Harvard Political Review: What do you think will be the greatest challenges for Anglo-American relations in the years to come? Gordon Brown: I think the big challenge will be to recognize that together, America, Britain, and the rest of Europe can cooperate successfully to deal with global problems that demand global solutions. I think we have … Read more
Margaret Spellings on reforming education By Matthew Bewley Matthew Bewley: Looking back on No Child Left Behind—which you played a large role in passing and implementing—what do you think were its greatest achievements and its greatest flaws? Margaret Spellings: It was absolutely a major game-changer in reframing the conversation around outcomes and results of schools … Read more
The Harvard Political Review has joined with other college political publications to form the Alliance of Collegiate Editors (ACE), hoping to generate cross-campus dialogue on political issues. Rebiya Kadeer, a prominent Uighur rights activist currently living in exile in the U.S., agreed to answer some of our questions. You can read Ms. Kadeer’s biography in … Read more
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola Babatunde Raji Fashola has been the Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria, since 2007. Previously he was Chief of Staff to his predecessor as Governor and a member of various state councils and boards. HPR: You’ve been described in many news outlets as a unique leader for Nigeria. What do … Read more
A British Social Anthropologist Assesses America Dr. Tristram Riley-Smith holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from Cambridge University. He works as a civil servant in London, and is the author of The Cracked Bell, which is reviewed in this issue of the HPR. HPR: Can you briefly explain the background of The Cracked Bell? What … Read more
Changing the Way America Communicates with the World M.C. Andrews was Special Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Global Communications from 2003 to 2005. Prior to that, Andrews was the Director for Democracy on the National Security Council. She is currently a fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. HPR: … Read more
President of the AFL-CIO Richard Trumka HPR: Have recent divisions in the labor community hampered labor’s ability to wield influence in Washington? Richard Trumka: There’s two kinds of unity: there’s unity of name and unity of purpose. Unity of purpose is the most important thing. When it came to electing Barack Obama, we had unity … Read more
Former AFL-CIO and SEIU President John Sweeney John Sweeney was president of the AFL-CIO from 1995 to 2009, and is currently a fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. HPR: When you were president of SEIU Local 32B in New York in the ’70s, you led a strike against the New York Realty Advisory Board and … Read more
Professor Stephen Walt on Israel, Japan, Mexico, and realism Stephen M. Walt is the Robert and Rene Belfer Professsor of International Relations at Harvard University. He is also the co-author, with J.J. Mearsheimer, of The Israel Lobby. HARVARD POLITICAL REVIEW: Your blog is subtitled “A Realist in an Ideological Age.” When you say realist, what … Read more
Teach for America’s founder talks about education in America Wendy Kopp is the founder and president of Teach for America, the national non-profit teaching corps. She also serves as CEO of Teach for All, an organization that works to introduce Teach for America’s methods around the world. HARVARD POLITICAL REVIEW: What are your thoughts on … Read more