Scholars Influencing Policy
By Dr. Marciene Mattleman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Janine Davidson left a position at the Pentagon to return as an assistant professor of national security and public policy at George Mason University. Davidson joins many academics and others from government, the military, and think-tanks, bringing a broad range of experience and knowledge to policy making.
Jonathan Gruber, economics professor at M.I.T., was a technical consultant during the development of the Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act after having worked on health care legislation in Massachusetts. Jeffrey Liebman, public policy professor at Harvard, advised Obama on the economic effects of tax and budget policy as well as of Social Security and federal housing vouchers.
These moves, according to an article by Jenny Rogers in The Chronicle of Higher Education, illustrate the revolving door between academic and policy worlds and some may risk being labeled partisan.
Yet, not all governments allow for such movement that brings knowledge and expertise to policy making and real world to the classroom.
