Crowd of Black Lives Matters demonstrators marching in the street.
Feature: The Democratic Necessity of Reckoning

Erica Chenoweth reviews scholarship that overwhelmingly shows the Black Lives Matter movement generated high levels of public awareness about systemic racism and increased support for criminal justice reform.

Electronic stock ticker board with numbers and arabic letters.
Feature: Against Rule-of-Thumb Economics

Dani Rodrik argues against neoliberalism’s universal rule-of-thumb approach and for economic analyses grounded in contextual dependencies.

Several hands of team members covering one another in a huddle above a work table.
Feature: Leaders’ Psychological Bravery

Dana Born explores what skills leaders need to cultivate psychological safety on their teams and across their organizations.

Dollars and Euros piled on top of one another.
Feature: Dollar vs. Euro as International Reserve Currencies

Jeffrey Frankel explores the strengths and weaknesses of using the Dollar and the Euro as international reserve currencies.

Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

Changes in Racial Gaps in Retirement Security over Time

Dynan, Karen, and Douglas Elmendorf. "Changes in Racial Gaps in Retirement Security over Time." June 2023.

National Fiscal Policies to Fight Recessions in US States

Dynan, Karen, and Douglas Elmendorf. "National Fiscal Policies to Fight Recessions in US States." American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings, May 2020.

The Federal Fisc

Dynan, Karen, and Douglas Elmendorf. "The Federal Fisc." Harvard Magazine. May-June 2020.

Yes, We Still Have the Fiscal Capacity to Deal with a Recession

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Yes, We Still Have the Fiscal Capacity to Deal with a Recession." Washington Post, September 3, 2019.

Our Troubling Fiscal Situation

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Our Troubling Fiscal Situation." Business Economics 54 (January 2019): 131–133.

Comment on Chapters 1 and 2, 'Educational Attainment and the Revival of US Economic Growth’ and ‘The Outlook for U.S. Labor-Quality Growth'

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Comment on Chapters 1 and 2, 'Educational Attainment and the Revival of US Economic Growth’ and ‘The Outlook for U.S. Labor-Quality Growth'." Education, Skills, and Technical Change: Implications for Future US GDP Growth. Ed. Charles R. Hulten and Valerie A. Ramey. University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Letter to Congressional Leaders

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Letter to Congressional Leaders." Harvard Kennedy School of Government, July 21, 2017.

Federal Policy and Economic Growth

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Federal Policy and Economic Growth." Business Economics 52.3 (July 2017): 149–153.

Federal Budget Policy with an Aging Population and Persistently Low Interest Rates

Elmendorf, Douglas, and Louise M. Sheiner. "Federal Budget Policy with an Aging Population and Persistently Low Interest Rates." Journal of Economic Perspectives 31.3 (Summer 2017).

The Republican Health Care Debacle: How Not to Make Public Policy

Elmendorf, Douglas. "The Republican Health Care Debacle: How Not to Make Public Policy." Foreign Affairs, May 24, 2017.

Federal Budget Policy with an Aging Population and Persistently Low Interest Rates

Elmendorf, Douglas W., and Louise Sheiner. "Federal Budget Policy with an Aging Population and Persistently Low Interest Rates." Hutchins Center Working Papers (October 2016).

Designing Federal Budget Policy to Spur Economic Growth

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Designing Federal Budget Policy to Spur Economic Growth." The Brookings Institution (October 13, 2015).

A Fairer Approach to Fiscal Reform

Elmendorf, Douglas. "A Fairer Approach to Fiscal Reform." The Washington Post, October 11, 2015.

Designing Federal Budget Policy to Spur Economic Growth

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Designing Federal Budget Policy to Spur Economic Growth." Business Economics 50 162-168.

Dynamic Scoring: Why and How to Include Macroeconomic Effects in Budget Estimates for Legislative Proposals

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Dynamic Scoring: Why and How to Include Macroeconomic Effects in Budget Estimates for Legislative Proposals." Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (September 2015).

CBO’s Outlook for the Economy in February 2014

Elmendorf, Douglas. "CBO’s Outlook for the Economy in February 2014." Business Economics (September 2014).

Comment on ‘Is This Time Different? The Slowdown in Healthcare Spending

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Comment on ‘Is This Time Different? The Slowdown in Healthcare Spending." Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2013).

Comment on Evans, Kotlikoff, and Phillips

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Comment on Evans, Kotlikoff, and Phillips." Fiscal Policy After the Financial Crisis. Ed. Alesina, Alberto, and Francesco Giavazzi. University Of Chicago Press, 2013.

The Evolution of Household Income Volatility

Dynan, Karen, Douglas Elmendorf, and Daniel Sichel. "The Evolution of Household Income Volatility." The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy 12.2 (December 2012).

Choices for Federal Spending and Taxes

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Choices for Federal Spending and Taxes." Business Economics 47.3 (August 2012): 161-164.

Four Observations About the Federal Budget

Elmendorf, Douglas. "Four Observations About the Federal Budget." Business Economics 46.3 (September 2011): 139-143.