2013 Spring Edition

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In an effort to continue growing the influence and relevance of our work in the public policy sphere, this volume of The Georgetown Public Policy Review diverges from our journal’s tradition of dedicating each issue to a specific policy topic. The decision to pursue a more general approach to policy research and insights arose from the increasingly diverse and multidisciplinary nature of the policy problems our global community faces. It also coincides with the Georgetown Public Policy Institute’s addition of the Master of International Development Policy degree in the interest of tending to the breadth of policy interests of our future leaders. The result has been a compilation of work that spans issues of environment, finance, economy, development, education, and youth, among others. We hope our readers similarly find this volume of The Georgetown Public Policy Review rewarding and thought provoking.

We begin our research for this volume with the work of Patricia Blanc-Gonnet Jonason and Richard Calland, who assess the viability of the newly established Global Climate Fund in the wake of a complex climate finance structure. Their analysis highlights the importance of transparency and freedom of information in ensuring successful and sustainable development.

Elaborating on this theme, Jacob Park and Sonia Kowal delve into the emerging market for socially responsible investing (SRI). They offer insight into current SRI trends in the social, environmental, and ethical realms, as well as suggestions on how this investment process can impact and be integrated into emerging economies.

Our next piece focuses on the effects of labor policies, specifically Denmark’s active labor market program (ALMP) aimed at reducing the unemployment rate. Adina Serbanescu conducts a robust review of the literature and provides evidence on the mixed results of such schemes on individual and economy.

We then turn to Christopher Zambakaris analysis of the determinants of violence in South Sudan, which challenges mainstream notions of the source of such conflict. His policy suggestions for solving the political crisis in Sudan and South Sudan enlighten the debate on nation-building in countries with diverse populations.

Our final research piece highlights the impact community-based groups can have in helping displaced youth in Liberia. GPPI’s Jacob Patterson-Stein and colleague Amy S. Rhoades dovetail their experiences at the More than Me Foundation with research on the benefits of community-driven development in the context of education and labor policies.

We then turn to our headlining interview for this issue with former US Senator Russ Feingold, a Democrat from Wisconsin who has since founded the political action committee Progressives United. Feingold offers insight into a wide range of pertinent policy issues including foreign policy, national security, and campaign finance. He also discusses the challenge of policymaking in a hyperpartisan Congress and possible solutions to reforming the US system.

Our next two interviews elaborate on the youth theme: Art Rolnick, former senior vice president and director of research of the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, provides an economic case for investing in early childhood education; and Shay Bilchik, founder and director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, offers solutions for crossover or at-risk youth. Both discussions help inform policymaking to best address the outcomes of future generations.

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