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Friday November 20, 2009

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Volunteering

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPresidents Obama and George H.W. Bush: Building Bridges Through Service

David L. Caprara, October 16, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Presidents Obama and George H.W. Bush: Building Bridges Through ServiceBy highlighting the critical role of volunteerism in addressing challenges at home and abroad, President Obama spoke to American community service participation at a forum Friday hosted by former President George H. W. Bush and the Points of Light Institute. David Caprara says the bipartisan nature of America’s vibrant service movement is urgently needed. Read More

Volunteering, Community Development, Development, Corporate Social Responsibility

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioInternational Volunteer Service: A Smart Way to Build Bridges

David L. Caprara, Kevin F. F. Quigley and Lex Rieffel, June 02, 2009, The Brookings Institution

International Volunteer Service: A Smart Way to Build BridgesPresident Obama has proposed expanding the Peace Corps and building a global network of volunteers. To achieve this goal, David Caprara, Kevin F. F. Quigley and Lex Rieffel examine alternative service models and offer policy recommendations to the Obama Administration to further enhance U.S. volunteer opportunities with the goal of strengthening America’s multilateral development engagements. Read More

Volunteering, Peace Corps, Economic Development, International Relations, Development

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioStrengthening America's Global Development Partnerships

Jane Nelson and Noam Unger, May 13, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Strengthening America's Global Development PartnershipsAs the Obama administration and Congress work to reform an outdated foreign assistance system, they have an opportunity to adapt official U.S. efforts to more effectively and efficiently support global development in partnership with businesses and civil society. Jane Nelson and Noam Unger recommend ways the U.S. government can better position itself within the 21st century global development ecosystem.
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Foreign Assistance Reform, Corporate Social Responsibility, Civil Society, Development, Volunteering

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Kennedy Serve America Act: A New Boost for Service

David L. Caprara, April 03, 2009, The Brookings Institution

The Kennedy Serve America Act: A New Boost for ServicePresident Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which will double the size of AmeriCorps and increase volunteer opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. David Caprara discusses the significance of the new legislation. Read More

Volunteering, Civil Society, Development, Diplomacy, International Education

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioRenewing America through National Service and Volunteerism

David L. Caprara, February 25, 2009, U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor

In testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, David Caprara spoke to the effectiveness of international volunteering and how it is an essential element of the U.S. response to critical challenges at home and abroad. Read More

Volunteering, Community Development, Civil Society, Development

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioInternational Service and the Obama Administration

David L. Caprara, February 19, 2009, The Brookings Institution

International Service and the Obama AdministrationPresident Obama has stated his commitment to enhancing service and volunteer opportunities for Americans both at home and abroad. David Caprara, the director of Brookings’s Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, explores the administration’s agenda in this Q&A. Read More

Volunteering, Peace Corps, Civil Society, Development, Diplomacy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Better Place for the Peace Corps

Lex Rieffel, October 23, 2008, World View, Volume 21, Number 3

A Better Place for the Peace CorpsThe Peace Corps, although the standard of excellence for international volunteering, remains constrained by budget issues and low numbers of volunteers. In a recent World View article, Lex Rieffel proposes the creation of a Corporation for International Study and Service that includes the Peace Corps as one solution and outlines potential benefits. Read More

Peace Corps, Volunteering, Civil Society, Diplomacy, Development

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioTop 10 Global Economic Challenges Facing America's 44th President

October 10, 2008, The Brookings Institution

Top 10 Global Economic Challenges Facing America's 44th PresidentAs President-Elect Obama prepares to lead the United States, what are the top global economic challenges facing the new president and his advisors and how should the new administration address them? A new report by Brookings global economic and development experts ranks the top 10 issues and details specific ideas for how to tackle the toughest challenges. Read More

Global Economics, Development, Global Poverty, Globalization, Emerging Markets

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Peace Corps and More

Kevin F. F. Quigley and Lex Rieffel, September 10, 2008, The Globalist

The Peace Corps and MoreThe Peace Corps is frequently noted as one of the best tools of American soft power since its creation more than 50 years ago. In a new policy brief, Lex Rieffel and Kevin Quigley recommend strengthening the Peace Corps and detail a specific proposal for the next administration. Read More

Volunteering, Diplomacy, Development, Global Poverty, National Security

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWe Are a Service Nation

David L. Caprara and Steven C. Rosenthal, September 10, 2008, The Brookings Institution

We Are a Service NationAs Senators McCain and Obama gather in New York at the ServiceNation Summit in New York on September 11, David Caprara and Steven Rosenthal examine the nature of volunteerism and service and how international volunteering enhances America’s public diplomacy efforts. Read More

Volunteering, Diplomacy, Development, Global Poverty, National Security

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioTen Times the Peace Corps: A Smart Investment in Soft Power

Kevin F. F. Quigley and Lex Rieffel, September 05, 2008, The Brookings Institution

Ten Times the Peace Corps: A Smart Investment in Soft PowerReversing the negative attitudes toward the United States that prevail in many parts of the world will require a mix of hard power and soft power instruments. Brookings Fellow Lex Rieffel and National Peace Corps Association President Kevin F. F. Quigley provide recommendations for scaling up the Peace Corps and argue that such an effort could contribute measurably to strengthening America’s relations with the rest of the world. Read More

Volunteering, National Security, Foreign Policy, Civil Society, Peace Corps

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioThe Impact and Future of AmeriCorps

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC

Photographer/Sharon FarmerSince the launch of AmeriCorps in 1994, more than a half million Americans have served in the program and helped support local nonprofits and communities in activities, including education, poverty alleviation and disaster support. Brookings and the Corporation for National and Community Service hosted a forum on the role of AmeriCorps in helping to create future public service leaders. Read More

Volunteering, Community Development

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCorporate Philanthropy 2.0

David L. Caprara and Robert L. Mallett, November 28, 2007, Washingtonpost.com

As corporations have become more global, so have their philanthropic efforts. International corporate volunteering is one of the newest ways corporations are reaching out and in a new op-ed, David Caprara, director of Brookings’ Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, discusses the trend and shares best practices from a recent study. Read More

Volunteering, Africa, Civil Society, Corporate Social Responsibility

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioYouth Exclusion in Iran: The State of Education, Employment and Family Formation

Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and Daniel Egel, September 30, 2007, The Brookings Institution

Iran’s large youth population has led to overcrowding in schools, gender imbalance in the marriage market and increased pressure on the nation’s rigid formal labor market. By focusing on three crucial transitions, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and Daniel Egel analyze the challenges facing youth in Iran and opportunities for the country to tap into its demographic dividend. Read More

Iran, Middle East, Demographics, International Education, Education

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioVolunteering for Impact: Best Practices in International Corporate Volunteering

Adeeb Mahmud and Greg Hills, September 30, 2007, The Brookings Instutution

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Volunteering, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporations, Community Development, Development

In Brief

Volunteering has become an important development tool as corporations, NGOs and faith-based organizations engage in volunteer efforts at home and abroad to help improve lives. In recent years, governments have also exploring volunteering as part of their public diplomacy programs and civic activities to further strengthen relationships and international understanding.

Featured Experts

David L. Caprara

David L. Caprara

Nonresident Fellow, Global Economy and Development

David Caprara directs the International Volunteering and Service Initiative. A former national director of VISTA and Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the Corporation for National and Community Service, he is an expert on international volunteering and service, and related civic engagement and conflict resolution areas.
Read More

Lex Rieffel

Lex Rieffel

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development

Lex Rieffel is an expert on emerging markets finance, sovereign debt restructuring, international financial institutions, U.S. foreign assistance strategy, overseas volunteer service and Indonesia. He is a former U.S. Treasury official and teaches a graduate course at George Washington University.
Read More

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Spotlight

ExpertFederiga Bindi

Federiga Bindi is a leading expert on European political integration. She has a broad experience in government and held a number of posts in international organizations. Bindi currently serves as an advisor to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her research focuses on the EU, transatlantic relations; EU states foreign policies, global governance issues.

ExpertTed Gayer

Ted Gayer is the co-director of the Economic Studies program and the Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He conducts research on a variety of economic issues, focusing particularly on public finance, environmental and energy economics, housing, and regulatory policy.

TopicEducation

The economic and political well-being of any society requires a well-educated citizenry. Brookings’s work extends beyond the K-12 bookends to include pre-school interventions, higher education and the challenges of education in developing countries.

Policy CenterEngelberg Center for Health Care Reform

The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform provides practical solutions to achieve high-quality, innovative, affordable health care with particular emphasis on identifying opportunities on the national, state and local levels.

TopicHealth Care

Brookings is committed to producing innovative policy solutions to our nation’s most difficult challenges. The country may face no more important domestic policy challenge than the much-needed reform of our health care system. Through an institution-wide effort, Brookings delivers new ideas and offers policy solutions to improve health care both at home and globally.

ExpertMwangi S. Kimenyi

Mwangi S. Kimenyi is a senior fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative. He focuses on Africa's development, including institutions for economic growth, the political economy, and private sector development.

Policy CenterCenter on Children and Families

The Center on Children and Families studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States.

ExpertAmy Liu

Amy Liu is deputy director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Her policy studies include economic competitiveness, metropolitan growth and development, governance reforms, urban reinvestment, and social equity.

ExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

ExpertDomenico Lombardi

As president of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy, Domenico Lombardi’s work at Brookings focuses on the international financial crisis and the reform of the IMF and the World Bank. He is an expert on G-20 and G8 Summits.

ExpertSuzanne Maloney

Suzanne Maloney studies Iran, the political economy of the Persian Gulf and Middle East energy policy. A former U.S. State Department policy advisor, she has also counseled private companies on Middle East issues.

ExpertMark McClellan

Mark McClellan works on promoting high-quality, innovative and affordable health care. Once commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Dr. McClellan now directs the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.

ProgramGovernance Studies

Governance Studies explores political institutions of the United States and other democracies to assess how they govern, how their practices compare and how citizens and public servants can advance sound governance.

Research ProjectBrookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement

The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement monitors displacement problems worldwide, works with governments, regional bodies, international organizations and civil society to create more effective policies and institutional arrangements for Internally Displaed Persons.

Research ProjectLatin America Initiative

The Latin America Initiative provides high-quality, in-depth, and independent research across a range of economic and political issues, and offers policy recommendations aimed at U.S. and Latin American policymakers.

ExpertIsabel V. Sawhill

A nationally known budget expert, Isabel Sawhill focuses on domestic poverty and federal fiscal policy. She is also co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings.