About this item

How presidents use secrecy to protect the nation, foster diplomacy, and gain power Ever since the nation's most important secret meeting - the Constitutional Convention - presidents have struggled to balance open, accountable government with necessary secrecy in military affairs and negotiations. For the first one hundred and twenty years, a culture of open government persisted, but new threats and technology have long since shattered the old bargains. Today, presidents neither protect vital information nor provide the open debate Americans expect. Mary Graham tracks the rise in governmental secrecy that began with surveillance and loyalty programs during Woodrow Wilson's administration, explores how it developed during the Cold War, and analyzes efforts to reform the secrecy apparatus and restore oversight in the 1970s. Chronicling the expansion of presidential secrecy in the Bush years, Graham explains what presidents and the American people can learn from earlier crises, why the attempts of Congress to rein in stealth activities don't work, and why presidents cannot hide actions that affect citizens' rights and values.



About the Author

Mary Graham

Photo Credit: Don Perdue

Mary Graham co-directs the Transparency Policy Project at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government with Archon Fung, the School's academic dean, www.Transparencypolicy.net. Graham's research focuses on the historic struggle between government openness and secrecy in the United States, and the challenges of the digital age.

Graham's current book, Presidents' Secrets: The use and abuse of hidden power, tells the story of the founders' vision of open government, the growth of uncontrolled secrecy during the Cold War, and the emerging elements of secrecy and openness in the digital age. In an initial report for the Atlantic, "The Information Wars," after the terrorist attacks of 2001, Graham found both officials and the public confused about ground rules when crises required both secrecy and openness.

Graham has written three earlier books on the politics of public information. In Science magazine in 2013, Graham co-authored an article explaining the current debate about the impact of government openness, "Targeting Transparency," Science, June 21, 2013. She co-authored with David Weil and Archon Fung Full Disclosure: The Perils and Promise of Transparency (Cambridge University Press, 2007) . In Democracy by Disclosure (Brookings/Governance Institute, 2002) and The Morning After Earth Day (Brookings/Governance Institute, 1999) , Graham examined the politics and effectiveness of controversial disclosure policies aimed at improving health and safety.

Graham has written for the Atlantic Monthly, the Financial Times, the Boston Globe, Environment magazine, Issues in Science and Technology, and other publications. A selective list of articles, reports, and working papers can be found at www.transparencypolicy.net/publications.

Graham's work has gained the attention of mainstream media. She appeared in solo interviews on the PBS Newshour to discuss President's Secrets and on the then McNeil/Lehrer Newshour regarding Full Disclosure. Graham has been a guest on National Public Radio programs including Fresh Air, Here & Now, the Diane Rehm Show, the Kojo Nnamdi Show, and multiple local programs. She participated in an episode of The West Wing Weekly podcast.



Read Next Recommendation

Report incorrect product information.