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Policy Briefs

The mission of CSDI is to develop an intellectual community that can provide insights into how different political institutions can better effectively structure political debate, ameliorate conflicts, and influence policy outcomes. In keeping with this mission, the CSDI Policy Brief Series draws on the collective expertise of CSDI-affiliated faculty at Vanderbilt University to present timely, and policy-relevant analysis that helps illuminate various perspectives on contemporary policy debates and provides guidance on policy options if appropriate. These briefs will be published throughout the year, and they engage the wide range of topics that are studied by CSDI: Legislative Politics and Policymaking, Executive Politics and Regulatory Policymaking, Elections and Electoral Rules, and the role of Media in Democratic Systems of Governance.

Policy Brief Number Policy Brief Title
2014-03 The Irony of Congressional Oversight
2014-02 Partisan Conflict and Government Reform
2014-01 Managing Complex Civil Litigation: The Consolidation of Pending Federal Lawsuits
2013-08 How Presidents Choose Appointees:  Ideology, Expertise or Patronage?
2013-07 Adjudicating the Commerce Clause: How Price Effects Can Help to Evaluate State "Wine Wars"
2013-06 The Effects of Third-Party Litigation Funding
2013-05 What Explains Executive Turnover in the Federal Service
2013-04 If the Victors Get the Spoils, What Do Citizens Get?
2013-03 Can the Media Influence the Voting Behavior of Legislators?
2013-02 The Legislative Productivity of Congressional Women: Understanding When Women are Effective Lawmakers
2013-01 Does the Public Use Information to Hold Elected Officials Accountable for Educational Performance?