Policy Perspectives

01/29/2025

As China ramps up investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. influence is slipping. Staff writer Matias Bidegaray explores the economic and strategic implications—and what the U.S. must do to keep pace.

Matias Bidegaray is a staff writer and first-year MPP student. In December of last year, former President Biden embarked on a trip to South America, where his administration announced new inve…

12/12/2024

For 28 years, TANF has provided critical support to U.S. households with low income, but there’s room for improvement. Staff writer Caroline Wendzel proposes three reforms to enhance the program’s effectiveness and reach.

Caroline Wendzel is a staff writer and second-year MPP student. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)—or “welfare”—is one of the most well-known governmental programs aimed at reducing pov…

12/10/2024

The end of Affirmative Action has left many wondering how universities will maintain diversity on their campuses. Staff writer Azia Richardson-Williams describes the history of Affirmative Action policies and what universities are doing to address the fallout.

Azia Richardson-Williams is a staff writer and first-year MPA student. For many students, the summer between junior and senior year marks a pivotal moment—transforming dreams of higher education in…

12/05/2024

The D.C. Better Bus initiative is redesigning the District's bus network with equity in mind. Staff writer Chase Karbon examines the opportunities and challenges of the redesign.

Chase Karbon is a staff writer and first-year MPP student. Equity will be one of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) focuses as it implements its Better Bus redesign during the…

12/03/2024

Brief Policy Perspectives is back! Staff writer Matias Bidegaray examines the feasibility and potential consequences of mass deportation in the U.S., including economic costs and pressure on public services.

Stay tuned for more blog posts by our staff writers in the coming days and weeks!

Matias Bidegaray is a staff writer and first-year MPP student. President-elect Donald Trump has long promised mass deportations as a part of his immigration policy. In his 2016 presidential ca…

09/20/2024

Last call for applications! All article submissions and editorial staff applications are due tomorrow, Saturday, September 21, at 11:59 p.m.

09/10/2024

Drop in to one of our upcoming Zoom open houses to ask questions about getting involved with Policy Perspectives. We look forward to seeing you there!

🗓️Friday, September 13 from 12-1 p.m.
Meeting ID: 980 5730 1822
Passcode: 244124

🗓️Monday, September 16 from 12-1 p.m.
Meeting ID: 961 3046 8527
Passcode: 419658

🗓️Monday, September 16 from 7-8 p.m.
Meeting ID: 979 8063 4988
Passcode: 905006

Zoom links are also available at https://policy-perspectives.org/join-our-team/

09/06/2024

📢 Good news! We’ve extended our application deadline to Saturday, September 21 at 11:59 p.m.

💭 Got questions? Email us at [email protected], leave a comment below, or stay tuned for our upcoming virtual open houses to learn more about our organization!

08/24/2024

📣 2 weeks remain to apply to join our team! 📣

Do you want to see your work published in a peer-reviewed journal, gain editing experience, or share your policy ideas on our blog?

Any Trachtenberg student or alum can apply to publish an article in our journal!

Current students may also apply for the following roles:

💡 Associate editors work one-on-one with a single author for the journal.
💡 Deputy editors help prepare blog pieces for publication.
💡 Staff writers write policy briefs for the blog.

All applications are due Saturday, September 7, 2024. We’re excited for you to join us!

Application for journal article submissions:
https://policy-perspectives.org/submit-to-the-journal/

Application for editor and staff writer positions:
https://policy-perspectives.org/join-our-team/

Email questions to [email protected].

08/14/2024

Calling all The Trachtenberg School at The George Washington University students and alumni! 📢 Do you have an outstanding paper you are proud of and want to take a step further? Are you looking for an opportunity to be published in a peer-reviewed journal?

This is your chance! The Policy Perspectives journal is now accepting article submissions for Volume 32!

Submissions are due by 11:59pm on Saturday, September 7th. For more information or to submit your article, please visit our website here: https://policy-perspectives.org/submit-to-the-journal/

08/02/2024

Need some summer reading? Check out Volume 31 of The Trachtenberg School at The George Washington University's Policy Perspectives journal!
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Volume 31 Editorial Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Frank Bewkes
Managing Editor: Sarah Mohammadi
Executive Editor: Nathan Varnell

Policy Perspectives is the public policy and public administration journal published by graduate students at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at the George Washington University. It publishes scholarly articles on a wide range of topics important to public policy an...

03/04/2024

For decades, researchers have documented a strong connection between domestic violence and animal abuse. Staff writer Caroline Wendzel argues the importance of “the Link” and how policymakers can ensure cases of abuse don’t fall through the cracks.

Caroline Wendzel is a staff writer and a first-year MPP student. For decades, researchers have documented a strong connection between interpersonal violence and animal abuse. This connection, …

03/02/2024

In the dynamic realm of collegiate athletics, a crucial moment is unfolding as the NCAA appeals to Congress to navigate the future of college sports. Staff writer Julia Mattingly drafts out how the industry may change if student athletes were reclassified as employees — and compensated as such.

Julia Mattingly is a staff writer and first-year Ph.D. student. In the dynamic realm of collegiate athletics, a crucial moment is unfolding as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ap…

02/29/2024

Amid legal and legislative warfare over the rights of pregnant individuals across the nation, data privacy issues have often run unnoticed in the background. Staff writer Kate Braddom explores the patchwork policy landscape of data protection and how personal information from period-tracking apps may be bought, sold, or even used in court without users' knowledge.

Kate Braddom is a staff writer and a first-year MPP student. In the era of online dating, wearable technologies and virtual workspaces, the emergence of ‘digital contraceptives’ seems almost i…

01/10/2024

Contrary to the flowery advertisements, many menstrual products' ingredients are far from natural. Staff writer Kate Braddom raises the alarm on actions regulators can take to protect women from "forever chemicals" such as in menstrual products.

Kate Braddom is a staff writer and a first-year MPP student. Modern advertisements for menstrual products are filled with uplifting, empowering messages that target menstrual stigma and boast welln…

01/10/2024

Red state legislators have passed increasingly pro-life legislation for years, but voters in states such as Ohio recently rejected abortion restrictions that appeared on the ballot. Staff writer Julia Mattingly explores this gap between the preferences of voters and their legislators, and where direct democracy reforms might bridge it.

https://policy-perspectives.org/2024/01/09/bridging-the-gap-reforming-state-democracies-to-reflect-the-public-will/

12/11/2023

School voucher programs have been rolled out in seven new states in 2023, reigniting debates on the merits of . Staff writer Sophia Alejandro explores the recent history of voucher programs and the careful considerations lawmakers must weigh for student success.

Sophia Alejandro is a staff writer and a first-year MPA student. School voucher programs have long represented a complex and controversial policy approach to reframing school choice and public educ…

12/08/2023

Title IX requires that schools protect students suffering from s*xual violence, but what are schools doing to prevent it? Staff writer Kate Braddom argues current requirements have proven insufficient and prescribes new paths forward for universities.

Kate Braddom is a staff writer and a first-year MPP student. What is Title IX? Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of s*x, b…