The 2023 MIP Cohort Gears Up For Their Policy Impact Projects

The 2023 MIP Cohort Gears Up For Their Policy Impact Projects

The 2023 cohort of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy are spreading out across the globe to practice their policymaking skills on issues such as women’s political representation in Ghana and food insecurity in Egypt.
Francis Fukuyama instructs students from the 2023 cohort of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy in the Policy Impact Lab. Francis Fukuyama instructs students from the 2023 cohort of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy in the Policy Change Studio. Mi Jin Ryu

After a year of book learning and studying theory, students from the 2023 cohort of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy are getting hands-on with their policymaking skills.

During their second year of study, each of our master's students has the opportunity to participate in the Policy Change Studio, a pioneering program at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies which pairs students with organizations across the globe to work on policy challenges in real-time.

From faba beans in Egypt to biotech at NATO and water management in Kenya, learn where our students are teaming up to make an impact, in their own words.


 

The Local Government Parity Puzzle in Ghana

Our team is working with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on the local gender parity puzzle. CDD-Ghana is dedicated to advancing democracy, good governance, and inclusive growth and development within Ghana.
Aden Farr, Corinna Ha, and Munashe Miranda Mataranyika
Arden Farr, Corinna Ha, and Munashe Miranda Mataranyika

The state, political parties, and CSOs in Ghana have recognized the importance of women’s political representation. This is seen in international conventions, the 1992 Constitution, affirmative action bill proposals, and efforts to target direct participation of women. Women’s representation at the parliamentary level stood at 14.5% in the 2020 General Elections, its highest level over the past 30 years; however, women’s representation in local councils has declined from 10% in 2010 to 7.6% in 2019. 
 
We aim to better understand the drivers of low political representation of women at the local level, with attention to sociocultural factors, education, financial barriers, and performance barriers. We are excited and humbled to work with CDD-Ghana on such a critical issue.
 

Barriers to SME Contributions to Food Security in Egypt

Middle and low-income families in the urban areas of Cairo have limited access to affordable food. Over the next few months, we will be conducting research on how value chain interventions can increase the domestic supply of faba beans for these households.
Luis Sanchez, Taimur Ahmad, Jasdeep Singh Hundal, and Shiro Wachira [not pictured]
Luis Sanchez, Taimur Ahmad, Jasdeep Singh Hundal, and Shiro Wachira [not pictured]

We have chosen faba beans because they are currently one of the most important protein sources in the market and  in the Egyptian diet. The  majority of faba beans in Egypt are imported and are highly price sensitive to fluctuations and global supply chain disruptions. Egypt is highly reliant on imported food, which creates a tenuous food security situation for its >100M citizens, and in particular, the ~27% poor living below the $3.20 poverty line. Currently, inability to produce adequate food exposes Egyptians (especially those in poverty) to chronic food insecurity. 

Our team is super excited to work with our partner organization and the communities that will be part of our research. We look forward to enhancing our knowledge of food security and provide the most comprehensive solutions to our partners as well as all the stakeholders involved in the project.
 

Floating Nuclear Power Plants in the South China Sea

Our team is exploring the security risks of potential Chinese plans to develop and operate floating nuclear power plants in the South China Sea, partnering with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Omar Pimentel, Mi Jin Ryu, Miku Yamada, and Jonathan Deemer
Omar Pimentel, Mi Jin Ryu, Miku Yamada, and Jonathan Deemer

While proponents argue that floating nuclear power plants have climate, industrial and potential economic benefits, lack of safeguards and international regulations raise questions about the safety of these deployments. Moreover, the possibility of deployment in the disputed waters of South China Sea present a grave risk to sovereignty claims of Southeast Asian countries, and may accelerate further militarization of the South China Sea.

We are aiming to identify the key security risks of these plans, and to develop policy recommendations for concerned governments and stakeholders.
 

Responsible Use of Biotechnology in Security and Defense

Our group is focused on the responsible implementation of solutions for emerging security challenges, specifically related to biotechnology and human enhancement. In an age of renewed geopolitical competition, the ethical employment of biotech is critical.
Angela Chen, Brian Slamkowsk, and Francesca Bentley
Angela Chen, Brian Slamkowski, and Francesca Bentley

To that end, we are working with the NATO Innovation Unit to define a strategic approach to these advanced technologies that ensures access to cutting edge capabilities, informed adoption, and responsible use. The advent of human-machine integration, genetic editing, and other forms of biological manipulation represents a new front in the global innovation race.
 

Water Resource Management in Kenya

We are working with Nuru International to address the challenges facing smallholder farmers in Homa Bay County, Kenya. We aim to better understand the specific needs in West Kenya to sustainably improve their agricultural productivity and livelihoods.
Chubing Li, Joyce Lin, Kyle Smith, and Ben Zehr
Chubing Li, Joyce Lin, Kyle Smith, and Ben Zehr

Agriculture is the backbone of many developing countries, and smallholder farmers play a critical role in this sector. However, these farmers often face numerous challenges, from incomplete irrigation infrastructure, low-quality agriculture inputs (seeds, fertilizers, etc), to the lack of market linkages. By working with Nuru International, a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of smallholder farmers by providing them with training and resources, we want to help create a more equitable and prosperous future for rural communities in Kenya.
 

Misinformation and Disinformation in the Pacific Islands

Our team is exploring the root causes of the spread of misinformation and disinformation in the Pacific Islands, focusing on the Republic of Fiji. We are working with the Melbourne-based Oceania Cyber Security Centre (OCSC), a not-for-profit research institute, to devise potential solutions to counter the prevalence of false and misleading information in Fiji.
Ilari Papa, Caroline Meinhardt, Tanvi Gupta, and Daniel Kim
Ilari Papa, Caroline Meinhardt, Tanvi Gupta, and Daniel Kim

Following a rapid phase of digitization and social media adoption, Pacific Island nations are struggling to counter a large variety of mis- and disinformation that is being spread via online sources largely trusted by citizens. We aim to understand Fiji’s unique socio-cultural context in order to propose tailored solutions for increasing citizens’ ability to verify information.
 

Challenges in Policy Making and Financing of Paris Agreement Goals

Our team is working with UNFCCC which is the United Nations entity tasked with supporting the global response to the threat of climate change. We are working to address Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement, which calls for “…making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.”
Dulguun Batmunkh, Ben Zuercher, Suman Kumar, and Anna Vladymyrska
Dulguun Batmunkh, Ben Zuercher, Suman Kumar, and Anna Vladymyrska

Especially in the absence of significant public resources, current flows of private investment in the final sector toward climate change adaptation and mitigation measures are insufficient to support the efforts of developing nations to limit the impact of global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

Our team will be examining two case studies, Switzerland and the Maldives, to provide context and insights on the reason for the lack of an established reliable funding mechanism to address climate change.and effective coordination of initiatives to operationalize solutions to combat climate change.
 

The Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy

Want to learn more? MIP holds admission events throughout the year, including graduate fairs and webinars, where you can meet our staff and ask questions about the program.

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