Social Policy and American Institutions

A central mission of the Academy throughout its history has been the promotion of a "strong and virtuous" society. Projects are designed to advance the state of scholarship and to develop innovative solutions to critical social problems. Since World War II, the Academy has initiated and sponsored pioneering works in the areas of poverty, race relations, and ethnicity. Recent studies have produced diverse perspectives on migration and refugee problems, the future of the metropolis, and corporate responsibility. Current studies focus on American institutions at the crossroads.

• Citizenship and the Public Good. Stewarding America: National Institutions and Civic Engagement: Recent polls suggest that American citizens have become increasingly concerned about their leaders and the efficacy of their institutions. The American Academy will investigate the civic institutions that are critical for inspiring and modeling good citizenship.
• Challenges to Business in the 21st Century: The Way Forward: This project brings together educators and practitioners to explore ways to foster strong, ethical leadership skills in three arenas critical to American society: business, law, and the university. It addresses such questions as: What factors have compromised sound leadership in the professions over the past half-century? How has a growing emphasis on the need to advance fiscal goals affected personal integrity and civic responsibility?

• The Challenge of Mass Incarceration in America: This study will examine the scope of mass incarceration, its political significance, and its social impacts, weighing the concerns about crime control, rehabilitation, and more fundamental issues of social justice.
• The Independence of the Judiciary: This project examines the evolving relationship between Congress and the Supreme Court. Among other issues, it addresses the Supreme Court's increasing willingness to place constitutional limits on Congress' power to enact statutes; the judicial nomination and confirmation process; and questions of statutory interpretation.
• The Media in Society: While the digital revolution has changed the nature of news distribution, it has not diminished the need for ambitious, accurate, and reliable journalism in American society. This project looks at the evolving role of the media in today’s world, in general, and analyzes how reporters cover science and economic issues, in particular.
• Corporate Responsibility: Beyond Regulation: This project examined the factors underlying recent scandals at a number of American corporations. The project's publication, "Restoring Trust in American Business," includes a set of recommendations for rebuilding the trust upon which the American system of capitalism depends.
  
• Law 2000: Cornell University Press published "Looking Back at Law's Century" — an examination of how American law changed and, in turn, precipitated change in the twentieth century.
• The Future of the Metropolis: Using Chicago as a case study, this study of the future of the American metropolis addresses the challenges facing metropolitan areas in spheres such as public transportation, land use and housing, governance and taxation, and economic well-being.
• 1990s
• 1980s
• 1970s
• 1960s

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