Hundreds of civic hackers, technologists, policy wonks, engaged citizens, and others have come together at three #Hack4Congress events across the country to send a simple message to Congress: it’s time to bring government into the 21st century, and we’re here to help.

With our co-organizer The OpenGov Foundation, the Ash Center now invites you to one more #Hack4Congress event. Meet and support the winners from #Hack4Congress Cambridge ('Congress Connect'),...

About the Event:

Police brutality and violent crime have been major problems in Rio de Janeiro. Violence has affected mostly the poor, especially those living in favelas. Using a multi-method research design, we explore some of the institutional, contextual and individual factors that account for police use of lethal force and how police violence varies through time and across space. We also present an evaluation of the Pacifying Police Units (UPPs), a form of proximity policing introduced in over 40 favelas between 2008 and 2014. Using geo-coded data on lethal violence during that period, we employ a quasi-experimental method to evaluate the extent to which the UPPs have reduced police violence and violent crime in the city of Rio de Janeiro.... Read more about Police Violence and Crime in Rio de Janeiro: Evaluating the Pacifying Police Units

About the Speaker:

Mr. Niu Gensheng is the founder of the Lao Niu Foundation and Mengniu Group, as well as a co-founder of Yili Group. Mr. Niu currently serves as Vice President of the China Charity Forum, and as Vice Director of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) China Council.

Mr. Niu has received wide recognition both as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. CCTV honored him as “China Economic Person of the Year”, and selected as “China’s Most Influential Business Leader” five years in a row. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has twice awarded Mr. Niu the Most Caring Individual Donor Award, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award and Special Achievement Award. Mr. Niu’s leadership in environmental protection was recognized by TNC, which presented him with their prestigious Oak Leaf Award.

The Lao Niu Foundation is the first private family foundation in China, and was established in late 2004 by Mr. Niu Gensheng and his family. The foundation is committed to the globalization of philanthropy, and to international philanthropic programs. The Niu family shares Mr. Niu’s devotion to philanthropy, and actively participates in the foundation. In order to further expand their active participation in family philanthropy, Mr. Niu’s children have also established the Laoniu Brother & Sister Foundation.

... Read more about Family Philanthropy and International Strategy of Philanthropy

About the Symposium

Join public officials from cities, towns, and state agencies across Massachusetts for a nuts and bolts conversation on fostering innovation in government. Participants will join the nine finalists for Harvard University's Innovations in American Government Award for an exchange of ideas and experiences on transforming how we address our toughest public problems. The small group discussions will focus on novel yet practical solutions as well as implementation: how to get good ideas started, how to tackle the bureaucratic hurdles, where and how to leverage funding and support, and more.... Read more about Sparking Change: Symposium on Public Sector Innovation

Upcoming Events:

Compulsory Voting and Income Inequality

About the Event:
What difference does it make if more, or fewer, people vote? What difference would it make if the state made people vote? These questions are central both to normative debates about the rights and duties of citizens in a democracy and to contemporary policy debates in a variety of countries over what actions states should take to encourage electoral participation. In this seminar, Professor John Carey will address the phenomenon of compulsory voting and the legal requirements that compel citizens to vote in elections. Specifically, he will focus on a rare case of abolishing compulsory voting in Venezuela where not forcing people to vote yielded a more unequal distribution of income.

... Read more about Comparative Democracy Seminar Series

#Hack4Congress brings together political scientists, technologists, designers, lawyers, organizational psychologists, and lawmakers to foster new digital tools, policy proposals and other innovations to address the growing dysfunction in Congress.

In three “not-just-for-technologists” events (in Cambridge, San Francisco, and Washington DC), civic innovators are invited to spend a weekend working on “hacks” (both technical and non-technical) to improve Congress. Each event concludes with presentations and the selection of the best project.

Winners will travel to DC in May to present their ideas to a panel of Members of Congress and civic innovators.

The event will kick off on April 29 at 5:30pm with a panel discussion entitled “Creating a 21st Century Congress” at the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center.

See the Reddit AMA with the speakers here.

Watch Senator Blumenthal's opening remarks:

Watch the Hackathon's project pitches:

See This Event in the Media Here:

• Congress Is for Hackers
• #Hack4Congress Comes to DC
• Reddit Wants to Know How This Group of Hackers is Going to Fix Congress
• Lawmakers Want a Few Good Hackers to Help Bring Congress into the 21st Century
• Lawmakers Ask Programmers: Hack for Congress

... Read more about #Hack4Congress DC

#Hack4Congress DC Panel Discussion and Reception  -- "Creating a 21st Century Congress"

Please join us for a panel discussion on "Creating a 21st Century Congress." 

Moderated by decorated technology journalist Nancy Scola, the discussion will center on the institutional, financial, and cultural barriers to building a legislature that functions in the year 2015 — and what needs to be done to produce a more efficient and effective Congress. A reception will follow. 

...

Speaker: Anna Kinberg Batra, Leader of the Swedish Opposition

Join the Center for Public Leadership, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and the Women and Public Policy Program for an intimate luncheon conversation about Sweden's government crisis in the fall of 2014 and Ms. Kinberg Batra’s current focus on preparing her reform agenda for the 2018 election.... Read more about Political Leadership in a Challenging World: Lessons from Sweden