Public Policy

The Other War on Drugs: Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance in the 21st Century

Humanity’s propensity for unbridled technological advancement has pushed us ever closer to the edge of a cliff. The industrial revolution riddled us with greenhouse gas emissions, and the Manhattan Project brought us to the brink of nuclear devastation more than once. Our powerful painkillers—once touted as a cure for debilitating chronic pain—are now one of […]

Counterbalance: When Policies Die and Elections Begin

For some, politics has always been a topic of interest. For others, it wasn’t until Kevin Spacey, Kate Mara (RIP) and Robin Wright took the screen to produce one of the most influential political drama series since the West Wing. House of Cards season 3 aired on Netflix at midnight (PST) on February 27, leaving […]

Sheikhing Things Up: An Economic Approach to US-Saudi Diplomacy

Discussions of the Middle East are often synonymous with two topics: the commodity of oil and US involvement in the region. The United States and Saudi Arabia, two ostensible allies, face a conflict of interests as the US continues to engage in nuclear negotiations with Iran and Saudi Arabia deploys air assaults on the Iranian-backed […]

Israel, Palestine, and Northeastern University: An Issue of Free Speech and Competing Interests

In March of 2014, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student group at Northeastern University, placed dozens of mock eviction notices in dormitories as an act of protest against the forced evictions of Palestinians in Israel.[1] The act was one in a string of controversial SJP protests, which ultimately resulted in the group’s suspension […]

Scotland’s Vote Against Independence Will Still Bring Massive Change to the U.K

The month leading up to the Scottish referendum was fraught with anxiety for those who wished to keep the United Kingdom whole. Fear over the campaign for independence succeeding in its goal, is likely the reason that, two days before the referendum, the leaders of the three biggest political parties in England signed a vow […]

One Protest, Two Perspectives

One-nation, two-systems: the political reintegration of Hong Kong into China after a century of being a British colony has recently proved problematic, as the people of Hong Kong have taken to the streets to demand further democratic development. The 1997 Agreement placed the former British colony in a semi-autonomous position, where basic civil and political […]

Resources, Education and Stigma: Deficits of the American Mental Health Care System

While America may not have a reputation as the world’s healthiest country, both state and local governments are working towards improving the health of the populace. Initiatives such as, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, New York City’s ban on large sugary beverages, and the requirement of restaurants and similar establishments to provide nutritional […]

Unpaid And Unhappy: The American Internship Crisis

The reality of the internship is one that has changed with time. What began as an opportunity to gain insight into a career has expanded into a prerequisite for employment in nearly all fields. But what also began as a paid, temporary job has evolved into an unpaid form of volunteer work. While paid internships […]

Governor Deval Patrick Policy Strategy to Success

On Monday September 29th, the 2014 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report was released. This report highlights the state’s clean energy industry growth of 47% since 2010 with an emphasis on the double-digit growth for the third consecutive year.[[1]] Today, the Commonwealth ranks #1 per capita in early-stage and growth equity clean energy investment. It is […]

Net Neutrality and the Monopoly on Information

The Internet today is a vast ocean of data being downloaded, uploaded and transmitted all over the world at lightning fast speeds.  Our current dependence on technology has become so fundamental that we are now considered to be living in the “Information Age.” Not only is the breadth of information seemingly limitless, but is also […]