Lauren Policy (rhymes with “foreign policy”) is my Substack, where I write about migration, growth, and cost-effective policy wins. Living literature review funded by Open Philanthropy.
Essays & Longform
The end of lead
Works in Progress, with Clare Donaldson & James Hu.
Forecast: The Impact of USAID Nutrition Cuts
Asterisk Magazine, with Anna Gordon.
A Defense of Weird Research
Asterisk Magazine, with Deena Mousa.
Rarely Is the Question Asked: Is Our Children Learning?
Asterisk Magazine
Every generator is a policy failure
Works in Progress
Press & Commentary
20 ideas for Andy Burnham’s 100 days
Arguably, contributor.
Trump Has Put George W. Bush’s Lifesaving Legacy in Danger
Foreign Policy, with Tom Wein and Garrison Lovely.
Taylor Swift, imperfect capitalist?
The Economist
If Fire Saga really wanted to win Eurovision, this is what they needed to know
The Washington Post
Ukraine’s Eurovision victory was political. So is Eurovision itself.
The Washington Post
Policy Reports
Failure to lead
SMF, with Aveek Bhattacharya and Lee Crawfurd.
Lower migration is bad news for the UK economy
UKICE
Air Conditioning: Saving Lives and Accelerating Net-Zero
CBP, with Ed Hezlet.
Cheap Electricity, Expensive Consequences
Energy for Growth
To Drive Structural Transformation, Stop Counting Connections — Focus First on Ensuring Reliable Electricity
Energy for Growth
Telecommunications in LMICs
Open Philanthropy
Civil conflict reduction
Open Philanthropy
Academic
Power, Parity, Projection: How Distance and Uncertainty Condition the Balance of Power
J. Conflict Resolution, with Erik Gartzke, Alex Braithwaite & Michael Hulme.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Treatment for Domestic Violence Injuries
Rev. Econ. Household, with Susan Parker & Lauren Schechter.
Books
222 QI Answers to Your Quite Ingenious Questions
QI / Faber & Faber, as Contributor
1,234 Facts to Leave You Speechless
QI / Faber & Faber, as Contributor
Patents
Moderating a User’s Sensory Experience with Respect to an Extended Reality
Ericsson, with Gregoire Phillips & Paul McLachlan.
Methods and Devices Related to Extended Reality
Ericsson, with Paul McLachlan.
Other Research
Frontier of the Year 2025
RenPhil, with Gavin Leech and Ulkar Aghayeva