The School of Public Affairs at American University has a storied legacy that informs our values and approach.
In 1934, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began implementing New Deal programs that sought to increase “practical contacts between the collegiate and educational world, and the operations of government.” He believed that the collaboration of academia and public service would result in better decision-making, not only for Depression-era American, but also for future generations to come. From FDR’s vision, American University’s School of Public Affairs was born.
Over the last 80+ years, SPA has cultivated a culture of excellence. Our personalized teaching and experiential education transform the student experience. We empower those who seek knowledge to conduct and produce research. And we promote engagement to build a bridge between academic thought and policy planning - inspiring change in the world.
Today, with 1,800 current students and 23,000+ alumni, SPA continues to tackle complex issues with thoughtful research that educates, informs, and promotes change across a multitude of fields.
A set of efforts that registered 800,000 new voters since 2018 may have been the key to Georgia turning blue in a presidential election for the first time since 1992.
Les résultats d’une enquête récente montrent que la participation électorale des Noirs américains de moins de 30 ans aura un rôle déterminant dans la présidentielle américaine.
By picking Kamala Harris, a Black running mate, Biden may have brought younger Black Americans, who now comprise a critical set of swing voters, over to his side.
It’s a myth that Black voters represent monolithic support for Democrats. A recent survey shows that young Black Americans in swing states have big reservations about Joe Biden, Democrats and voting.
Taryn Morrissey, American University School of Public Affairs
For US parents, the health, economic and social crisis the COVID-19 pandemic brought about is compounded by the difficult if not impossible task of working, caring for and educating kids.
While nursing homes have accounted for more than half of COVID-19 deaths in some states, they’ve barely been a factor in others. Three experts explain why.
Jane E. Palmer, American University School of Public Affairs
Part of a law that goes into effect in New York state on Aug. 14 allows victims more time sue in civil court. Epstein’s victims can still go after his estate.
How can a community decide the direction it should go, if its members cannot even agree on where they are? Two political scientists say the growing phenomenon of dueling facts threatens democracy.
The Trump administration has declared the most severe new sanctions against Cuba since President John F. Kennedy imposed an economic embargo banning all trade with the communist island in 1962.
Lara Schwartz, American University School of Public Affairs
While the first year of college can be stressful, using the time between high school graduation and the college drop-off to prepare can help ease the transition, two educators say in a new book.
David Malet, American University School of Public Affairs
Many of the men and women who left homes in the West to join ISIS or similar terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq as fighters or supporters now want to come home. Should they be allowed back?
Taryn Morrissey, American University School of Public Affairs
Working class families have struggled for years to afford quality child care. Could the newly proposed Child Care for Working Families Act make a difference? A child care policy scholar weighs in.
Cuban exiles in the US may soon be able to sue companies that use property seized from them in the Cuban revolution. If Trump moves to allow that, it could slow economic development in Cuba.
Nathan Favero, American University School of Public Affairs
Through a three-day strike, Denver teachers got rid of a bonus-based pay system that they say was unfair. An education policy expert explains what the end of bonus-based pay means for Denver schools.