CSDI

Researchers analyzed data from the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) used by the George W. Bush administration to grade the effectiveness of federal programs. Read More

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Maraniss and First Amendment Center founder John Seigenthaler will lead a conversation about the Gettysburg Address to mark its 150th anniversary. Read More

Vanderbilt researcher David Lewis says that anything that can be done to corral the use of patronage for political appointments would help the federal government to operate more efficiently. Read More

Whether politicians and the press seem like friend or foe, elected officials regularly use news outlets to share and defend their views to the public. New research from Vanderbilt University finds certain media actually influenced the voting behavior of politicians. Read More

This week on VUCast: Find out which gender is better at getting things done in D.C.; a new partnership brings Vanderbilt experts to you; and the story behind the song that is captivating the world. Read More

The latest Vanderbilt Poll shows that there is a divide between the priorities of state lawmakers and the citizens they serve. Read More

How the media covers campaign advertising can influence election results. Associate professor and co-director of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Josh Clinton explains his research on the 2004 “swift boat” ads and how media coverage impacted the election. Read More

Noted congressional scholar Thomas E. Mann will speak at Vanderbilt University on Oct. 28 about the outlook for the 2010 midterm elections. The public lecture marks the official launch of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, which is housed within Vanderbilt’s Department of Political Science. Read More