This is episode 1 of the LBJ School’s new podcast series From a Great Society to a Resilient Society: Building a resilient future in a globally connected world. In this six-part series, host Steven Pedigo engages LBJ School policy leaders on the future of our world through the lens of resiliency. In this episode, Pedigo is joined by federal policy experts Don Kettl and presidential historian Jeremi Suri to […]

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson shared his vision of what would become known as the “Great Society”—an America where the air and water are clean, poverty and racial injustice have been eliminated, and all its citizens can develop their full potential and share in the promise of America.  But the gap between LBJ’s aspiration and our […]

Dr. Jay Battacharya discusses his recent breakthroughs in researching the science and the numbers of the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Census Director Dr. Steven Dillingham joins Policy on Purpose to discuss the 2020 census, why it counts and how students can get involved.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan visited the LBJ School on November 13, 2019, as part of the Dean’s Distinguished Leaders Series. In this episode, Mayor Duggan talks about efforts to revitalize the city of Detroit in an equitable way.

Hedrick Smith, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter and director of the upcoming PBS documentary Democracy Rebellion, talks about grassroots efforts in Texas to combat big money politics, gerrymandering and voter suppression.

Former NYC Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen joins guest host and Urban Lab Director Steven Pedigo to discuss ways policymakers can leverage public-private partnerships to future-proof cities.

The LBJ School honored two of its extraordinary graduates on Friday, Sept. 20, presenting former Democratic nominee for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams (MPAff ’98) with the Distinguished Public Service Award and Pflugerville city council member Rudy Metayer (EMPL ’16) with the Rising Leader Award in a reception that kicked off Alumni Weekend.

Before speaking to the LBJ School’s class of 2019, PBS NewsHour’s White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor joined Policy on Purpose to talk about the role and responsibility of the press when covering some of our world’s most defining moments, and how to best balance humanity and objectiveness when covering difficult topics and stories.

Founding CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute Robert Jones joins Dean Angela Evans to discuss what the changes in religious, racial and ethnic demographies of Texas and the nation tell us about the future of politics and policy priorities.