In a new series of talks, visiting practioners and academics at the Blavatnik School will share their policy-focused work. The Fireside Chats will take place in the Blavatnik School café.

Each speaker will give a short presentation, followed by a Q&A.

Monday 30 April, 16.45-17.45
Deborah Lucas: putting the finance into public finance: bringing transparency to the world’s largest financial institutions

As the world's largest financial institutions, governments are responsible for real and financial investment decisions that have an enormous impact on social welfare. Yet they often make those decisions lacking the tools of modern finance to guide their choices. We will discuss why this matters and what can be done about it, with examples ranging from climate change to public private partnerships to state owned enterprises to financial guarantees.

Deborah Lucas is Sloan Distinguished Professor of Finance, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Director of the MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy.

Tuesday 15 May, 15.45-16.45
Mark Moore: On becoming a public policy professional

Reflections on the intellectual requirements for becoming someone who can reasonably claim to be something more than just a citizen, and perhaps something a bit different than the average policy advocate, politician, or senior civil servant; by a person who was in the first class of the MPP program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in 1969.

Mark Moore is Hauser Professor of Nonprofit Organizations, Harvard Kennedy School.

Wednesday 16 May, 16.45-17.45
Rebecca Henderson: Can business plausibly play a significant role in solving climate change?

Climate change is one of the great challenges of our time, but governments remain slow to act against it. What are the odds that private sector action could make a difference at scale?

Rebecca Henderson is John and Natty McArthur University Professor, Harvard University.

Thursday 17 May, 15.45-16.45
Jim Morone: What hath Trump wrought? Health policy nihilism and right wing populism in historical perspective

In its first year, the Trump presidency launched an assault on government provided health insurance that would have stripped health insurance from between 20 and 30 million people. It went on to assert forceful views on race, immigration, the environment, and the nation's place in the world. Where did this right wing populism rise up from? What does it mean for the US? And how does it compare to the nationalism rising around the globe - from Brexit to the German AFD? 

Jim Morone is John Hazen White Professor of Political Science, Public Policy, and Urban Studies, Brown University.

Monday 21 May, 11.15-12.15
Shan Huang: Do the recent constitutional amendments mean a more assertive and aggressive Chinese foreign posture?

Shan Huang's argument is that China will definitely demonstrate its resolve in defending its core interests (a growing list), but that does not have to mean there is no space for a negotiated solution to some disputes and at the moment China will leverage more soft power (economic might and a better coordinated publicity campaign) to push its diplomatic agendas such as the signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Shan Huang is Associate Managing Editor of Caixin Media, one of China’s most respected news magazines.

Tuesday, 22 May 16:45-17:45
Eviatar Matania: Cyber Security and Democracy: The Way Forward

Do advances in Cyber technology fundamentally advance or undermine the principles of a liberal democracy? Can effective Cyber security safeguard democracies from electoral interference by foreign agents? Is the domain of Cyber security a government function or best left to private companies? Join Dr. Matania for a wide-ranging conversation on these and related questions.  

Eviatar Matania, former Head of the National Cyber Bureau, Office of the Prime Minister of Israel.

Thursday 24 May, 11.15-12.15
Ben Gummer: Democracy will die unless we deliver

Why we need to learn how to deliver our promises - and public services - if we are to maintain faith in liberal democracy.

Ben Gummer is a former Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General of the United Kingdom.