Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Founded in 1979, the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) (www.american.edu/spa/ccps) has become a focus of research and training in the Department of Government. A unique institution, the center brings together scholars, students, public officials, journalists, and leaders in public and private organizations to study Congress and the presidency through scholarly forums, colloquiums, and seminars on current topics. The Center founded and organizes the Campaign Management Institute, the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute, the European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute in Brussels, and numerous weekend workshops on campaigning and lobbying. CCPS also publishes the scholarly journal Congress and the Presidency.
The center’s many activities provide an opportunity for graduate students to work on research projects, assist with publications, and gain valuable practical and scholarly experience.
Campaign Management Institute
This innovative institute was designed by the school’s faculty, together with leading Democratic and Republican political managers and campaign consultants to serve as a foundation for students, campaign workers, political activists, and legislative staffers interested in campaign management.
The institute’s intensive program covers campaign organization, strategy, research, fundraising, polling, paid media, earned media, general management, targeting, campaign law and ethics, computer technology, and get-out-the-vote initiatives. Through this program, many students have found placement in national, state, and local campaigns as well as in survey research and campaign management firms.
Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute
Modeled on the Campaign Management Institute, the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute (PAAI) provides students with an intensive two-week exploration into the art and craft of the lobbying profession. The format allows students to become immersed in the strategies and tactics of organized interests attempting to influence the federal policy-making outcomes and processes. In addition to the applied aspects of the lobbying profession, lobbying is placed in a more theoretical perspective by linking the real world of political influence with the issues of democratic political representation. Several weekend workshops on topics such as “Lobbying and Ethics,” “Use of Social Media in Issue Campaigns,” and “Managing Lobbying Campaigns” are offered throughout the year. The European Public Affairs and Institute is a continuation of PAAI and organized to study lobbying in the European Union in Brussels every June.
Women & Politics Institute
The Women & Politics Institute is dedicated to closing the gender gap in political leadership. The Institute provides young women with academic and practical training that encourages them to become involved in the political process and facilitates research that enhances an understanding of the challenges women face in the political arena. The Institute’s location in Washington, DC allows students and faculty access to the resources of the nation’s capital. Through workshops, seminars, and internships, participants have outstanding opportunities to pursue the study of women in politics and public policy.
Center for Democracy and Election Management
The Center for Democracy and Election Management (CDEM) was established by Dr. Robert Pastor in 2002 with three goals: training and education, applied research, and public engagement. The broader goal is to pave the way for and strengthen democracy through improved electoral performance. CDEM’s specific focus is to advance election management through election management training institutes, election observation missions, poll worker training, applied research, and public engagement both in the United States and overseas. The center seeks to contribute to the practice, research, and debate on solutions to election management problems and the need for reform of democratic electoral institutions at home and abroad.
Center for Public Finance Research
Created in 2008, the Center for Public Finance Research (CPFR) offers research and education in public budgeting and finance, public financial management, public economics, and benefit-cost analysis at the local, regional, national, and international levels. CFPR takes advantage of its location to provide unique opportunities for American University students to observe how the public policy process works and to become actively involved in the development and formation of both local and national fiscal policy. CFPR activities include: (1) research of tax policy/administration and public expenditure management, (2) organization and hosting of international student/practitioner exchanges between American and overseas universities, and (3) provision of technical assistance and training to governments and NGOs in public budgeting and financial management topics.
Center for Environmental Policy
The purpose of the Center for Environmental Policy (CEP) is to evaluate and improve the capacity for environmental governance in the United States. CEP’s work focuses on three themes: environmental innovation, partnerships and collaboration, and new and emerging challenges. The Center applies these themes to environmental issues in many ways. It sponsors lectures and programs to promote exchanges of ideas, experience, and research; convenes dialogue sessions for engaging varied interests and experts; and conducts research on how different institutional approaches, policy strategies, collaborative models, and implementation tools affect environmental outcomes. Focusing on its themes, the Center for Environmental Policy aims to improve the nation’s ability to address these challenges through effective governance. |
