Policy 360

Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University

4.9 (17)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED MONTHLY

Policy 360 is a series of audio conversations from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. The series is hosted by Sanford's dean, Judith Kelley.

1D AGO

The Hidden Everyday Successes of Government - And How That Can Help Democracy

Danny Werfel recently served as the 50th Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. He led the U.S. tax system twice, and in his most recent stint he was in charge of a dramatic transformation, launching more digital solutions in a two-year period than in the previous two decades combined. Werfel joins us to talk about leadership, organizational change, and how a broader understanding of what the government does – and gets right – could have a profound impact on political polarization and democracy itself. Danny Werfel earned a Master of Public Policy degree at Duke, and is now serving as a distinguished fellow with Polis, Duke's Center for Politics.

41 min
12/19/2025

Workers: a non-compete clause should give you pause

What if a single clause in your job contract could quietly shape how much you are able to get paid -- after you leave that job? And what if that same contract clause ends up limiting the places you can move for a job? Today, the hidden power of the non-compete clause. New research from Matt Johnson, professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and co-authors gives insight into what the practice actually costs workers.

33 min
12/04/2025

A Conversation with the 16th Administrator of the EPA Michael Regan

Michael Regan recently served as the 16th Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Previously he was Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality where he secured the largest coal ash cleanup settlement in U.S. history. And he led negotiations on the cleanup of the Cape Fear River from PFAS contamination. Now he has taken a role at POLIS: Center for Politics at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy.

23 min
11/19/2025

AI Music is Singing Like a Canary in a Coal Mine

Every technology in music history leaves artists behind. What if one left them all behind? AI-generated music is severely undermining artists' ability to make a viable living. Is it a canary in the coal mine for music and for how AI will affect the future of work more broadly? Grammy-nominated musician Tift Merritt and Professor David Hoffman of the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy discuss the research they are conducting with students to address these issues. Host: Anna Gassman-Pines. This episode is part of a month-long series of stories related to tech policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.

38 min
11/13/2025

Yes, the Data Center Next Door Can Be a Good Neighbor

Data centers hold computers and equipment that are the backbone of the digital age. They make possible the computational power and data storage needed to train AI models, store content, and operate the cloud-based services that many of us rely on. Some say that data centers and the innovations that come from them are key to solving huge issues facing the world right now, while others note major environmental concerns related to how they operate. However, a new report says data centers run by huge companies like Google called hyperscalers could actually be good for the environment in a key way - they could become mobilizers of clean energy and updated grids. Read the report. Guests: Merritt Cahoon and Ian Hitchcock from the Deep Tech at Duke Initiative. This episode is part of a month-long series of stories related to tech policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.

34 min
10/10/2025

Reforming Criminal Reform

In this episode: from living under a bridge to building bridges between policy and practice, CJ Appleton's story is one of resilience, purpose, and possibility. Appleton is a new faculty member at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. After a rocky start to his academic career, including dropping out of college and becoming homeless, today he's eager to bridge the gap between criminology scholarship and US policy. His focus is on desistance, the process of ending a criminal career. Duke Sanford interim Dean Manoj Mohanan hosts. Read show notes/transcript at our website.

37 min
09/24/2025

Will AI Prompt a New Golden Era?

In this episode we'll explore AI – from deepfakes to the growing importance of social media verification. Our guest Robyn Caplan is an Assistant Professor at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy and is currently teaching a class on the transformation of media. Her latest research considers the blue-check verification process that is used on many social platforms. Our host for this episode is Anna Gassman-Pines, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the Sanford School of Public Policy. Read show notes/transcript at our website.

31 min
09/10/2025

Gerrymandering: A New Era of Re-districting Battles

States have increasingly come under pressure from President Trump to redraw district voting lines now even though they are traditionally redrawn every 10 years in response to the census. In response, Democratic strongholds like California are also taking steps to redraw maps out of cycle. Our guests today are both keeping a close eye on such "gerrymandering" efforts. Duke professor Jonathan Mattingly teaches a course on the topic and was involved in a gerrymandering challenge that went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Asher Hildebrand had a front row seat to the redistricting process as a longtime congressional staff member. He now teaches courses on American democracy and politics and directs the executive Masters of Public Affairs program at Duke. Our host for this episode is Phil Napoli, director of the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy at Duke. Read show notes/transcript at our website.

21 min

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Policy 360 is a series of audio conversations from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. The series is hosted by Sanford's dean, Judith Kelley.