PAST EVENT
Friday, October 21, 2011
9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Washington, DC
On October 21, The Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation hosted an event to release a new report from the Institute for American Values, "Second Chances: A Proposal to Reduce Unnecessary Divorce." The report examines new research showing that in at least 10 percent of divorcing couples, both spouses are open to efforts to reconcile--and in another 30 percent, at least one spouse has interest in reconciliation, and explores the idea that a substantial number of today’s divorces may be preventable. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, October 10, 2011
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
On October 10, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion on the role of religion in American society and politics with Denis Lacorne, senior research fellow with the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Internationales at Sciences Po, Paris and author of Religion in America: A Political History, and Patrick Deneen, director of The Tocqueville Forum on the Roots of American Democracy at Georgetown University. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Shadi Hamid, August 18, 2011, The Atlantic
Shadi Hamid discusses the interaction between European Muslims and non-Muslims, describing a clash of values due to differing views of where religion belongs, the public or private sphere. Hamid examines the impact this difference may have in creating further political strain between these populations. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ambassador Marc Ginsberg and Anne Hagood, August 2011, The Brookings Institution
This paper analyzes the media landscape through a practical lens and asks how partnerships can be developed to leverage public-private initiatives to promote a more open environment that can correct stereotypes and lead to better understanding. Participants came up with platforms to challenge preconceived notions and put forward a series of recommendations that address issues related to methodology, market calibration, and media training initiatives. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
On May 18, Steven Kull, a political psychologist with the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, presented findings from his new book, Feeling Betrayed: The Roots of Muslim Anger at America. The book is the result of a five-year study of Muslim public attitudes, which included conducting focus groups and surveys throughout the Muslim world, as well as comprehensively analyzing the surveys of other organizations. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William A. Galston, May 02, 2011, The New Republic
William Galston examines how we should respond to the killing of Osama bin Laden. Galston writes that humans are at our best when they do not shrink from the harsh acts that the struggle against evil requires, but perform them with the regret they deserve. While killing other human beings who are made, we are taught, in the image of God may be a disagreeable necessity, it is never an intrinsic good, says Galston. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, March 10, 2011
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Washington, DC
On March 10, Brookings hosted a discussion with David Brooks on his new book, The Social Animal: A Story of Love, Character and Achievement, which covers the cognitive revolution of the last 30 years and how the study of the brain has unlocked new insights into the human mind and human behavior. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lynn Stout, December 2010, The Brookings Institution
Under the right conditions, the vast majority of people act as if they have a conscience that causes them to act ethically and look out for others’ interests, writes Lynn Stout. In this Issue in Governance Studies paper, Stout unpacks how human behavior shifts predictably from purely selfish to prosocial and suggests that policymakers often might do better to focus on and promote the force of conscience—the cheapest and most effective police force one could ask for. Read More
VIDEO
Ross A. Hammond, September 14, 2010
The total costs of obesity in the U.S. alone may exceed $215 billion annually, according to a new comprehensive study by Ross Hammond. With more than two-thirds of American adults now considered overweight, and one-third obese, Hammond gives an overview of economic and policy impacts of the epidemic at the national level.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ross A. Hammond and Ruth Levine, September 14, 2010, Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy
While obesity has long been considered a major public health challenge, few studies have provided a comprehensive look at the economic impact of the epidemic. Ross Hammond and Ruth Levine give an overview of research in this area, and find that economic costs of obesity in the United States could exceed $215 billion annually, from direct medical spending, lost productivity, and increased transportation costs. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Washington, DC
During a time of tight state and local budgets, child abuse prevention programs can save public dollars that would otherwise be spent on treatment and associated social programs. On July 20, The Future of Children, a joint project between Princeton University and Brookings, held an event to discuss how prevention programs can save money across a range of social programs. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Daniel Kaufmann, February 17, 2010, The Brookings Institution
The recent murder of three faculty members at the University of Alabama in Huntsville is eliciting much media attention. Daniel Kaufmann urges a frank debate about stringent gun laws in the United States to continue, even though this issue is mired in politics and influential lobbying. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
On November 10, the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at Brookings hosted co-authors Kongdan Oh and Ralph Hassig for a discussion of their new book The Hidden People of North Korea: Everyday Life in the Hermit Kingdom. Drawing on decades of scholarship and experience, the speakers discussed aspects of life in North Korea and the ways in which the outside world can reach everyday North Koreans so that they can make decisions based on truth rather than propaganda. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ron Haskins, November 05, 2009, Business Week
Can marriage decrease poverty? Higher marriage rates among the poor would benefit poor adults themselves, their children and the nation, says Ron Haskins. He argues that non-coercive programs that are delivered by community-based agencies can be effective. By helping couples who want to marry, the payoff to them, their children and society is potentially enormous. Read More
VIDEO
Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill, October 19, 2009
Despite its status as one of the world’s leading economies, the United States is faced with high poverty rates and less economic opportunity than many other affluent countries. Senior Fellows Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins, argue that it will take a combination of personal responsibility along with smarter and better-targeted government policies to make the American Dream a reality for children and families now stuck at the bottom.