Beyond the Headlines: Tech Billionaires, Governance, and the Risks of Private Power
On February 14, 2025, Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies hosted a panel discussion as part of its Beyond the Headlines series, examining the growing role of tech industry leaders in government operations. Moderated by Dean Scott Taylor, the panel featured Dr. Joan Donovan, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies…
Slobodian on Trump’s ‘Billionaire Cabinet’ and the Rise of Silicon Valley Power
Quinn Slobodian, Professor of International History at the Pardee School of Global Studies, examines the unprecedented dominance of billionaires in Donald Trump’s second administration in a recent commentary published by The Guardian. Slobodian argues that while wealth and power have always been intertwined in American politics, the scale, sector, and strategy of elite influence are…