Trending Globally: Politics and Policy

*Update: Arenberg's book 'Congressional Procedure' has been named a Foreword INDIES 2018 Book of the Year Finalist [https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/congressional-procedure/] .* Richard Arenberg knows the inner workings of Congress better than almost anyone. He spent over 30 years on Capitol Hill as senior staff for Senators George Mitchell, Carl Levin, and Paul Tsongas. Today he’s a Visiting Professor in Political Science at Brown University, and a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute [https://watson.brown.edu/people/fellows/arenberg]. His new book, 'Congressional Procedure' [http://www.thecapitol.net/Publications/congressionalprocedure.html], explores one part of Congress that we often overlook: its rules. Part history, part rule-book, and part manifesto, Arenberg’s book makes clear how these rules are more than just formalities. On this episode of Trending Globally, Sarah talks with Arenberg about why Congress’s rules matter, why so many people call Congress ‘broken,’ and how it might save itself going forward. You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E79_Rich%20Arenberg_REV.pdf]

On this episode of Trending Globally,: a deep dive into the opioid crisis. Guest host Susan Moffitt, Director of the Taubman Center for American Policy and Politics [https://watson.brown.edu/taubman/], talks with Brandon Marshall, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health [https://vivo.brown.edu/display/bm8]. Marshal is an expert in the epidemiology of substance abuse, and presented on his work this February at a conference hosted by the Watson Institute and the Taubman Center [https://youtu.be/-DWoWS3RtBE]. Moffitt and Marshall look at the origins of this public health crisis, and help make sense of the staggering numbers behind it. You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E78_Brandon%20Marshall_mixdown.pdf]

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the week's news. Today's topics include Trump’s declaration of a ‘national emergency’, Amazon’s Valentine’s Day break-up with NYC, The Green New Deal, insect extinction and humanity's inability to focus on climate change, and the incomprehensible progression of Brexit. You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lSRyn43cD7fnyJk72xOD53IoqtFjavG8/view]