Political and judicial checks on corruption: Evidence from American state governments
2008 study in Economics & Politics on how the theory of the balance of powers plays out at the state level, and how partisan influence can change dynamics.
Politics & Government
Research roundups, tip sheets, articles and explainers related to the topic of politics, elections, and local and national governments
Expert Commentary
Social influence in televised election debates: A potential distortion of democracy
2011 study by Royal Holloway University and the University of Bristol on how real-time displays of audience response to a live debate can influence undecided voters.
Expert Commentary
Enforcement and public corruption: Evidence from U.S. states
2010 study from Harvard and the University of Copenhagen about the relationship between rates of public corruption and available legal resources.
Expert Commentary
Roads to prosperity or bridges to nowhere? The impact of public infrastructure investment
2012 paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco for the National Bureau of Economic Research on the economic effects of spending on highway projects.
Expert Commentary
Perceptions of discrimination and racial policy opinion after Obama
2011 study from the University of Michigan on racial attitudes and perceptions in America immediately before and after Barack Obama’s election.
Expert Commentary
Growing gap in favorable views of federal and state governments
2012 Pew Research survey looking at variation in citizen assessments of government at different levels, and partisan divides in the United States.
Expert Commentary
Isolated capital cities, accountability and corruption: Evidence from U.S. states
2012 paper from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government about the dynamics of transparency and the geographical location of state capitals.
Expert Commentary
Assessment of Indonesia’s prospects for growth, equity and democratic governance
2010 report from Harvard’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance on Indonesia’s economic, governmental and social progress since its adoption of democratic rule in 2000.
Expert Commentary
Congressional Research Service: Renewable energy in the United States
Renewable energy information from the 2011 Congressional Research Service report, “U.S. Energy: Overview and Key Statistics.”
Expert Commentary
Congressional Research Service: Petroleum and its role in the U.S. economy
2012 petroleum-related statistics from the Congressional Research Service, including production and consumption, with breakdowns for industrial and consumer use of oil.
Expert Commentary