IN THIS ISSUE

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Visits HKS

Bright Ideas in Government Honored

Myanmar Program’s Policy Research to Build a Nation

Democracy Seminar Series Focuses on Campaign 2012

China’s Globalization Explored

Center Welcomes Students & Fellows

Student Experiential Learning Projects

CommuniquéAsh Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Fall 2012 Volume 11

Co-authored by Ash Center Director AnthonySaich and Beijing Normal University Profes-sor Biliang Hu, Chinese Village, Global Mar-ket charts the dramatic transformation ofthe once rural, farm village of Yantian in the1970s to the booming industry hub it istoday. The book was published October 31,2012, by Palgrave Macmillan.

From Goose Field to High RiseSitting on the Pearl River Delta at the meet-ing point of the Dongshen and Shuibeirivers at the heart of southern China’s grain

basket, Yantian’ssubtropical mon-soon climate withample rainfall hascontributed to itsannual triple-cropproduction of tworice crops andone winter cropof small grains.Interestingly, theauthors note thatthe fertile climate

became an attractive habitat for geese; as aresult, the village was named Yantian, literal-ly goose (yan) field (tian) in Chinese. Fast forward 30 years, and Yantian is

almost unrecognizable from its former pas-toral tranquility. “Returning in the late-nineties, the rice paddy has been replacedby highways, the water buffaloes by lorriescarrying products to the global market, andthe land has disappeared under high risesand factories that are part of a boomingexport-led economy,” the authors write.Yantian is part of Dongguan City in Guang-dong Province, which is now one of thelargest electronics processing and produc-tion sites in the world. Through over 20 years of extensive field

work, Saich and Hu offer an assessment ofthe factors that led to Yantian’s growth, andexplore how the next 30 years will shape thevillage. Among such changes that inspireddevelopment are the central government’semphasis on economic growth in partthrough foreign investment as well asthrough the rise of manufacturing and export

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The Roy and Lila Ash Center for DemocraticGovernance and Innovation advances excel-lence and innovation in governance and pub-lic policy through research, education, andpublic discussion. Three major programs sup-port our mission: the Program on DemocraticGovernance; the Innovations in GovernmentProgram; and the Rajawali Foundation Insti-tute for Asia. The Ford Foundation is a found-ing donor of the Center.

Chinese Village, Global MarketNew Collectives and Rural Development

Yantian Village in 2010

2 Communiqué Fall 2012

investments fueled by global demand foraffordable products. The authors also pointto the strength of family lineage in Yantianand the unique village collective structure ofland ownership and governance as reasonsfor the village’s “remarkable economic andsocial transformation.”

Location, Location, LocationEven before its industrial boom, Yantian hasalways been in a prime location for businessand is well connected via all transportationroutes. Downtown Shenzhen, southernChina’s major financial center, is less than 20miles away, and Hong Kong is just four milesfarther. The Guangzhou to Hong Kong railline is nearby. Several highways run throughthe village, providing easy access to down-town Shenzhen and many neighboringtowns. The Shenzhen airport is only an houraway and connects villagers to the rest of thecountry. Yet, under the Maoist era, much ofsouthern China including Yantian was unableto take advantage of such close proximity toHong Kong and surrounding towns.All of that changed upon the creation of

the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ)in 1980, which was designed to attract for-eign investment and enterprises. BecauseShenzhen is just across the border fromHong Kong, foreign investors and manufac-turing plants eager to save money on esca-lating land prices and costly labor shiftedtheir operations to Shenzhen. Soon there-after, Yantian began attracting its own set ofinvestors from Hong Kong. At its peak,Yantian boasted over 400 foreign-investedenterprises; more recently it has around 200foreign enterprises and an equal number ofdomestic enterprises. Hand in hand withsuch new industry came new jobs, andmigrants from around the country flooded tothe region. Yantian is now home to over80,000 migrant workers and only 3,000 reg-istered villagers.

Land Ownership and the DengsIntegral to Yantian’s ability to attract foreignenterprise is its ample, available land. UnderChina’s household responsibility system firstinstituted in 1981, individual farmers weregiven land use rights in exchange for pro-viding a certain quota of their harvest. Yet,

the farmers never owned the land, whichallowed Yantian and other villages to legallyrecollectivize the land and rent out its use toforeign enterprises. Despite lack of land ownership, farmers

still had to release their land use rights backto the collective. Saich attributes the relativeease by which the farmers returned theirrights to the strength of the Deng lineage inYantian. Over 60 percent of registered vil-lagers are part of the Deng family, and thefamily dominates all governing and economicpowers of the village: the party secretary,head of the village, and head of the Share-holding Economic Cooperative are all Dengs.Even those registered villagers that are notDengs are still eligible to receive the benefitsof the Yantian Shareholding Economic Coop-erative, but migrant workers are not.In recent years, the Shareholding Eco-

nomic Cooperative has solidified its mem-bership and no longer accepts newmembers. “That means that whatever hap-pens in terms of political changes at thelocal level, the economic wealth is still goingto remain in the hands of the 3,000 regis-tered villagers,” explained Saich.

Political RumblingsWhile economic wealth may stay with asmall minority of the village, review is under-way on the political and social rights of thelarge majority of migrant workers that now

call Yantian home. “If the number ofmigrants stays at a high level and theyeffectively become permanent residents,can you operate a system where huge num-bers of your community are excluded frompolitical voice?” said Saich. “I think this is aproblem across a lot of southern China.”The central government is making

progress in delivering social services likehealth care and education to migrant popu-lations, and new regulations have passedthat give migrant workers voting rights ifthey have lived in the village for a certainperiod of time. “In some ways, Yantian maysee a future coming where the Dengs couldbe outvoted by migrant labor,” said Saich.Yet, such regulations require the approval ofthe villagers’ committee made up of officialsunlikely to grant such voting privileges if itmeans losing status within their community.

The Economic Future of YantianIn addition to the social and political chal-lenges facing Yantian, the very economicmodel that led to its unprecedented trans-formation may be nearing its end. AcrossChina, foreign-invested enterprises are relo-cating to lower-cost destinations likeBangladesh and Vietnam or merely shuttingdown due to the downturn in the globaleconomy. Saich and Hu note that officialssurveyed Taiwan and South Korea—coun-tries that flourished under the same export-processing model—and found that such amodel only had a 20- to 30-year lifespan. As Yantian and its surrounding region

near this expiration date, the authors arguethat the village is faced with the threat offewer and fewer foreign enterprises. Instead,finding new ways to expand their marketthrough the production of more value-addedexports or through increased demand withinthe domestic market might be keys to keep-ing Yantian’s economy flourishing.

continued from cover

In the News

Chinese Village, Global Market Co-author

Anthony Saich

www.ash.harvard.edu 3

On September 27, 2012, Harvard KennedySchool welcomed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi tothe JFK Jr. Forum to deliver the GodkinLecture, considered to be one of the mostprestigious annual lecture series at theSchool. Daw Suu delivered an inspiring yethumble speech on how she and membersof her National League for Democracy partyare teaching the Burmese to be citizens of afree society. “The best way to be a trulyresponsible citizen in a free society is to actas though you are already a free citizen in afree society,” she said.Being a free citizen is a completely new

concept for the Burmese, who until recentlyhad been living under military rule for fivedecades. Nearly 25 years ago, Daw Suureturned to her country to fight for peacenoting “this is not a time when anyone whocares can stay out.” She formed the Nation-al League for Democracy party in 1988, butwas placed under house arrest in 1989 for15 out of the last 19 years. “From that day in 1989, Daw Suu has

maintained a serene tenacity that continuesto be a defining feature of her leadership,”said President Drew Faust at the lecture’sopening remarks with HKS Dean David Ell-wood. “Despite imprisonment and intimida-tion, confinement and surveillance, she hasalways stood for nonviolent opposition andin her own words ‘the enervating miasma of fear.’”In March of 2011, Myanmar established a

new government and held its first elections

in 20 years. Though the elections were wide-ly viewed as imperfect, newly elected Presi-dent U Thein Sein has overseen a series ofconciliatory political measures that many seeas a positive departure from the repressivemilitary dictatorship of his predecessor.

In April of this year, the country held itsfirst parliamentary by-elections in which DawSuu and other members of the NationalLeague for Democracy won 43 out of 44contested seats, thereby securing a minorityof seats in the lower house of the BurmeseParliament. During her lecture, Daw Suudescribed the six weeks leading up to theby-election as an opportunity not only tocampaign for the National League of Democ-racy, but also to teach her people about thefundamental importance of voting as a rightand responsibility of all free citizens.She trained constituents in literally how

to select their choices on ballots while com-batting the pervasive culture of fear aroundvoting: many worried of being imprisonedfor voting and having their choices publi-cized to the authorities as had been thecase during the previous military dictator-ship. She explained to her constituents, “Onthe day of the elections, you will be equal tothe president, because both of you haveone vote.” Voter turnout was over 70 per-cent and demonstrated a newfound eager-ness on the part of the Burmese toparticipate in the civic process and performtheir duty as citizens.

Beyond voter participation, Daw Suudescribed other steps she and her party aretaking to prepare the Burmese to be citizensin a free society. The Rangoon District,which she represents, is made up of prima-rily small, poor, rural villages with a lack ofportable water and roads all but unusableduring the monsoon season. Daw Suu hasstarted the process of constructing wells inthe region as both a matter of necessity andas a means of teaching her constituency thebasics of democratic governance. In orderfor villagers to receive a well, they musthave a location centrally accessible to alland have to form a committee responsiblefor the maintenance of the well. Simplesteps, Daw Suu explained, that can make abig difference in how citizens see them-selves and the important role they can playin making a difference in the life of theircommunities. And it is already having animpact. “It’s amazing what a small amountof responsibility can do for the self confi-dence of our people, who have never beentreated as responsible, capable adults,” saidDaw Suu. For the last half century, many Burmese

have been treated, in Daw Suu’s words, as“immature children.” With their newfoundfreedom, Suu argued that they must take onresponsibility because “freedom and respon-sibility are different sides of the same coin.”“We have just started out on the road of

shaping our country into the kind of nationwe want it to be,” concluded Daw Suu.“And that means that our people have to bethe kind of people capable of deciding theirown destiny.”

In the News

Freedom and Responsibility: Different Sides of the Same CoinDaw Aung San Suu Kyi Speaks About Shaping Myanmar at Harvard Kennedy School

Aung San Suu Kyi welcomed by Dean David Ellwood and President Drew Faust

Daw Suu attracted a full house at the JFK Jr. Forum

4 Communiqué Fall 2012

Research Brief

On a hot summer evening, Ash Center Economist David Dapice sitssurrounded by a dozen poor farmers. They are in a soy bean field inthe north of Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital city. Except for the lightfrom four small candles, it is pitch black, typical for many ruralareas when only 25 percent of the country’s residents have accessto electricity. This site visit was one of many that Dapice and the academic

team led by Program Director Thomas Vallely have made over the lasttwo years as part of the Center’s Myanmar Program. “Since there isno real reliable data on Myanmar, we are trying to bring together acollaborative research team that includes Ash faculty and peoplefrom the government, civil society, and rural communities to trulyunderstand the problems we are seeing on the ground,” said Vallely.The Myanmar Program team has visited with countless farmers,

often right in their fields, to discuss diminishing crop prices, chal-lenges to the harvest, and the arduous conditions of such work.Such direct engagement is a result of the Program’s partnershipwith Proximity Designs, a Myanmar-based nonprofit and socialenterprise. “We have to know the reality of the situation to speakknowledgably about policy options,” said Dapice. “You can’t givethe best policy advice if you are just flying over the country.”

Myanmar: A Path to Democratization?Critics call for cautious optimism as Myanmar seemingly makesefforts to become a more open country. Democratization can bereversed, and according to the Program, poor management, insuffi-cient infrastructure, and years of conflict with ethnic minorities livingalong its resource-rich borders have left the country inadequatelyprepared to plan for economic growth and development. Consider-ing such challenges, the Myanmar Program is designed to enhanceresearch on Myanmar’s current state and provide educated policyguidance on different paths available to the nation’s leadership. Itslatest research explores agriculture, industry, energy, governance,and economic development issues.

The Impact of an Overvalued Exchange Rate on Farming Farmers are struggling with lessening profitability of rice and othercrops because wages, transport, and fertilizer costs continue to riseas a dollar’s worth of rice yields fewer kyat. In the “Myanmar Agri-culture in 2011” report, Program authors call for a stabilization ofthis overvalued exchange rate. While it has strengthened during theperiod of high inflation from 1200 kyat/$1 to 800 kyat/$1, the rate isnow too strong. Through conversations with a number of stakehold-ers and farmers, Dapice and others have concluded that the curren-cy must be adjusted by at least 20 to 30 percent more, so thatfarmers can escape this cycle of severe crop price depression.

Hydro Powers PeaceThe Myanmar Program’s research has explored hydroelectric poweras a possible key to forging a more lasting peace with the country’sethnic minority states. Instead of mirroring the controversial andexclusionary dam building process of the past, the Myanmar Pro-gram has suggested a more inclusive process to establish a newSino-Kachin Hydro Power Company which would potentially pro-vide lasting benefits to the Chinese, Myanmar government, and res-idents of the ethnic Kachin state. The Program suggests launchingthe project with a full review of all potential dam sites by environ-mentalists and local residents. Once a dam is built, the establishedSino-Kachin Hydro Power company would sell electricity to the Chi-nese at a price cheaper than wholesale rates, and pay a 25 percentsales tax to the Myanmar government and the Kachin state.According to Dapice, “the central government needs to allow the

Kachin state some amount of control to have budgetary authority tospend the tax revenues and their share of company profits.”

A Coalition of ReformersThe Sino-Kachin Hydro Power company plan is just one aspect ofthe Myanmar Program’s broader recommendations encouragingMyanmar to form a coalition of reformers if it is to truly undergo aneconomic and social transformation. Rather than regressing backinto its previous practices of cronyism, the Program’s scholarsargue that the country’s leadership must build even broader coali-tions, educate the nation’s people, expand access to public servic-es, solidify property rights, and encourage political participationamong citizens. According to Thomas Vallely, such coalition building is already

under way, and President U Thein Sein has started championingthe participation of diverse political groups. “There seems to be animportant coalition developing that includes Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, a growing number ofleaders from ethnic states, and government officials who are tryingto move the country in a direction towards serious economic andpolitical reform.”

In the Fields of MyanmarAsh Scholars Generate Policy Research to Build a Nation fromthe Ground Up

Rice bins sold at Burmese market

www.ash.harvard.edu 5

In the News

Ash Center Recognizes 111 Bright Ideas inGovernment

In September 2012, the Ash Center’s Innovations in Governmentprogram recognized 111 innovative government initiatives as BrightIdeas. This year’s cohort hails from all levels of government—including school districts, county, city, state, and federal agenciesas well as public-private partnerships—and demonstrates a creativerange of solutions to issues such as urban and rural degradation,environmental problems, and the academic achievement of stu-dents. Programs were evaluated and selected by a team of policyexperts from academic and public sectors. “Government innovation does not require endless resources and

generous budgets,” said Stephen Goldsmith, director of the Innova-tions in Government Program at the Ash Center. “As exemplified bythis year’s Bright Ideas, some of our country’s smartest innovationscan in fact reduce government’s size while serving our citizens moreefficiently and effectively.” This is the third cohort recognized through the Bright Ideas pro-

gram, an initiative of the broader Innovations in American Govern-ment Awards program. To be considered a Bright Idea, programsmust currently be in operation or in the process of launching andhave sufficient operational resources. In addition, programs must beadministered by one or more governmental entities; nonprofit, pri-vate sector, and union initiatives are eligible if operating in partner-ship with a governmental organization. Bright Ideas will beshowcased on the Ash Center’s Government Innovators Network,an online platform for practitioners and policymakers to share inno-vative public policy solutions.

Preventing Crime Before It Happens & Reintegrating OffendersA number of Bright Ideas use advanced technologies to proactivelyprevent crime and improve emergency response. Both Auburn,Alabama’s Collective Knowledge for Better Public Safety and Illi-nois’ Private Sector Integration Project consolidate data from dis-parate sources to provide a more accurate picture of daily andemergency operations and improve performance among respon-ders. Baltimore County’s Data-Driven Approaches to Crime andTraffic Safety and Pennsylvania’s Payment Score move beyond dataconsolidation to employ predictive data analytics: Baltimore usesdata to determine hot spots in high crime and traffic incidents todeploy high visibility officers in those areas and curb future crime,while Pennsylvania analyzes data to identify and offer increasedsupport to non-custodial parents not likely to pay child support. Other recognized programs help former criminal offenders to

successfully reintegrate into their communities. Newark, New Jer-sey’s Office of Reentry helps individuals find work and reunite withtheir families, and Kentucky’s Reentry Hotline delivers similar cus-tomized support via its 24-hour toll free support line. Suffolk Coun-ty, Massachusetts’ Community Reentry for Women teaches

gender-specific life skills to help female offenders rejoin their com-munities, while Oklahoma City’s SHINE involves former offenders incommunity service and neighborhood beautification projects.

Economic DevelopmentSeveral Bright Ideas have created innovative programming to revi-talize areas debilitated by blight, foreclosures, and abandonedproperties. New Orleans’ BlightStat is a tool that measures andtracks city performance towards Mayor Landrieu’s goal of reducingthe number of decaying, abandoned properties by 10,000 in 2014.Project Green House in Flint, Michigan, recycles upwards of 95 per-cent of abandoned home building materials, while the U.S. Depart-ment of Treasury’s New Markets Tax Credit Program offers taxcredits to encourage new economic and community development indistressed areas. Other programs focus on job development and small business

growth. Each year, Johnson County, Kansas’ GovFest for Entrepre-neurs convenes nearly 60 government agencies at all levels toshowcase opportunities for collaboration, networking, and help instarting businesses, while San Clemente, California’s Business Liai-son/Facilitator Program offers entrepreneurs individualized supportrelated to licenses, permits, and grants. In addition to small busi-ness support, several Bright Ideas address employment such as theU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ MyCareer@VA, an onlinecareer development program for Veterans Affairs (VA) employeesand job seekers to develop a career path and find employmentwithin the VA. Washington, DC’s One City, One Hire links unem-ployed residents with local employers, while both Milwaukee Coun-ty’s Summer Youth Employment Program and Wisconsin’s YouthWorkforce Development Program teach job training skills to eco-nomically disadvantaged, urban youth.

Energizing our Nation’s StudentsSeveral Bright Ideas focus on reinvigorating school curricula andencouraging interest in science and mathematics. NASA’s ExplorerSchools provides teachers with interactive lesson plans and class-room activities around math, science, technology, and engineering,and Stark County, Ohio’s Science and Math Moving On programprovides its 17 school districts with the latest in 21st century, high-tech learning tools to invigorate traditional lesson plans andenhance learning among students. Other programs move beyondtraditional curricula: Nancy’s Garden in Montana teaches elemen-tary students the science of growing food; Allegheny County, Penn-sylvania’s Music Festival Fund provides vulnerable childrenlife-enriching art opportunities; and Chesterfield County, Virginia’sBuild a House Program teaches technical students how to buildhomes for people with intellectual disabilities.

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6 Communiqué Fall 2012

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Environmental Protection & ConservationBoth Maryland and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, have created innova-tive programs to protect the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland’s BayStatidentifies and tracks farming, public land filtering, and waste watergoals to restore the Bay, while Lancaster’s Restoration with GreenInfrastructure has found cost effective solutions for curbingstormwater runoff from emptying into the Bay. Indianapolis’ CleanWater Initiative and Edmonston’s Green Street have also addressedstorm water challenges: through innovative engineering solutions,Indianapolis has prevented 3.5 million gallons of sewage from pol-luting waterways, and Edmonston has employed natural water fil-ters during storms and dramatically reduced localized flooding.Other Bright Ideas protect local resources: Massachusetts’ Mass-Grown & Fresher connects consumers to local agriculture, Hawaii’sMaui Nui Seabird Colony Champions engages community in theprotection of endangered seabird colonies, and Arizona’s HabiMapand Wildlife Overpass uses GPS mapping technologies to preventwildlife-vehicle collisions.

Real-Time Data and TransparencyStill other Bright Ideas demonstrate more efficient and effectivedelivery of government services. Through Washington, DC’s TrackDC, citizens can access real-time information about city agencyperformance, budgets, and spending while San Francisco’s Proper-ty Information Map offers an easy-to-use portal of real-time data onavailable properties, as well as information on zoning, permits, andprevious sales prices. Programs like Washington’s Connection Ben-efit Portal and St. Louis, Missouri’s Special Needs Registry sharethis same model of real-time data in one, easy-to-use portal: theSpecial Needs Registry provides city agencies up-to-date informa-tion about special needs residents so that they can be quicklyserved during emergencies, and the Connection Benefit Portalallows low-income families easy access to information on availablebenefits and services.

Accelerated Payments United States Department of DefenseAffordable Downtown Wi-Fi City of Newton, NCAll Dads Matter Merced County, CAAnimal Euthanasia Reductions Lee County, FLBayStat State of MarylandBlight Reduction Strategy City of New Orleans, LABuild A House Program Chesterfield County, VABuilding Cyber Safety through Community Partnerships City of Madison, WIBusiness Liaison/Facilitator Program City of San Clemente, CABusiness QuickStart State of Rhode IslandCase Update Tracking and Eligibility County of Sacramento, CAChanging Actions to Change Habits City of Columbus, OHCharter School System City of Pembroke Pines, FLChesapeake Bay Restoration with Green Infrastructure City of Lancaster, PACircles of Peace Pretrial Services Program Santa Cruz County, AZClean Energy Works Portland City of Portland, ORClean Water Initiative City of Indianapolis, INCollective Knowledge for Better Public Safety City of Auburn, ALCombined Sewer Overflow Control Technology City of South Bend, INCommunity Choice Aggregation Village of Oak Park, ILCommunity Reentry for Women Suffolk County, MACompliance Checks: A Community Approach Chesterfield County, VACompressed Natural Gas Program City of Nashua, NHConnection Benefit Portal State of WashingtonData-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety Baltimore County, MDe2 Business Program Salt Lake City, UTElectronic Plans City of Charlotte, NCEnvironmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse United States

Environmental Protection AgencyExplorer Schools National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationExpress Insurance Export-Import Bank of the United StatesFamily Impact Seminars for State Policymakers 21 States and the District

of Columbia

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In the News

MassGrown & Fresher, Massachusetts

www.ash.harvard.edu 7

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Federal Register 2.0 National Archives and Records AdministrationForensic Practitioner Training State of TennesseeFuel Cleaning System Navy Region Hawaii Port Operations, United States

Department of NavyGovFest for Entrepreneurs: What Government Information Can Do for

Your Business Johnson County, KSGreen Communities State of MichiganGreen Street Town of Edmonston, MDGreenTools Sustainable Cities King County, WAGuests First Lee County, FLHabiMap and Wildlife Overpass State of ArizonaHealth and Human Services Video Interviewing San Diego County, CAInnovative Readiness Training Program United States Department of DefenseInvesting in Innovation United States Department of EducationJeffClerk Alert and Mobile Apps Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, LAKids’ Court School State of NevadaLimitless Libraries Nashville Davidson County, TNMassGrown & Fresher Commonwealth of MassachusettsMaui Nui Seabird Colony Champions State of HawaiiMobile Inmate Video Visitation Bus Pinellas County, FLMosaic Parcel Map Project State of New HampshireMusic Festival Fund Allegheny County, PennsylvaniaMyCareer@VA United States Department of Veterans AffairsNancy’s Garden State of MontanaNational Expansion of the Parent/Teacher Home Visit Project Sacramento City

Unified School DistrictNeighborhood Partnering Program City of Austin, TXNeighborhood Resource Center Allen County, INNew Markets Tax Credit Program United States Department of the TreasuryOffice of Reentry City of Newark, NJOne City, One Hire City of Washington, DCOpen-Source Software for Public Health Agencies Larimer County, COOutcome Budgeting City of Baltimore, MDOutrageous Communication and Public Health Oklahoma City, OKPartnering with Skateboarders City of Seattle, WAPawsitive Adoptions with Success City of Pasadena, TXPayment Score Calculator Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaPerformance Audit Orange County, CAPermanent Electronics Recycling Program Broome County, NYPhoenix Rising Program City of Ocala, FLPlay and Learn Islands City of Rancho Cucamonga, CAPolice Peer Helper Program City of New Bedford, MAPolice Portal New Castle County, DEPrivate Sector Integration Project State of IllinoisProgram Integrity Group State of OhioProject Green House City of Flint, MichiganProperty Information Map City and County of San Francisco, CAPublic Access Defibrillator Program City of Sioux Falls, SDPublic Health Emergency Community Notification Clark County, WA

Public Health Information System Otter Tail County in Partnership with 26 Counties, MN

Redemption Youth Community Council City of Brooklyn, NYReentry Hotline State of KentuckyReplicating the Blueprint for Safety City of Saint Paul, MNResidential Life-Safety Inspection Program City of Saint Paul, MNResults Only Work Environment Hennepin County, MNRight Sizing Juvenile Justice State of AlabamaSafe Routes to School United States Department of TransportationSchool Emergency Contact Cards and Foster Care Placements City of

Baltimore, MDSchool Threat Assessment Response Team Los Angeles County, CAScience and Math Moving On Stark County, OHSecurity Integration Initiative State of MarylandService Coordination Model State of LouisianaSHINE Oklahoma County, OKSmartWay Transport United States Environmental Protection AgencySolar Decathlon United States Department of EnergySpecial Needs Registry City of St. Louis, MOStreet Light Efficiency Program City of Los Angeles, CASummer Youth Employment Program Milwaukee County, WISupervisory Leadership Training Program City of Olathe, KSTechnology Initiatives for Building Placards City of Roanoke, VATemporary and Medical Assignment Program Riverside County, CaliforniaThe Portland Loo City of Portland, ORTrack DC City of Washington, DCTransitional Education Program Racine County, WITree Voucher Program City of Paducah, KYTruancy Court Program State of MarylandVirtual Interactive Planner Town of Cary, NCVirtual Interns “Moove” Leaders Up! United States Department of AgricultureWork Hard—Work Smart City of Wichita Falls, TXWorkers’ Compensation Management System State of MontanaYouth Achievement Program DeKalb County, GAYouth-Police Unity Project City of Rochester, NYYouth Workforce Development Program Racine County, WI

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In the News

Clean Water Initiative, Indianapolis

8 Communiqué Fall 2012

Designed to encourage candid conversationand meaningful collaboration on key topicsrelated to United States-China relations, thefourth Globalization Forum convened lead-ing academics, advisors, and policymakersfor a closed conference held June 18–20,2012, at Harvard Kennedy School. Throughboth public addresses and panel discus-sions, participants explored a range of perti-nent issues including international securityand soft power, economic globalization,management of environmental resources,and the future of global governance. David Ellwood, Dean of Harvard Kennedy

School (HKS); Sun Fang, Chairman of theFoundation for Globalization Cooperation; Li Xiaolin, President of The Chinese Peo-ple’s Association for Friendship with ForeignCountries and head of the Chinese delega-tion; and Joseph Nye, Harvard UniversityDistinguished Service Professor at HKSmade remarks at the event’s opening dinner. Lawrence Summers, President Emeritus

of Harvard University and former director ofthe National Economic Council for theObama Administration, delivered the Forum’skeynote address stressing the importance ofa harmonious economic relationshipbetween the United States and China andcautioned against the tendency of bothcountries to blame each other for their owndomestic problems.

“As we think about the relationshipbetween the U.S. and China, we need to beopen to the possibility of significantly morediscontinuity between the economic perform-ance of the last decade and the performanceof the next than is common in most geopolit-ical discussions,” said Summers. He ex-plained that the precise parameters of thecurrent U.S.-China economic relationshipmay not necessarily predetermine the futureeconomic success of one country over theother—a fact Summers noted is frequentlymisunderstood among those that stressU.S.-China interdependence.Citing Japan’s fall in the late 1980s and

Russia after the launch of Sputnik, Sum-mers countered the pervasive assumptionthat high-growth countries like China willcontinue their rapid pace in the future. “If acountry is declared to be a miracle andenjoying miraculous economic growth, itsperformance is likely to subsequently deteri-orate.” Moreover, with the world’s shrinkingability to absorb China’s increasing exportsand China’s own potential slowing growth,its infrastructure investments and otherexcess capacity could prove problematic. Summers also discussed the implications

of moving beyond the industrial era. “Con-ventional capitalism has been remarkablygood at growing food and producing widg-ets, but those are going to be less important

for either of our societies over the next gen-eration.” Instead, Summers argued thatgovernment will play a more central role inthe delivery of increasingly costly socialservices such as health care and education. “These perspectives on the economic

challenges discussed at the GlobalizationForum set a backdrop for what is a pro-foundly important conversation which I hopewill continue in economic fora for manyyears into the future,” concluded Summers.“In the era of globalization, only when we

try to understand and respect differentcountries and cultures through communica-tions and exchanges, learn from each other,and seek common ground while reservingdifferences, can we truly promote the pros-perity and progress of human civilization,”said Li Xiaolin. “I sincerely hope that coun-tries around the world can realize the pros-perity and progress of mankind throughmutual respect and win-win cooperation.”The Globalization Forum was organized

by the Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asiaat the Ash Center and the Belfer Center forScience and International Affairs, both atHarvard Kennedy School; the Chinese Peo-ple’s Association for Friendship with ForeignCountries; and the Foundation for Global-ization Cooperation.

In the News

Leading Academics and Practitioners Convene at Harvard toDiscuss U.S.-China Relations

Harvard President Emeritus Lawrence Summers delivers keynote address

Joseph Nye and Sun Fang

Anthony Saich, William Overholt, Duan Peijun,

Graham T. Allison, and Richard Rosecrance

www.ash.harvard.edu 9

Wanda Group Founder and Chairman JianlinWang spoke to a standing-room only crowdof students, faculty, and members of theBoston community in early September onthe bold pace of China’s globalization. As aleading private enterprise in China with over$40 billion in assets in commercial realestate ventures, the Wanda Group mostrecently announced plans to invest over $10billion in American enterprises over the nextdecade. This announcement comes on theheels of the Group’s already successful $2.6billion acquisition of AMC EntertainmentHoldings, creating the world’s largest cinemachain and marking the biggest cross-borderacquisition by a privately-held Chinese com-pany in history. “I think for the world, this isa landmark,” said Wang. “And for China, thisacquisition means that the ‘go out’ strategycalled for by the Chinese government isbeing reflected in private enterprises.”Founded in 1988, the Wanda Group’s rise

to become a leading player in commercialreal estate and information management hasnot always been easy. “I think the compa-ny’s expansion over the last 25 years is evenmore incredible given the suspicion withwhich the private sector has been viewed inChina historically and even today in somequarters,” said Anthony Saich in his intro-ductory remarks.Under the Chinese Communist Party, pri-

vate enterprises were monitored closely andrestricted to having less than 10 employeesup until the reform period of the 1980s.Since then, private sector companies haveslowly and steadily been allowed to grow,but were blamed for funding the TiananmenSquare student protests in 1989. While farfrom a golden child today, private enterpris-es have come to be viewed as an importantsector for increasing the country’s GDP, eventhough many complain that state-ownedfirms continue to be favored in bank lendingand stock exchange listings. But the tidemay be turning in favor of the private sector.In February of this year, China’s NationalDevelopment and Reform Commissionannounced new guidelines to make it easierfor private enterprises to invest abroad

including tax incentives and credit support.Companies like the Wanda Group have

established a strategy of working “close togovernment, distant from politics” accordingto Wang. As the Wanda Group continues toenlarge its global footprint, working withinthe more secure legal structure and moremature market economy of the U.S. mayprove a welcome respite. Chairman Wangnotes that in the AMC Theaters acquisition,“we have used existing local talents, infor-mation management, advanced technolo-gies, and our own capital advantage whilenot imposing our own culture or talents.”And the strategy seems to be working:while AMC reported a loss of $100 millionlast year, this year it projects upwards of$20 million in profits all while only bringingover one Chinese employee to the U.S. “There are plenty of investment opportu-

nities from China which we should beencouraging, such as the latest WandaGroup acquisition” said Saich. “Many statesare already courting Chinese investment irre-spective of whatever the federal governmentsays or does.”

China Goes Global Encouraging such outward direct invest-ment of globalized Chinese companies likethe Wanda Group was a key topic at thesixth annual China Goes Global conference,held in early October. Convening leadingthinkers from government, academic, non-profit, and business sectors, the two-dayconference included 16 panel discussionson a range of pertinent topics related toChina’s globalization and its impact on theworld such as Chinese global competitive-ness, the impact of Chinese firms on globalpolitics, and the role of the state in the glob-alization of Chinese companies. China Goes Global was co-sponsored by

the Ash Center, Harvard Kennedy School;the Center for International BusinessEducation and Research, Georgia Instituteof Technology; Jacobs University, Bremen,Germany; and the Crummer GraduateSchool of Business and Rollins ChinaCenter, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida.

The annual conference is part of a largermultidisciplinary initiative supportingtransnational research on China’s globaliza-tion which has already resulted in the publi-cation of China Rules: Globalization andPolitical Transformation (Palgrave McMillan,2009) and special issues in the ChineseManagement Studies Journal and theThunderbird International Business Review.

In the News

Karl P. Sauvant, Columbia Law School, speaks at

China Goes Global

Wanda Group Founder Jianlin Wang

The Bold Pace of China’s GlobalizationAsh Center Hosts Wanda Group and Sixth Annual China Goes Global Conference

China Goes Global participants

10 Communiqué Fall 2012

Event Snapshots

Trey Grayson, Tova Wang, John Fund, Jennie Bowser, Alex Keyssar

Archon Fung with Congressman John Sarbanes

Archon Fung and Pineas Baxandall

Protecting the Vote: Suppression, Fraud, and the Future ofVoter ID LawsSeptember 13, 2012The Ash Center kicked off its Democracy Seminar Series with a spirit-ed debate assessing the increasing number of voter laws in the 2011-2012 election cycle and the implications of the politicization of electionadministration by state legislatures. Held at the JFK Jr. Forum and co-sponsored by the Harvard Institute of Politics as part of its electionseries, the event featured Jennie Bowser, senior fellow at the NationalConference of State Legislatures; John Fund, senior editor of TheAmerican Spectator; Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor ofHistory and Social Policy, HKS; and Tova Wang, senior democracy fel-low of Demos and fellow at The Century Foundation.Bowser set the context for the event by explaining trends around

three notable areas in voter registration: increased state regulation ofvoter registration drives; shortened and more restricted periods forearly voting; and an increase in voter ID laws. Wang argued thatstates are “cherry picking who they will allow to vote by requiringcertain types of identification that certain populations just don’thave,” thus deterring groups of voters that typically vote Democratic.Fund took the counter position citing a recent Pew Research Reportthat found one out of every eight U.S. voter registrations was invalidor contained serious errors and noting a number of incidents wherevoters had cast ballots under names of the deceased. “I think we areseeing a set of changes in the social composition of the electoratewhich in current circumstances one major party has found to bethreatening,” explained Professor Keyssar, “because most of thosepeople, to the extent that they are voting, are voting for Democrats.”During the fall semester, the Ash Center held the following addi-

tional seminars and screenings:• Communication in a Post Truth Age of Politics, October 10, 2012—Christopher Robichaud, Harvard Kennedy School and JasonStanley, Rutgers University

• We’re Not Broke: Film Screening & Panel Discussion, October 18, 2012—Phineas Baxandall, MASSPIRG; Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies; Archon Fung, Harvard Kennedy SchoolCo-sponsored by MASSPIRG

• Grassroots Democracy: How Would It Work?, November 9, 2012—Con-gressman John Sarbanes, Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District;Stephen Ansolabehere, Harvard University; Archon Fung, HarvardKennedy School; Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law School; andSpencer Overton, George Washington University Law SchoolCo-sponsored by the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, Harvard University

• Taking Our Country Back: The Crafting of Networked Politics from HowardDean to Barack Obama, November 14, 2012—Daniel Kreiss, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

• The Unheavenly Chorus: Unequal Political Voice and the Broken Promise ofAmerican Democracy, December 5, 2012—Kay Schlozman, Boston College

www.ash.harvard.edu 11

Event Snapshots

Making the American City Work AgainUrban Policy Advisory Group SessionAugust 2–4, 2012Can today’s American cities continue to be our country’s source forgrowth and opportunity in a climate of global economic uncertainty,mounting international competition, and ever-increasing demand forgovernment services? This was of key concern at the eighth meet-ing of the Urban Policy Advisory Group (UPAG), which convenedsenior mayoral advisors from 26 innovative cities from around thecountry. Harvard Business Professor Clayton Christensen kicked offthe event with a keynote address drawing from his bestselling bookThe Innovator’s Dilemma to present key lessons on how city leaderscan abandon business-as-usual practices in favor of more “disrup-tive,” innovative methods. Throughout the three-day session led by Innovations in Govern-

ment Director Stephen Goldsmith and Living Cities President andCEO Ben Hecht, members shared unique and creative programsthat their cities have piloted to address the skills and training gap inthe country and the advances their cities have made in infrastruc-ture design and finance, digital innovation, and private capitalinvestment. UPAG members presented their city’s impediments toboth generating and scaling up innovative ideas and identified ahost of pilot programs that have resulted in improved service deliv-ery and government efficiency. A later session explored how newsocial networking tools and digital technologies are enhancing gov-ernment’s responsiveness to citizens and encouraging a moreengaged citizenry.

Asia Energy Leaders Training ProgramAugust 20–September 2, 2012The Asia Energy Leaders Program convenes premier faculty andsenior energy executives of the Asian region to analyze emergingtrends in energy technology, policy, and markets. In its first iteration,the Program designed a tailored curriculum for executives of theChina Southern Grid Corporation, the second largest electricityprovider in China. This three-week training program—held both inSan Francisco and at Harvard Kennedy School—gave executivesnew frameworks and innovative approaches to understanding fivekey issues: globalization; energy governance and energy security;competitiveness and corporate strategy; low carbon technologies inthe face of climate change; and sustainable development. In thefinal week of the program, lectures extended beyond energy policyto overviews of U.S. politics, institutions, and the upcoming elec-tion, as well as the U.S.-China relationship. In addition to classroomlecture and discussion, participants met with leading technologypractitioners from IBM Technology and Solutions and General Elec-tric, witnessed firsthand how solar energy can power businesses inthe Sonoma Valley, and talked with energy regulators at the federaland state levels.

Ben Hecht and Stephen Goldsmith

Asia Energy Leaders Training Program participants

Asia Energy Leaders participants meet with Rob Conant, Trilliant

Event Snapshots

12 Communiqué Fall 2012

Luncheon with His Excellency Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of MongoliaSeptember 21, 2012This fall, the Ash Center sponsored a private luncheon with Mongo-lian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and a number of KennedySchool faculty including Graham Allison, Elaine Kamarck, RonaldHeifetz, and Anthony Saich along with several New World andDemocracy Fellows. Elbegdorj, a 2002 master’s in public adminis-tration graduate, spoke fondly of his time at Harvard KennedySchool and the courses he took with the HKS faculty. He also dis-cussed his priorities for defeating corrupt practices and developingMongolia’s natural resources—a blessing and a curse as Mongoliaattempts to reap the economic and environmental benefits suchresources provide. At a JFK Jr. Forum later that day, Elbegdorj elab-orated on his plans to fight corruption through a policy of “humanrights, openness, and justice” and discussed Mongolia’s free-mar-ket enterprise practices that have led to the country’s unprecedent-ed 17 percent annual economic growth. For Elebegdorj, “democracyis a learned process,” and in his capacity as the country’s fourthelected president, he shared his goal that Mongolia remain a“democratic anchor of the East,” and a leader of world freedom.“We need to make sure that people have the power and that thereis transparency and accountability in government,” he said. Theaudience included several notable political figures: former PrimeMinister of Greece Georgios A. Papandreau, former President ofEcuador J. Jamil Mahuad, and former Governor of MassachusettsWilliam F. Weld.

Leadership Transformation in IndonesiaSeptember 10–October 5, 2012Nearly 40 newly elected Indonesian district heads and mayors(Bupati and Walikota) along with their heads of regional develop-ment and planning (Ketua Bappeda) attended the second iterationof the Leadership Transformation in Indonesia executive educationprogram this fall. This four-week course is designed to providenewly elected officials with key technical skills and broader multina-tional perspectives on issues of sustainable development, strategicleadership, and new public management. “We want to equip theselocal government leaders with both a stronger conceptual founda-tion as well as enhanced practical leadership and managementskills so that when they return to Indonesia, they are better pre-pared to govern during Indonesia’s period of decentralization-ledpublic sector reform,” said Jay Rosengard, a faculty co-chair withAnthony Saich. The course included one week of lectures in Jakar-ta, Indonesia, and three weeks of classroom sessions at HarvardKennedy School taught by over 20 distinguished Harvard facultyand facilitators from several Indonesian universities. In addition toclassroom lecture and discussion, participants visited with localgovernment officials in the Boston area to reinforce key classroomlessons and develop important connections with their peers in simi-lar positions.

Mongolia President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj

HKS Professor Gary Orren speaks at Leadership Transformation in Indonesia class

HKS Lecturer in Press and Public Policy Alex Jones

www.ash.harvard.edu 13

Research Brief

Ash Center Funds Experiential Learning Projects

This past summer, the Ash Center supported 23 students throughexperiential learning projects. Students were selected as SummerFellows in Innovation, HKS Indonesia Student Research Grantees,and Vietnam Program Interns and collectively received $106 thou-sand in support to defray research, travel, and living costs. “The Ash Center is committed to supporting students throughout

their time at HKS and best equipping them with the tools to succeedin the world of practice upon graduation,” said Anthony Saich, direc-tor of the Ash Center. “These summer immersive experiences are animportant component of the HKS curriculum, and allow students toactively apply the theory, ideas, and scholarship they have learned inthe classroom while gaining real world career experience.”

Summer Fellows in InnovationNow in its fourth year, the Summer Fellowship in Innovation preparesHKS students for public sector careers by giving them the opportu-nity to apply classroom lessons to real world policy challenges facedby U.S. public sector agencies. The following nine students wereselected as 2012 Summer Fellows in Innovation:Victor Cedeño, MPP 2013: Cedeño researched policy and leadershipstrategies to help spur business ownership and employment amongimmigrant communities for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.Will Cook, MPA 2013: Cook helped the Department of Labor expandits Open Government Agenda and assisted in the modernization ofits customer service operations.Roniesha Copeland, MBA/MPP 2014: Copeland developed strategiesfor advancing educational reform and innovation for SacramentoMayor Kevin Johnson.Nikhil Gahlawat, MPP 2013: Gahlawat worked with New York City’sCenter for Economic Opportunity—the 2011 Innovations in Ameri-can Government Award winner—to develop multimedia platforms toeffectively communicate the program’s policy goals and models andenhance stakeholders’ understanding.Tyler Jaeckel, MPP/JD 2013: Jaeckel cultivated high-impact ideasthat simplify federal processes to benefit state and local govern-ments for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.Rohit Malhotra, MPP 2013: Malhotra studied best practices andfinancial innovations in social services, in particular on the potentialof Pay for Success and Big Society Bank models.Kristina Redgrave, MPP 2013: Redgrave wrote technology policy leg-islation around open data and collaborative consumption and con-structed new initiatives that integrate technology into governancefor San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee.Iain Watt, MPP 2013: Watt analyzed the local commercial waste reg-ulatory environment and explored possible internal operationalimprovements for the New York City Business Integrity Commission.Benjamin Weinryb Grohsgal, MUP/MMP 2014: Weinryb Grohsgal iden-tified and evaluated the best information technologies and othertools available for listening to customer chatter, competitor intelli-gence, and industry trends for Littleton, Colorado. This city’s Eco-nomic Gardening program was an Innovations in AmericanGovernment Award finalist.

HKS Indonesia Student Research GranteesThe Ash Center’s HKS Indonesia Program encourages studentswith an interest in Indonesia from HKS and across Harvard Universi-ty by supporting their research internships, independent research,and other forms of study conducted in Indonesia. The following 10students were selected as HKS Indonesia Student ResearchGrantees this summer: Paula Escobar, HKS MPA/ID 2013: Escobar interned at Indonesia’sVice Presidential Office on the National Team for AcceleratingPoverty Reduction (TNP2K) in Jakarta, Indonesia.Philips Loh, HSPH MS 2013: With the local Indonesian Ministry ofHealth and Summit Institute of Development (SID) in Lombok, WestNusa Tenggara, Indonesia, Loh worked on his independent researchproject, “Governance Structures and Policies and the Implementa-tion, Management, and Quality of Tuberculosis Services in WestNusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, Indonesia.”Odette Maciel, HKS MPA/ID 2013: Maciel interned at Indonesia’s VicePresidential Office on the National Team for Accelerating PovertyReduction (TNP2K) in Jakarta, Indonesia.Izhari Mawardi, HKS MPP 2013: Mawardi researched, “The Separa-tion of Power and Political Strategy for the BPK-RI Post Constitu-tional Amendment.”Paloma Merodio, HKS MPA/ID 2013: Merodio interned at the Waterand Sanitation Program of the World Bank Office in Jakarta,Indonesia.Alykhan Mohamed, GSD MUP 2013: With Solo Kota Kita, Mohamedperformed independent research titled, “Identity vs. Development:Case Studies of Waterfront Communities in Banjarmasin and Solo,Indonesia” in Solo and Banjarmasin, Indonesia.Fuadi Pitsuwan, HKS MPP 2013 – While in Jakarta, Indonesia, Pit-suwan performed the independent research project titled, “WhyIndonesia is Punching Below its Weight in the International Politicsof the Islamic World.”Imran Sarwar, HKS MPP 2013: With the International Labour Organi-zation Office in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sarwar worked on his independ-ent research project titled, “Better Work Indonesia: Private SectorCompliance with Mandatory Health Care in Indonesia.”Diego Solares, HKS MPP 2013: Solares interned for the SoutheastAsian Minister of Education Organization Regional Center for Foodand Nutrition (SEAMEO RECFON) office in Jakarta, Indonesia.Paola Vargas, HKS MPA/ID 2013: Vargas interned at Indonesia’s VicePresidential Office on the National Team for Accelerating PovertyReduction (TNP2K) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Vietnam Program InternshipsThrough its summer internship program, the Ash Center’s VietnamProgram supports students both at Harvard and throughout thecountry to participate in intensive faculty-directed research at theFulbright School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. These eight-weekinternships allow students to explore a wide range of pertinent poli-cy issues affecting Vietnam including land policy, rural poverty, envi-ronmental issues, industrial policy, infrastructure, urbanization, and

continued on the bottom of page 15

14 Communiqué Fall 2012

Research Brief

HKS Degree Student FellowshipsFord Foundation Mason FellowsThe Ford Foundation Mason Fellowship is an annual fellowship sup-porting mid-career students from lower-income countries to studyat Harvard Kennedy School for an intensive, one-year master’sdegree in public administration. The Ash Center is sponsoring thefollowing students for this academic year:Gupta, Suparna, Mason Fellow ‘13, is the founder and director of anonprofit that seeks to influence India’s child welfare policy. Ohanyan, Lilit, Mason Fellow ‘13, serves as a political specialist atthe U.S. Embassy in Armenia, working on democracy, good gover-nance, and conflict resolution issues.Ranivohariniony, Holy, Mason Fellow ‘13, worked in environmentaleducation at a nonprofit before joining the president’s Good Gover-nance Directorate in Madagascar.Saez, Gabriel, Mason Fellow ‘13, is a former journalist and congres-sional staffer who is currently working for the South American Initia-tive at FLACSO Argentina.

Roy and Lila Ash FellowsThe Roy and Lila Ash Fellowship in Democracy supports studentswith a strong interest in the broad questions of democratic gover-nance, a capacity for leadership, a commitment to search andinquiry, and a dedication to advancements in social justice andservice to citizens around the world. The following student wasselected as this year’s Roy and Lila Ash Fellow in Democracy:Lee, Shwai-May, MC/MPA ‘13, most recently was a humanitariandevelopment officer in Myanmar who has worked with internationalNGOs including Christian Aid UK and World Vision.

Lee Kuan Yew FellowshipThe Lee Kuan Yew Fellows Program brings mid-career students toHKS for one semester each year. From every country in Asia, thesestudents are candidates for the Master in Public Managementdegree at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the NationalUniversity of Singapore. For a complete listing of this year’s 20 LKYfellows, please visit http://bit.ly/lkyfellows.

Democracy FellowshipsThe Ash Center’s Democracy Fellowships program aims to supportdoctoral and post-doctoral scholars in research related to democrat-ic governance. This year, the following fellows join the Ash Center:Mayka, Lindsay, Ph.D. Candidate, University of California, Berkeley Moore, Alfred, Assistant Professor, University College, IrelandRoth, Laura, Ph.D. Candidate, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain Saunders-Hastings, Emma, Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard UniversityShames, Shauna, Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard UniversityUlusoy, Kivanc, Associate Professor of Political Science, Istanbul University, Turkey

Free and Fair Elections in Post-Soviet ArmeniaMason Fellow Researches Solutions for Sustainable Democracy

“Elections are my passion—I believe that they are the basis for asustainable democracy,” said Lilit Ohanyan, one of the Ash Cen-ter’s four Ford Foundation Mason Fellows for the 2012-2013 aca-demic year. “However, free and fair elections on their own are notenough of a guarantee for a country to move in the right direc-tion, and at HKS, I am trying to explore ways of ensuring that lib-eral democracy flourishes.” With both the American presidentialelection and the sixth-ever presidential election in Armenia thisFebruary, Ohanyan has much material to study. Ohanyan, a HKS Mid-Career MPA student, is on leave from

the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, where she served as a politicalspecialist focusing on improving democratic processes in Arme-nia. Throughout her career, she spearheaded USAID-fundedtraining programs for the country’s parliamentarians, political par-ties, civil society leaders, and journalists to expose them to newmodels for improving the electoral process in Armenia. “Wehoped to demonstrate to all stakeholders that it is possible to winan election in fair competition,” said Ohanyan. “It requires morework and a lot more strategic planning, but the result is muchmore sustainable.”She also advised local NGOs on methods for enhancing gov-

ernment accountability and transparency, and counseled themedia on ways to deliver objective, balanced campaign coverageto allow voters to make more informed choices. Much of hercounsel drew upon Western models for electoral campaigning,knowledge she gained through her former role with the U.S.National Democratic Institute in Armenia.

Research FellowshipsIndonesia Research FellowshipThe Harvard Kennedy School Indonesia Program offers fellowshipsto support Indonesian students and scholars participating in degreecourses and executive education programs at Harvard or conductingresearch on public policy in Indonesia. Six fellows join the Ash Center:Darwin, Muhadjir, Professor, Department of Public Policy and Man-agement, Universitas Gadjah MadaHanan, Djayadi, Lecturer, University of Paramadina, JakartaNugroho, Hanan, Senior Planner, National Development PlanningBoard (BAPPENAS) of IndonesiaPambudhi, P. Agung, Advisor, Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD)Toha, Risa J., Ph.D. in Political Science, University of California, Los AngelesTriyana, Margaret, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Chicago

New World FellowsThe New World Fellows Program encourages the next generation ofprominent Chinese leaders to develop their professional skills andinteract with international leaders of similar seniority and experi-ence, as well as distinguished Harvard faculty, before returning to

Student Focus2012–2013 New Fellows

their positions of responsibility in the Chinese government. The AshCenter welcomes the following government officials as New WorldFellows for the fall academic semester:Liu, Shijin, Vice Minister, Development Research Center of StateCouncil (DRC)Wang, Lanmin, Director, Earthquake Administration of Gansu ProvinceWang, Weizhong, Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology

Rajawali FellowsThe Rajawali Fellows program allows individuals the freedom to pur-sue independent research projects, with the help of the Center’sRajawali Foundation Institute for Asia, along with Harvard resources.Visit http://bit.ly/rajawalifellows for more information about thisyear’s 24 fellows.

Voter Apathy, Youth Activism, and a More Open AdministrationWhile Armenia became an independent democratic republic uponthe dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, voter apathy is wide-spread: according to a March 2012 poll commissioned by theU.S. National Democratic Institute, only 12 percent of votersexpected last May’s parliamentarian elections to be democratic.“The frustration with the electoral process is a huge issue,” saidOhanyan. “You hear more and more, ‘I will not vote because itdoesn’t matter, and it’s not going to be counted correctly.’” Yet, Ohanyan is seeing positive signs of gradual change both

in the new administration and among young voters. “Instead ofmore aggressive tactics, President Sargsyan strategizes and ismore willing to enter into a dialogue with parties holding differentviewpoints,” said Ohanyan.Ohanyan is also witnessing a new wave of community

engagement among the country’s youth, specifically around envi-ronmental and historic preservation issues. In 2010, the Armeniangovernment granted a contract to Robshin Ltd. to build a hydro-electric plant over the Trchkan waterfall, a tourist-destination andnatural landmark in Northern Armenia. Outraged youth createdthe successful “Save Trchkan Waterfall” Facebook campaign,and as their cause swelled to 4,500 members, groups of activistspeacefully camped out by the waterfall for months, attractingattention for their innocent campfire sing-alongs while supportersin government lobbied their cause. “Their campaign was not in the face of the authorities nor con-

ducted in an aggressive manner,” said Ohanyan. “Instead they werethere to voice their concerns and encourage the government towork with them.” In November of 2011, the government cancelledall construction of the hydroelectric plant. Over the last few years,these youth groups have had several other successes preservinggreen spaces and protecting historic buildings from demolishment.Such youth activism and a more responsive government bode

well for the future of Ohanyan’s country. “My hope is that we willfind new ways to work together towards the goal of liberal, sus-tainable democracy. These young people and certain reformersholding government positions have the potential of workingtogether towards the goal of making meaningful change. Theyembody that hope.”

Lilit Ohanyan (center) plants a tree in the yard of the U.S. Embassy of Armenia

www.ash.harvard.edu 15

macroeconomics/trade issues. Five students were selected as 2012Vietnam Program Interns this summer: Gavin Feng, HKS MPA 2013: Feng researched the macroeconomicchallenges confronting Vietnam, with a particular focus on monetaryand fiscal policies.Dominik Peschel, HKS MPA 2013: Peschel researched banking sectorreform and monetary policy for a broader study on the macroeco-nomic challenges confronting Vietnam.Rafael Puyana, HKS MPAID 2013: Puyana participated in teamresearch on the macroeconomic challenges confronting Vietnam,with a particular focus on Vietnam’s evolving growth strategy. Nga Than, Agnes Scott College 2013: Than explored policy chal-lenges associated with Vietnam’s development.Minh H. Vo, Swarthmore College 2014: Vo studied policy challenges associated with Vietnam’s development as part of ateam of researchers.

continued from page 13

Ash Summer Fellow Victor Cedeño with Minneapolis Mayor Rybak

Beijing

Yantian

CommuniquéFall 2012, Volume 11

Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationHarvard Kennedy School 79 John F. Kennedy StreetCambridge, Massachusetts 02138

617-495-0557www.ash.harvard.edu

DirectorAnthony Saich

Director of the Innovations in GovernmentProgramStephen Goldsmith

Executive DirectorsJulian Chang, Arnold Howitt, Marty Mauzy

EditorKate Hoagland

Designforminform

PhotographyTom Fitzsimmons, Cory Maxwell-Coghlan,Martha Stewart, Min Tang, IsabellaZaratyan, Fang Zhiyi

Ash Center

for Democratic Governance and Innovation

Harvard Kennedy School

79 John F. Kennedy Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

NON PROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

B O S T O N , M A

P E R M I T # 1 6 3 6

In Focus: Yantian Village By the Numbers

24 square kilometers

Annual average rainfall: 1,800 millimeters

Part of Donguan City—the largest global site for electronicsindustry production and processing

Land Use: 30 percent construction; 60 percent ecologicalprotection; 10 percent agriculture

Migrant Workers Xin Guaner: 80,000

Registered Yantian Villagers Yantianer: 3,489 (2008)

Source: Chinese Village, Global Market, 2012