2018 Spring Edition

Letter from the Editor

Throughout human existence, uncertainty has served as the bane of our species. History serves as a reminder of the disruption wrought by the unknown: from weather patterns precipitating droughts and famines, to diseases which modern medicine would identify and neutralize within days instead leading to pandemics.

Disorder has been reintroduced into our world – economically, politically, and socially. As a result, trust is falling in long vaunted institutions from organized religion to higher education. More and more, victims of uncertainty are looking for something, or someone, to blame.

Uncertainty breeds both fear and opportunity for advancement. Keen students of both public policy, and history, are aware that the collective fear of the unknown is often universally outmatched by the adaption to the improved. The question remains of how we get from the stasis to the progressive adaption.

The Editorial Board at the Georgetown Public Policy Review chose to focus on the worthy theme of Uncertainty for the 2017-2018 term because at the heart of our organization is the desire to bring truth to the morass of debates in national and international public policy. On a diverse range of topics, each piece within the 2018 Spring Edition was meticulously designed to bring perspective and reasoned arguments, supported both rhetorically and statistically, to topics plagued by uncertainty. Detailed analyses are provided, along with recommendations designed to be both attainable and dynamic.

Uncertainty has bred and will continue to breed chaos. And in chaos we are left with two choices: adapt or attack. The correct choice can only be attained through sound discussion, proper context, transparent argumentation, and a disposition towards progress for all.

It is with this spirit of collaborative engagement that we introduce the Spring Edition.