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How to build a public policy research career in India? What to do, what to avoid?
Yesterday we welcomed a new group of awesome interns to Brookings India.
I shared a few slides with five tips. Pls let me know if you can think of more...
Thread
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Yesterday we welcomed a new group of awesome interns to Brookings India.
I shared a few slides with five tips. Pls let me know if you can think of more...
Thread
1/7
[David Ricardo] Don't be a jack of all trades, master of none. Vertical expertise trumps horizontal generalism.
Focus on studying in-depth one area that helps you stand out from the crowd, and to get that first job. You can then move on to focus on other issues. 2/7
![[David Ricardo] Don't be a jack of all trades, master of none. Vertical expertise trumps horizontal generalism.Focus on studying in-depth one area that helps you stand out from the crowd, and to get that first job. You can then move on to focus on other issues. 2/7](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ear7BgWWsAEXNLI.jpg "[David Ricardo] Don't be a jack of all trades, master of none. Vertical expertise trumps horizontal generalism.Focus on studying in-depth one area that helps you stand out from the crowd, and to get that first job. You can then move on to focus on other issues. 2/7")
Focus on studying in-depth one area that helps you stand out from the crowd, and to get that first job. You can then move on to focus on other issues. 2/7
[Lord Chitragupta] Do empirically grounded, innovative research: data mining, fieldwork, interviews, archival research.
Get experience in govt (eg internships). Helps with your future recommendations: rather than what (ends) policy-makers prefer to get ideas on how (means). 3/7
![[Lord Chitragupta] Do empirically grounded, innovative research: data mining, fieldwork, interviews, archival research.Get experience in govt (eg internships). Helps with your future recommendations: rather than what (ends) policy-makers prefer to get ideas on how (means). 3/7](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ear718vXYAIF_1o.jpg "[Lord Chitragupta] Do empirically grounded, innovative research: data mining, fieldwork, interviews, archival research.Get experience in govt (eg internships). Helps with your future recommendations: rather than what (ends) policy-makers prefer to get ideas on how (means). 3/7")
Get experience in govt (eg internships). Helps with your future recommendations: rather than what (ends) policy-makers prefer to get ideas on how (means). 3/7
[Sisyphus] Not everything is new!
Avoid reinventing the wheel, study history: it will tell you what policies worked or not, and why.
Look at past patterns. Talk to retired officials, study archives. Do case studies that reconstruct the past to get lessons for the future. 4/7
![[Sisyphus] Not everything is new! Avoid reinventing the wheel, study history: it will tell you what policies worked or not, and why.Look at past patterns. Talk to retired officials, study archives. Do case studies that reconstruct the past to get lessons for the future. 4/7](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ear9FXpWoAcAQYf.jpg "[Sisyphus] Not everything is new! Avoid reinventing the wheel, study history: it will tell you what policies worked or not, and why.Look at past patterns. Talk to retired officials, study archives. Do case studies that reconstruct the past to get lessons for the future. 4/7")
Avoid reinventing the wheel, study history: it will tell you what policies worked or not, and why.
Look at past patterns. Talk to retired officials, study archives. Do case studies that reconstruct the past to get lessons for the future. 4/7
[Babur] Go see the world, compare India, get global skills, experience.
But for maximum public policy impact, stay in India: gives you more exposure, increases you legitimacy.
Delhi is not [yet] the center of the world: help bridge the many Indias with the best worldwide. 5/7
![[Babur] Go see the world, compare India, get global skills, experience. But for maximum public policy impact, stay in India: gives you more exposure, increases you legitimacy.Delhi is not [yet] the center of the world: help bridge the many Indias with the best worldwide. 5/7](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ear-GADWAAAhpIo.jpg "[Babur] Go see the world, compare India, get global skills, experience. But for maximum public policy impact, stay in India: gives you more exposure, increases you legitimacy.Delhi is not [yet] the center of the world: help bridge the many Indias with the best worldwide. 5/7")
But for maximum public policy impact, stay in India: gives you more exposure, increases you legitimacy.
Delhi is not [yet] the center of the world: help bridge the many Indias with the best worldwide. 5/7
[Anna R Malhotra, 1st woman IAS officer]
Improve public policy, avoid politics, ideological agendas.
Focus on bureaucracy: little solutions at lower/local levels can have greater impact than big-bang reforms.
Stay critical. Help build healthy, diverse work environments. 7/7
![[Anna R Malhotra, 1st woman IAS officer]Improve public policy, avoid politics, ideological agendas. Focus on bureaucracy: little solutions at lower/local levels can have greater impact than big-bang reforms.Stay critical. Help build healthy, diverse work environments. 7/7](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ear-9PHWsAItt8F.jpg "[Anna R Malhotra, 1st woman IAS officer]Improve public policy, avoid politics, ideological agendas. Focus on bureaucracy: little solutions at lower/local levels can have greater impact than big-bang reforms.Stay critical. Help build healthy, diverse work environments. 7/7")
Improve public policy, avoid politics, ideological agendas.
Focus on bureaucracy: little solutions at lower/local levels can have greater impact than big-bang reforms.
Stay critical. Help build healthy, diverse work environments. 7/7
