty that examine themes associated with our core research initiatives. Papers by former fellows have added significantly to the body of research on the intersections of media, politics, and public policy.

The Shorenstein Center has had more than 300 Fellows since 1986, and nearly all of the papers they wrote at the Center can be found in our Research Archives.

For information about our current research projects, which are large-scale research endeavors lead by resident scholars and faculty at the Center, visit the Programs section of our website. You can also learn about our fellowships and faculty to learn more about the independent research happening at the Center.

Discussion Papers, Publications,
The National Security Imperative for the Modernization of Government Communication Structures
March 4, 2025
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School,...
Discussion Papers, News Business & Practice, Public Interest Journalism, Publications,
The Future of Trustworthy Information: Learning from Online Content Creators
December 9, 2024
Journalism is facing a trust crisis. Audiences are increasingly skeptical that mainstream media serves their interests and are turning their attention...
Discussion Papers, Media Business, Publications,
US Independent Film Audience and Landscape Study
November 1, 2024
Independent films illuminate untold stories, spark discourse, and broaden our perspectives - but independent film in the United States is at risk. In this...
Behavioral Decision Science, Faculty Research, News Business & Practice, Publications,
Reading dies in complexity: Online news consumers prefer simple writing
June 5, 2024
The following are excerpts from a new peer-reviewed journal article published June 5, 2024 in Science Advances. Abstract Over 30,000 field experiments...
Discussion Papers, Public Interest Technology, Publications, Tech Policy,
The CLeAR Documentation Framework for AI Transparency: Recommendations for Practitioners & Context for Policymakers
May 21, 2024
Authors Kasia Chmielinski* (Data Nutrition Project & Harvard University) Sarah Newman* (Data Nutrition Project & Harvard University) Chris N. Kranzinger*...
Campaigns, Elections & Parties, Discussion Papers, News Business & Practice, Politics & Government, Prizes & Lectures, Public Interest Journalism, Publications, Uncategorized,
The Presidency Above the Campaign
February 6, 2024
CBS News Prime Time anchor John Dickerson, who has covered eight presidential candidates in his career as a political journalist, gave the Theodore H....
Discussion Papers, Disinformation, Public Interest Technology, Publications, Tech Policy,
Case Study: Integrity or Influence? Facebook’s Governance Trade-offs in India and the Power of the Press
November 28, 2023
Disclaimer: This is a working paper of the Democracy and Internet Governance Project at the Shorenstein Center. As a working paper it represents research...
Discussion Papers, Disinformation, Public Interest Technology, Publications, Tech Policy,
Case Study on Online Youth Harms – Project Daisy
November 28, 2023
Disclaimer: This is a working paper, and hence it represents research in progress. This paper represents the opinions of the authors and is the product...
Commentary, Faculty Research, Public Interest Technology, Publications,
GPTs, software engineering, and a new age of hacking
August 16, 2023
ChatGPT and other natural language models have recently sparked considerable intrigue and unease. Governments and businesses are increasingly acknowledging...
Discussion Papers, Journalistic Practice, Public Interest Journalism, Publications,
Journalism Maybe
August 8, 2023
Kathy Gannon was a Joan Shorenstein Fellow for the 2022 fall semester at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. For 35 years she...
Computational Policy, Faculty Research, Publications,
The Disparate Impacts of College Admissions Policies on Asian American Applicants
August 7, 2023
Abstract There is debate over whether Asian American students are admitted to selective colleges and universities at lower rates than white students with...
Discussion Papers, Disinformation, Faculty Research, Policy & Issues, Politics & Government, Public Interest Technology, Publications, Tech Policy, Technology,
Towards Digital Platforms and Public Purpose: Final Report of the Democracy and Internet Governance Initiative
July 6, 2023
Executive Summary In an increasingly digital and interconnected world, platforms have emerged as powerful intermediaries that shape our online experiences,...
Behavioral Decision Science, Faculty Research, Publications,
Experimental studies of conflict: Challenges, solutions, and advice to junior scholars
June 28, 2023
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or...
Computational Policy, Faculty Research, Publications,
Reevaluating the Role of Race and Ethnicity in Diabetes Screening
June 15, 2023
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or...
Campaigns, Elections & Parties, Disinformation, Faculty Research, Politics & Government,
Severe Depressive Symptoms Exacerbate the Relationship Between Conspiracy Beliefs and Voting for Election Doubters (WP-23-22)
June 12, 2023
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or...
Discussion Papers, Local News, News Business & Practice, Publications,
News Crisis: Can Local Public Radio Help Fill the News Gap Created by the Decline of Local Newspapers?
January 25, 2023
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or...
Discussion Papers, Public Interest Technology, Publications,
Ethical Scaling for Content Moderation: Extreme Speech and the (In)Significance of Artificial Intelligence
June 9, 2022
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or...
Disinformation, International Affairs, Public Interest Journalism, Publications, Tech Policy,
Research and Resources on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
March 11, 2022
Faculty, fellows, and researchers from across the Shorenstein Center are focusing on the war in Ukraine. They are helping to understand the role of disinformation...
Discussion Papers, Public Interest Journalism, Publications,
Disrupted media – disrupted academy: Rethinking African j-schools
February 15, 2022
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or...
Domestic Affairs, Environment, Health & Science, Faculty Research, Papers, Policy & Issues, Publications,
The COVID States Project Survey of U.S. Pandemic Opinions
February 4, 2022
The COVID States Project is a nationwide, 50-state survey of opinions related to the COVID-19 pandemic that has been in the field regularly since March,...
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