Shir Raviv Awarded the 2025 Harold D. Lasswell Award for Research on AI in Public Policy
The American Political Science Association (APSA) has honored Shir Raviv with the 2025 Harold D. Lasswell Award for her doctoral dissertation titled The Evolving Politics of Using AI Algorithms in Public Policy Implementation. This annual award recognizes the best dissertation in public policy, spotlighting research that brings fresh perspectives to pressing policy issues.
Groundbreaking Insights into AI and Public Services
The award committee praised Raviv's work for its original theoretical and empirical contributions to understanding how artificial intelligence (AI) is integrated into public services. Using a series of detailed experiments, Raviv demonstrates that public acceptance of AI-driven algorithmic decision-making (ADS) hinges largely on perceived accuracy and fairness.
Her findings reveal that people tend to reject ADS when it is used to impose sanctions on targeted groups rather than provide assistance. Additionally, skepticism increases when decisions require inferences about individuals instead of broader collectives. Raviv also shows that public attitudes shift positively with increased exposure and personal experience with AI systems in government.
These observations offer valuable guidance on when and how AI can be responsibly deployed in public policy, ensuring alignment with public expectations and ethical considerations.
About Shir Raviv
Shir Raviv is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Data Science Institute at Columbia University and a non-resident fellow at Yale’s Institution for Social and Policy Studies. She will join Tel Aviv University as an Assistant Professor of Political Science in Fall 2025.
Her research focuses on the political consequences of AI advancements and the governance challenges they present. Raviv is authoring a book that explores public opinion on governmental AI applications, distinguishing between opposition based on misinformation and that stemming from deeper moral concerns. This distinction is crucial for developing AI policies that respect democratic accountability while addressing public skepticism.
Beyond public opinion, her work examines the competing interests influencing AI regulation across governments, international institutions, and the private sector. She employs experimental methods and survey design to explore political behavior, with publications in leading journals such as the Journal of Politics and Political Science Research and Methods.
Academic Background and Mentorship
Raviv completed her PhD in Political Science at Tel Aviv University in 2024. Her doctoral advisors were Professors Yotam Margalit (Chair), Alexander Kuo, and Neil Malhotra.
About the Harold D. Lasswell Award Committee
- Dr. Christopher Bosso (Chair), Northeastern University
- Dr. Ashley Fox, University at Albany, SUNY
- Dr. Dorothy Daley, The University of Kansas
APSA expresses gratitude to the committee members for their dedicated service in recognizing outstanding contributions to public policy research.
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