Amy E. Lerman, professor of public policy and political science and director of the Possibility Lab at UC Berkeley has been awarded a Carnegie Fellowship by the Carnegie Corporation. The prestigious fellowship grants $200,000 in support of a book or major project to each member of the cohort of scholars, authors, journalists, and public intellectuals who focus on political polarization in the United States.
Lerman studies civic engagement and public opinion, especially as they relate to public safety and social inequality in America. She is the author of the award-winning Good Enough for Government Work (University of Chicago, 2019) and two books on criminal justice.
As the executive director of the Possibility Lab, Lerman oversees interdisciplinary research dedicated to data-driven innovations that promote equity, empowerment, and engagement in public policy. The Lab partners with government agencies and nonprofits to help them become engines for systemic change.
“I’m thrilled and honored to be given this fellowship,” said Lerman. “This award is not just about me but also reflects the incredible work of the entire team at the Possibility Lab and our extraordinary partners in both government and communities across California.”
“I am delighted to see Professor Lerman recognized with a Carnegie Fellowship — an honor that reflects the real-world significance of her work,” Berkeley Social Sciences Dean Raka Ray said. “Through her research and her imaginative leadership at the Possibility Lab, Professor Lerman constistently works towards a less polarized and more decent world in communities in Oakland and beyond.”
Goldman School Dean David C. Wilson added: “Professor Lerman is an exceptional scholar whose work has consistently pushed the boundaries of public policy research, particularly in the realm of civic engagement. She is not only a thought leader in her field, but also a practitioner committed to applying rigorous academic research to real-world problems.”
With the support of the Carnegie fellowship, Lerman and her team at the Possibility Lab will design, pilot, and evaluate new methods for deliberative democracy and co-governance that can directly inform public policy. Over the next two years, they will partner with the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the Strategic Growth Council to convene a series of regional assemblies in California.
These convenings will provide a venue where diverse groups—including state and local government leaders, community-based organizations, tribal representatives, and local residents—can come together in moderated, face-to-face deliberations and also through digital platforms to discuss pressing challenges and promising solutions related to land use, climate, and the environment. Ultimately, the goal of these convenings is to produce a set of recommendations that can inform the state's strategic plan and policy goals. More broadly, the project aims to learn how these types of deliberative engagements can reduce polarization and increase efficacy and trust while also producing better public policies that serve all Californians. The hope is that the findings can be replicated by other government departments and agencies, scaled to other states, and iterated on to strengthen our democracy.
The goal is to produce recommendations that can inform the state's strategic plan and policy goals at the highest levels of governance. More broadly, the project aims to understand how these types of deliberative engagements can reduce polarization and increase efficacy and trust while also producing better public policies that serve all Californians.
“At a moment when our democracy is under immense strain—when polarization, distrust, and the dismantling of institutions are becoming increasingly normalized—this fellowship will provide critical support to the work we are doing together,” Lerman said.
“We hope our findings can be replicated by other government departments and agencies, scaled to other states, and iterated on to strengthen democratic outcomes. I’m grateful that our applied scholarship aimed at bridging divides and promoting meaningful civic dialogue resonated with the Carnegie selection committee. With Carnegie's support, we are excited to continue piloting new methods for civic engagement that can bring more diverse community perspectives into public policymaking.”