The Institute of Politics (IOP) is an institute of

Harvard Kennedy School The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

that was created to serve as a living memorial to President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

, as well as to inspire Harvard undergraduates to consider careers in politics and public service. The IOP works to bring the academic world into contact with the world of politics and public affairs in a non-partisan way to promote public service.

History and structure

Harvard Kennedy School Littauer Building

Following President Kennedy's death in 1963, the Kennedy Library Corporation raised more than $20 million for both the construction of the

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963), the 35th president of the United States (1961–1963). It is located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighb ...

, and for the creation and endowment of an institute at Harvard for the study of politics and public affairs. More than 30 million people from around the world, including school children, contributed to the fund. In 1966, the Kennedy Library Corporation presented Harvard University with an endowment for the creation of the Institute of Politics. The IOP does not offer formal courses or degree-granting programs. The IOP hosts the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, located in the

John F. Kennedy School of Government The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...

. The Forum regularly hosts speeches, debates, and panel discussions. Since its founding in 1978, the Forum has hosted more than 1,000 events, seen by live audiences totaling more than 650,000 people and millions more via cable television, teleconferencing, and the Internet. Originally known as the KSG Forum, it was renamed in 2002 in tribute to the president's

son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...

, who had served on the Institute of Politics' board of directors until his death in 1999. The forum was renovated in 2003.

Senior Advisory Committee

The following individuals make up the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics: *

Michael Nutter Michael Anthony Nutter (born June 29, 1957) is an American politician who served as the 98th Mayor of Philadelphia. Elected on November 6, 2007, he was reelected to a second term on November 8, 2011. He is a previous member of the Philadelphia ...

, ''Chair'' * David Axelrod * Charles Frank Bolden Jr. *

LaTosha Brown LaTosha Brown is an American community organizer, political strategist, and consultant. She is the co-founder of the voting rights group Black Voters Matter, which has been noted for its work on the 2017 U.S. Senate special election in Alaba ...

* Alex Burns * Heather Campion * Torie Clarke * William D. Delahunt *

Joseph Kennedy III Joseph Patrick Kennedy III (born October 4, 1980) is an American lawyer, politician and diplomat who currently serves as United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland since 2022. Prior to this, Kennedy served as the U.S. representative for fr ...

Susan Molinari Susan Molinari (born March 27, 1958) is an American politician, company executive, journalist and lobbyist from New York. A member of the Republican Party, she sat in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1990 to 1997, representing Staten Island ...

Abby Phillip Abigail Daniella Phillip (born November 25, 1988) is an American journalist who works as a political correspondent and weekend anchor for CNN. She previously worked for ''The Washington Post'', ABC News, and Politico. Early life and education P ...

Olympia Snowe Olympia Jean Snowe (; born February 21, 1947) is an American businesswoman and politician who was a United States Senator from Maine from 1995 to 2013. Snowe, a member of the Republican Party, became known for her ability to influence the outcom ...

* Alice Stewart *

Michelle Wu Michelle Wu ( zh, t=吳弭, first=t; born January 14, 1985) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts since 2021. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, she was t ...

Harvard Votes Challenge

In 2018, students at the IOP started the Harvard Votes Challenge (HVC) in collaboration with the

Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, formerly known as the Ash Institute, was established in 2003 and is part of the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Center’s mis ...

. The university-wide initiative "strives to build a civic culture at Harvard University by increasing voter registration and participation among students, staff, and faculty." During the 2018 midterm election, HVC launched the first-ever Harvard-Yale Votes Challenge. HVC integrated voter engagement and registration into First-Year Orientation in 2019. For the 2020 election, 390 volunteers from all 12 degree-granting Harvard schools worked to mobilize voters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers sent 94,297 text messages, distributed over 1700 stamps to students, and recruited 121 campus organizations to a pledge committing to 100% voter participation.

Harvard Public Opinion Project

Founded in 2000, the Harvard Public Opinion Project (HPOP) aims to track young Americans' (18- to 29-year-olds) attitudes toward politics and public service. Undergraduate members, in conjunction with the IOP's director of polling, John Della Volpe, conduct the largest national survey of the millennial generation. These form a tracking poll in the fall and a more comprehensive poll in the spring. After analyzing the data, the committee shares its findings in a nationally covered media release.

''Harvard Political Review''

The IOP is also home to and publishes the ''

Harvard Political Review The ''Harvard Political Review'' is a quarterly, nonpartisan American magazine and website on politics and public policy founded in 1969 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It covers domestic and international affairs and politica ...

'' (HPR).; The HPR is a quarterly, non-partisan journal of political affairs, written, edited, and managed entirely by Harvard College undergraduates.

References

External links

Harvard Institute of Politics website

Google Cultural Institute: Harvard Institute of Politics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harvard Institute Of Politics Monuments and memorials to John F. Kennedy in the United States Harvard Kennedy School Public policy research Research institutes in Massachusetts Student political organizations in the United States Educational institutions established in 1966 1966 establishments in Massachusetts Harvard University