What does political science tell us about the State of the Union? UC Berkeley political scientist Henry Brady analyzes polarization, institutional trust, and why events — not speeches — ultimately shape public opinion. Read the full Q&A: https://bit.ly/4cPC1zu

CCDE announces its 2025–26 Capstone Fellows 🎉 Graduate students tackling AI governance, voting access, civic participation, gender polarization, and democratic trust; in partnership with public and civic institutions across California.

Just how unprecedented is the ongoing immigration enforcement crackdown? We answer those questions and more in our new NBER working paper. www.nber.org/papers/w34794

For people who think democracy requires strategy—not just outrage. A new Boston Review forum features one essay—and seven responses—on how (and how not) to defeat authoritarianism. Co-written by a GSPP's @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social Read the full conversation: www.bostonreview.net/forum/how-no...

BRSL at @goldmanschool.bsky.social & @councilonstrategicrisks.org are delighted to announce the AIxNuclear #Research #Fellowship to develop a pipeline of experts fluent in nuclear and AI governance & security issues, w/ support from Longview Philanthropy. Read more: brsl.berkeley.edu/aixnuclearpr...

Can a president nationalize elections? GSPP Professor @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social breaks down what’s possible, what’s not, and why it matters for democracy 🎥 Policy Bites

Calling local + state government professionals 👋 Join us for a virtual info session on our MPA Program, for people doing the work of public service now (or preparing to do so). 🗓 Feb 12, 2026 | 🕛 12–1 PM PST 💻 Virtual https://bit.ly/4qyRo2R

How do long-running democratic contradictions shape today’s politics? Last week, Paul Starr discussed how social change, institutional rigidity, and backlash politics intersect in American democracy. Moderated by Jake Grumbach and hosted by the Democracy Policy Lab. Read more https://bit.ly/3YW6C6B

Today, we honor Dr. King’s enduring call to action. His words remind us that democracy requires courage, care, and a commitment to justice. Let's recommit to advancing equity, expanding opportunity, and strengthening the democratic promise for all. The work continues—and so does the dream.

✅New: BRSL and Future of Life Institute launch project to map trajectories of Chinese and U.S. AI development and escalation risks. Read more here: brsl.berkeley.edu/future-of-li...

So far this year, 16 states have enacted 29 laws that restrict the vote — a rise from previous years. 28 and parts of the 29th will be in effect for the 2026 midterms. Learn more in the latest State Voting Laws Roundup from the Brennan Center and @goldmanschool.bsky.social:

Join us for an evening with Robert Reich and Michael Lewis, two of today’s most insightful voices on power, policy, and democracy. They’ll explore the forces that shaped our democracy and what it will take to rebuild trust in government. Oct 21 | 7 PM | Berkeley RSVP: goldman.school/reichandlewis

Join the Urban Institute on 10/21 @ 12:30 p.m. ET for a hybrid event exploring the benefits and long-term impacts of safety net investments in #children. The discussion will focus on #policy opportunities for progress at both the federal and state levels. #LiveatUrban

What CA gets right, or wrong, offers lessons for democracies everywhere. In a new essay, @micahweinberg.bsky.social (Berkeley DPI) and Tino Cuéllar from the @carnegieendowment.org explore how pluralism shapes progress and how tech could deepen public participation. 🔗 Read more: goldman.school/8u4

In the News 📰 Our faculty director Dr. Jennifer Skeem joins KQED’s The Latest to talk evidence-based responses to mental health crises - co-responder teams, crisis-intervention training, and smarter 911 triage. Listen here: youtu.be/tcegpv7d4WI #MentalHealth #PublicSafety #EvidenceBased

How can governments move faster, work smarter, and rebuild trust? 🚀 Join us in Sacramento on Aug 19 for Reimagining Government: The Power of Agile in Action—a panel on transforming public service through innovation & people-centered solutions.

Project Spotlight: Our "Playing for Change" (P4C) project empowers youth! 🌟 Award-winning "un-TILTED!" game builds self-control & life skills. We're making a real difference! See how: risk-resilience.berkeley.edu/playing-for-... #P4C #YouthDevelopment #GameDesign #Research

📢 How are counties navigating Medi-Cal changes in 2025? Join the Counties R.I.S.E. Research Showcase from GSPP’s Agile Government Initiative for local insights on enrollment shifts, provider strain & more.

Why does police reform often fall flat in the U.S.? GSPP Prof. Jake Grumbach argues it’s not about headcount. It’s about institutional design. Weak accountability and fragmented oversight help explain why outcomes remain poor despite high staffing.

Congratulations to the Risk Resilience Research Lab on this development! 🎉

An incredible event that featured behavioral science research from GSPP Professor Jennifer Skeem! 👏

🎉Vinaya Acharekar (MDP ’25) & her team just won the Grand Prize at Big Ideas 2025 for AgriSolar — a solar-powered irrigation system for smallholder farmers in Nigeria. Congrats to Omogbolahan Idowu, Aseef Raihan, Vinaya Acharekar, and Ayushi Raj Bhatt! #BigIdeas2025 #SustainableFarming

Professor Daniel Kammen of the Goldman School and Energy & Resources Group has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences!🌟🌎 He's being recognized for his groundbreaking and ongoing contributions to original research. Congrats, Professor Kammen!

📘 New book by GSPP Professor Jennifer Bussell! Shocks and Politics (Cambridge UP) explores when—and why—governments prepare for disasters. Political incentives, driven by survivor pressure, play a key role. 🔗 gspp.berkeley.edhttps//x.com/Goldm...

Congratulations to GSPP Professor Amy E. Lerman on being named a 2025 Carnegie Fellow! Her work on civic engagement, equity, and public safety is shaping the future of public policy. 🧠🌍 Read more: gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and... #CarnegieFellows #PublicPolicy #DeliberativeDemocracy

🎖️How does military service shape public policy paths? Join McIPP on 4/25 (11:30–1, GSPP Room 105) for "We’re All Green Here", a roundtable with student veterans & peers. Light lunch provided! #VeteransinPolicy RSVP 👉 lnkd.in/gyY-rsXa

Here's Part 2 of 3 from me, @adambonica.bsky.social, @rfunkfordham.bsky.social, & @ernestotiburcio.bsky.social. All the publicly available data suggests 2024 non-voters leaned Democratic and pro-Harris. data4democracy.substack.com/p/did-non-vo... 1/n

🗳️ Curious about non-voter behavior in 2024? This CES analysis explores the data behind the headlines. ✍️ By @adambonica.bsky.social, @rfunkfordham.bsky.social, @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social, and @ernestotiburcio.bsky.social 📖 Read the full piece here:

✨ Last week, GSPP students came together to celebrate Lunar New Year, honoring culture, community, and new beginnings. Wishing everyone a year filled with prosperity, happiness, and success! 🐉🎊 #LunarNewYear #GSPProud

I just found out that @epi.org has updated and modernized its invaluable archive of State of Working America data and tabulations. Check it out! data.epi.org HT: @benzipperer.org

We just released an enormous trove of US labor market data, all compiled from government surveys, now under threat The @epi.org State of Working America Data Library provides comprehensive data on the US jobs and wages, with detailed cuts by demographics, over time and across states data.epi.org

Hi! I'm new here! I'm Assoc Prof at UC Berkeley Goldman School of Pub Pol &affiliate of Berkeley Interdisc. Migration Initiative, PopulationCenter, & Institute for Research on Labor&Employment. I study US immigration laws & law enforcement as drivers of socioeconomic & health disparities. A few ex:

Evaluating executive actions taken by President Trump has been challenging. The Administration’s ‘flood the zone’ approach, coupled with legal ambiguities and anticipated political and legal pushback, adds to the difficulty of evaluation. I created a one-pager to evaluate the President’s actions.

What would shutting down USAID mean for clean energy and global development? Prof. Dan Kammen breaks it down—discussing energy access, U.S. leadership, and the future of sustainability. Read the full Q&A here: gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and... #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #PublicPolicy

How would a second Trump administration reshape California? 🌍 Henry Brady, Caitlin Patler & John Douglass break down the potential impacts—from climate policy to immigration & beyond. 🔎 What’s at stake for CA? 🔗 Find out: news.berkeley.edu/2025/01/10/t... #PublicPolicy #PolicyResilience

Happy Lunar New Year from the Goldman School of Public Policy! 🎊🐍 May the Year of the Snake bring wisdom, strength, and prosperity to all who celebrate. Wishing our community joy and success in the year ahead! 🏮✨ #LunarNewYear #YearOfTheSnake #GSPP #PolicyWithWisdom #PublicPolicy