Are Gayborhoods Driving Economic Growth in US Cities?

November 4th, 2015 - Rachel Gordon

A study finds that US cities with significant concentrations of gay men have seen more rapid economic development of their downtown neighborhoods in recent years. More »

DIY Urban Design: community improvement or an act of crime?

April 23rd, 2015 - Kimberley Norman

Do-It-Yourself Urban Design occurs when people make unauthorized changes to public space to address local needs. Sociologist Gordon Douglas discusses the benefits—and potential unintended costs—that follow when self-appointed urban planners take direct action ... More »

Why Inclusive Zones are Not Inclusive Everywhere

February 27th, 2015 - Tamkinat Rauf

Research from New York University explains why inclusive housing policies work better in some places than in others. More »

Housing ‘On The House’: The Common Good Problem in French Social Housing

February 6th, 2015 - Tamkinat Rauf

Seven years after France established housing as a right that people can legally demand from the state, a housing crisis persists. Sociologist Levy-Vroelant argues that the root of the problem is the absence of a national consensus on housing as a collective va... More »

Chicago’s Changing Financial Landscape: An Interview with the City’s CFO, Lois Scott

December 11th, 2014 - Elliott Balch

Chicago’s CFO talks about how the City can surmount its long-term fiscal challenges, generational changes in attitudes among investors, and the evolving role of bond ratings. More »

A city with soul: Director of Finance Brian Collins addresses the future of Memphis

December 9th, 2014 - Robert Callahan

Brian Collins, Director of Finance for the City of Memphis, talks about his city’s determination in the face of financial and socio-economic adversity. More »

Live Fast, Die Young, Defend Your Status: The Code of Retaliation

December 2nd, 2014 - Shannon White

A harsh childhood can lead to a life strategy that condones violence in response to status threats. An economic game shows that such a worldview is linked to heightened envy in unfair situations. More »

Driving Innovation: Firm Diversity and the Startup Ecosystem

November 20th, 2014 - Peter Fogel

Diversity of firm size is arguably a vital contributor to a region’s innovation. More »

Participatory Budgeting: Increasing the Power of the Taxpayer over Public Expenditures

November 14th, 2014 - Shaun Edwards

How effective is participatory budgeting at increasing government accountability and responsiveness in municipalities? Programs in Brazil find that allowing residents to choose preferential projects improves their social welfare and shifts constituent prioriti... More »

Downtown Democracy: Municipal Government’s Responsiveness to Mass Policy Preferences

October 8th, 2014 - Constance Boozer

New research finds that there is an ideological-bent to municipal public policies, and that this trend is reflective of the mass public’s policy preferences. More »

Nudging Disadvantaged Students Towards Improved College Application Decisions

September 23rd, 2014 - Shannon White

The college application process is riddled with uncertainty, and students in disadvantaged areas in particular may not have access to quality counseling or other resources to guide them. A recent study shows how a cheap policy change dramatically impacted the ... More »

The New Face of Human Capital: An Interview with Emile Cambry Jr. of BLUE1647

September 16th, 2014 - Jim Howes

Emile Cambry Jr., founder of BLUE1647, discusses his revolutionary, community-based approach to workforce development in the digital age. More »