Center for Policy and Democracy

🕰️CPD Throwback Thursday! We're revisiting a 2011 Public Administration Review article from Edella Schlager and Tanya Heikkila that laid out the challenges for interstate compacts under climate change – especially for those with fixed allocation rules. 🚰As we are seeing in the tensions in the Colorado River basin today, we need to be adapting and preparing our water governance institutions for a different set of water conditions than they were designed for. Check out the full article below: https://lnkd.in/g6QqyCpd

CPD's Allegra Fullerton co-led a workshop with Johanna H. at the International Public Policy Association #iwpp5 in Ottawa! The workshop featured a panel on allies and opponents in the policy process, with 12 papers exploring diverse theories and methodological approaches to understanding these dynamics. 🌎This workshop highlights the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs and the Center of Policy and Democracy's leadership in public policy research and its growing impact on the global stage. Thank you to the International Public Policy Association for organizing such a world-class event!

CPD's own Tanya Heikkila presented at the European Consortium for Political Research's Standing Group on Public Policy: "Diagnosing Policy Conflict Insights from Applications of the Policy Conflict Framework" Tanya introduced the Policy Conflict Framework (PCF), an approach for systematically diagnosing conflict among dimensions such as divergence in policy positions, perceived threats, and willingness to compromise. Drawing on empirical applications, she discussed what comparative conflict diagnosis can tell us about the health of democratic policymaking. Thank you to ECPR for hosting the seminar!

💧Last week, the CPD visited the 2026 Conference on the Colorado River, held June 4–5 by the Getches-Wilkinson Center and the Water & Tribes Initiative at University of Colorado Law School. 📚 CPD Co-Director Tanya Heikkila and School of Public Affairs PhD student Mariana Rivera Torres joined experts, practitioners, policymakers, and tribal leaders from across the Colorado River Basin to learn about the current challenges and emerging solutions for managing the basin in the face of rapid change and uncertainty. 🤝The conference provided valuable opportunities to learn from diverse perspectives and expertise across the basin, deepening understanding of the environmental, governance, and policy issues shaping the Colorado River’s future. These conversations underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and inclusive decision-making in building resilient approaches to water management in an increasingly uncertain landscape.

🎊The CPD is proud to celebrate Tanya Heikkila on receiving the Faculty Excellence Award for Campuswide Excellence in Research and Creative Work, an honor that recognizes her outstanding contributions and impact across the university community.

🕸️Network Methods Workshop featuring Dr. Mark Lubell hosted by the CPD April 27, 2026 10:00AM-1:00PM MT The Center for Policy and Democracy and the Herrick Roth Lecture Series on Democracy are thrilled to welcome Dr. Mark Lubell, a world-renowned scholar whose work has shaped the field of network analysis across the social and environmental sciences. Joining Dr. Lubell will be two incredible School of Public Affairs faculty members, Dr. Alejandra Medina and Dr. Pepe Sánchez Cetina, whose research demonstrates the exciting possibilities that network methods offer our community.   📚This workshop is designed for anyone curious about how network approaches can enrich their work - whether you are brand new to the networks or looking for fresh inspiration. Attendees will learn practical starting points for incorporating network analysis into their own projects, hear about applications across multiple fields, and have time to workshop their own research ideas and get feedback. 🍽️Lunch is provided!   We hope you will join us for what promises to be an engaging and inspiring session. Please RSVP here: https://cvent.me/gqldRn Event Details: 📅Monday, April 27th ⏰10:00AM - 1:00PM 📍Classroom 500, 5th Floor, Lawrence Street Center

We hope you'll join us on Monday, April 27, 2026, for the next installment of the Herrick Roth Community Seminars on Democracy feat. Mark Lubell (University of California, Davis). 📅 Monday, April 27, 2026 📍 Zenith Room (Room 640) Tivoli Building 900 Auraria Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204 ⏰ Programming: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Networking hour at Quad Side Tavern: 5:00- 6:00 p.m. (located in the lobby of the Tivoli) 👉Register: https://lnkd.in/g4SdKcbj Dr. Lubell is a Professor in the @UC Davis Department of Environmental Science and Policy and Director of the Center for Environmental Policy & Behavior. His talk is titled: "The Quest for Cooperation in Regional Sea Level Rise Adaptation". Adapting to sea-level rise and other climate impacts requires cooperation among policy actors and communities at multiple levels of geographic scale. Cooperation must evolve in the context of messy governance arrangements where networks of stakeholders participate across multiple policy forums. This talk identifies the keys to cooperation in these contexts, based on a decade of policy-engaged research in San Francisco Bay, California. The lessons from San Francisco Bay are applicable to any coastal region, and will also be relevant to other types of regional climate adaptation issues such as extreme heat, fire, and inland flooding. 👉Register: https://lnkd.in/g4SdKcbj About the Herrick Roth Lecture Series: The Herrick Roth Lecture Series at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs was established to honor the late activist, labor leader, and founder of the Colorado Forum, Herrick Roth. Mr. Roth was deeply committed to understanding what he called “horizon issues,” which he defined as long-term public concerns that needed thoughtful reflection, discussion, and understanding in order to facilitate Colorado’s meaningful and healthy growth. Thus, the Herrick Roth Community Seminar Series on Democracy aims to support and promote discussions around issues of civic engagement, political polarization, and other complicated public policy issues amongst communities within and beyond the University of Colorado Denver. This talk is supported by the Center for Policy and Democracy. 👉Register: https://lnkd.in/g4SdKcbj

The Center for Policy and Democracy is proud to celebrate Allegra Fullerton on her successful dissertation defense.🎉 Allegra’s work examines how coalitions sustain themselves when they face threats to their personal and psychological safety. She brings forward new ideas of coalition stability and puts forth a framework for emotional work in coalitions. Outside of her dissertation, she has published several articles in leading journals, is an award-winning lecturer, and has dedicated hours to the field through her work at the Conference on Policy Process Research and the Center for Policy and Democracy. See more of her work: www.allegrafullerton.com Please join us in congratulating Dr. Fullerton!👏 A special thanks to her committee: Tanya Heikkila, Christopher Weible, Alejandra Medina, Mallory SoRelle, and Evangelia Petridou as well as the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs.

This month's ACF Seminar with Cheyenne Black will take place on April 28 at 10 am Central Time (9 am MT). This study shows that U.S. space policy evolved from a government-dominated system into a collaborative, multi-sector network. Over time, actor diversity and belief heterogeneity increased, with commercial firms becoming central players. Drawing on the Advocacy Coalition Framework, it emphasizes how coalitions form and shift based on shared beliefs. It highlights that subsystem structures are dynamic and can change through internal policy developments like commercialization. Join us on zoom via this link: https://lnkd.in/gfdpZAPV Or simply scan the QR code in the flyer!

Author Talk: Dr. Mallory SoRelle on Uncivil Democracy: How Access to Justice Shapes Political Power 📅 Monday, April 6th, 2024 ⏰ 4:30 – 5:00 pm Check-in and light refreshments 5:00 – 6:00 pm Programming 📍Terrace Room (2nd floor), Lawrence Street Center 1380 Lawrence St, Denver, CO 80204 👉 Register: https://lnkd.in/gWvP5f-n Join us for an in‑person conversation with Dr. Mallory SoRelle, the Tony and Teddie Brown Associate Professor of Public Policy at Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy. Dr. SoRelle is a leading scholar of public policy and political behavior whose research examines how institutions and public policies shape people’s ability to understand, engage with, and exercise political power. Her work pays particular attention to issues related to consumer credit, debt, and the experiences of people navigating financial hardship. We hope you will join us for this timely and essential discussion at the intersection of civil justice, inequality, and democratic participation. This talk is supported by the Center for Policy and Democracy at University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. About the Center for Policy and Democracy The Center for Policy and Democracy is a hub for research, teaching, and community engagement on public policy and democracy. Working across disciplines, states, and countries, we bring various perspectives to study and inform how policies and politics impact the most important issues facing democratic societies today. This research informs our unique approach to teaching public policy, showcased in the Policy Workshop Seminar and the Master of Public Policy and PhD in Public Affairs degree programs. Learn more about the Center: https://lnkd.in/gPFqVBrd