Policy 360

Venezuela is in the midst of a catastrophic economic crisis. According to Forbes, Venezuela's yearly annual inflation reached 80,000% in 2018, up from 2,400% the year before.

The hyperinflation was so intense that officials revalued the currency at a rate of 100,000 to 1 – and even after that, the exchange rate with the US dollar is still nearly 3,300 to 1. People are spending hundreds of dollars on basic necessities and many still go hungry.

And now on top of this economic hardship, two men are both claiming to have the right to be President.

Patrick Duddy has plenty of experience with the divisiveness of Venezuelan politics, and with the concerns of the people. He previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela and is currently the Director of Duke University's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

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With college basketball season in full swing and March Madness close approaching, the attention of the sports world is centered around student athletes. Yet despite the press brought to universities by these sports, they are rarely mentioned in the mission statement or acknowledged to be as influential as they are. On this episode of Policy 360, Charles Clotfelter discusses the tremendous impact college athletics has on students, alumni, and beyond, for better or for worse, as well as what can be done to reform how schools treat the business of sports as a core part of their identity. Charles Clotfelter is a professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy and author of the book Big-Time Sports in American Universities. (Cambridge University Press).

In 1995, John Koskinen was deputy director of the federal Office of Management and Budget. President President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, was tussling with a Republican Congress over a variety of issues. Soon the government was in the midst of its first major shutdown.

Koskinen joins Sanford School of Public Policy Dean Judith Kelley to discuss lessons from that shutdown. They also talk about accomplishments and challenges Koskinen faced during his career spanning 11 different public leadership positions in the public and private sectors.

Music: Blue Dot Sessions/Creative Commons

Rich countries have a variety of reasons to give money to poorer countries. In this episode of Policy 360, Sarah Bermeo discusses what the U.S. foreign aid policy strategy is today, how it has changed over the years, and what that means for peace and security. Sarah Blodgett Bermeo is an associate professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy and author of the book Targeted Development: Industrialized Country Strategy in a Globalizing World.

Mitch Prinstein examines how our popularity affects our success, our relationships, our happiness, and why we don't always want to be the most popular. Mitch is the John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and the director of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the author of the book Popular: Finding Happiness and Success in a World That Cares Too Much About the Wrong Kinds of Relationships.

Adriana Figueroa and Maggie Loredo's stories illuminate the compelling historical, ethical, and political challenges unfolding today on the U.S. Mexican border.

Both women were born in Mexico. Because their families were undocumented, both returned to Mexico in order to continue their education.

They are part of a growing number of young people who have had to make the same decision.

Both women are part of a group that is helping other young returnees find their footing in Mexico. They have also had an impact on policies affecting young people there.

Maggie and Adriana were on Duke's campus as part of a series called Connect2Politics, a leadership initiative for Duke undergraduates interested in political engagement. The initiative is run by the Hart Leadership Program.

Researchers know that prekindergarten offers short term benefits - kids do better in the early grades if they've gone to Pre-K. But the effects seem to fade by about the third grade. In this episode: new research into this fade out effect.

Researchers paired student data from a statewide Pre-K experiment with records of teacher observation scores from Tennessee's new formal evaluation program. Their idea was a simple one - would a student's access to high-quality early grade teachers help the Pre-K effects last longer?

Guest: Walker Swain, University of Georgia

Guest Host: Anna Gassman-Pines, Duke Center for Child & Family Policy

The so-called "migrant caravan" has grabbed worldwide headlines. Approximately 3,000 people are walking toward the Southern U.S. border from a variety of countries. The caravan appears to have originated in Honduras, and the travelers say they are headed north for many reasons including fear of violence and gangs in their home countries. Many questions surround who the migrants are, and how the U.S. should deal with them.

Sarah Bermeo has been following the situation closely. She is a political economist at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University with expertise in foreign policy, development and migration. Bermeo is author of the book, Targeted Development – Industrialized Country Strategy in a Globalizing World.

Earlier this week, a gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Authorities say the gunman made hateful, anti-Semitic comments on social media before the attack. David Schanzer is Director of the Duke Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security. He calls the attack an act of "Trumpism-inspired Terrorism."

Sari Kaufman is a junior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. Her high school was the site of a horrific mass shooting this year. Since the shooting, Kaufman has worked alongside her friends to register thousands of voters.

Sari Kaufman was on Duke's campus to participate in a panel discussion about the challenges to student voting rights. The event was part of a special series run by the Hart Leadership Program called Connect2Politics. The series is exposing students to a new generation of young political leaders. Gunther Peck, director of the Hart Leadership Program, is our guest host.