## Notes from 09 May 2025 [[2025-05-08|← Previous note]] ┃ [[2025-05-10|Next note →]] Today I saw Professor [[Donald Moynihan]] share a letter published in _Science_, signed by him and many other American academics, warning about the damaging effects of the proposed revival of “[[Public Sector Reform in the US|Schedule F]]” under the Trump administration. The policy would drastically expand the number of political appointments in the federal government, posing a direct threat to scientific integrity and the professional civil service. It immediately reminded me of a sharp framework developed in a different context: Luis Reyes-Galindo’s concept of _[populist science governance](https://edepot.wur.nl/584518)_ in Mexico. Despite early enthusiasm from some progressive sectors, Mexico has experienced steady democratic backsliding in recent years. In the realm of science, this has taken the form of institutional redesign: decision-making has been centralized in the executive branch, independent funding mechanisms such as public trusts have been dismantled, advisory bodies have been sidelined, political appointments have spread across research and education institutions, and the autonomy of universities and public research centers has been eroded. At the same time, new official values like “epistemic equity” and “dialogue of knowledges” have been used strategically to redefine legitimacy, concentrating power while discrediting dissent. The cultural framing may differ, but the mechanisms are strikingly similar. The Mexican case reminds us that politicization of science is not always about denying facts. It can also unfold through institutional engineering and the appropriation of inclusive language to justify exclusionary control. ___ I read the news that the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]] [plans to sunset in 2045](https://www.philanthropy.com/article/the-gates-foundation-the-worlds-biggest-philanthropy-announces-plans-to-shutter-in-2045) and found it fascinating. [[Sunset Clauses|Sunset clauses]] like this bring urgency and focus to philanthropic action, but also open space for new initiatives to emerge. As Maria Rita would say, [the train that arrives is the same one that leaves](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbS8uhWEtIg)... an ending like this invites learning, reinvention and the chance to do things differently. ___ One of the most interesting projects I've seen recently in the field of non-Western public administration is the _[[Islamic Religious Governance|Islamic Public Value]]_ initiative. One of its outcomes is the publication of a book, edited by Wolfgang Drechsler, Salah Chafik and Rainer Kattel, which will be launched at the British Library on May 20. It presents the results of a collaborative effort involving 40 scholars, supported by a grant from the [[John Templeton Foundation]] and hosted by UCL's [[Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP)]]. The project examines Islamic cooperative institutions and proposes Islamic public administration as a viable and relevant paradigm today. I wish I could be there to be a part of it! ___ I came across the [Fundamental Development Gap Map](https://www.gap-map.org/) through [[Scott Alexander]]'s newsletter and ended up spending a lot of time with it. Created by [[Adam Marblestone]], Mary Wang, and Joseph Fridman at Convergent Research, it's an [unusually rich tool](https://www.essentialtechnology.blog/p/introducing-the-convergent-research). It's an interactive database of underbuilt scientific infrastructure and development bottlenecks. The entries span a wide range of disciplines, including social science and meta-science, and give a concrete view of what kinds of mid-scale technical work might enable broader progress. It's a map in the sense that it shows space that hasn't been fully explored. More generally, I really appreciate the kind of work this group is doing. Marblestone in particular has done a lot to define and promote the idea of [[Focused Research Organizations (FROs)]], which I think is one of the most practical responses to the limitations of academic and corporate R&D structures. ___ I stumbled across Colorado's new [Outdoors Strategy](https://cpw.state.co.us/coloradosoutdoorsstrategy). It looks super fresh and interesting, not just because of the numbers (65,8 US$ billion economy), but because of how it reimagines "outdoors" as a statewide, cross-cutting strategy. It's not just about land conservation or expanding recreation. It also brings together climate resilience, biodiversity, agricultural land use, cultural access for indigenous communities, and economic planning under one structure. This level of integration feels rare and innovative. It reminded me of the road trip I took with Mike across the US last year. Seeing how open spaces there are professionally managed and economically central made a big impression. Colorado seems to be doing a lot of interesting things lately... Governor Jared Polis, for example, has been known to engage with the [r/neoliberal subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/t/jared_polis/) (_mi gente_)... teke, for example, his [agenda for modernizing government operations](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7279974449628528641/)... lots of nice things to keep an eye on.