Ryan Streeter

Previously, Streeter was the State Farm James Q. Wilson Scholar and director of domestic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he facilitated research in education, technology, housing, urban policy, poverty studies, workforce development, and public opinion. Before joining AEI, he was executive director of the Center for Politics and Governance at UT Austin.

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Streeter’s distinguished career in government service includes being special assistant for domestic policy to President George W. Bush at the White House, deputy chief of staff for policy for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, and policy advisor to Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith. Streeter is the author, coauthor, and editor of many books, including Doing Right by Kids: Leveraging Social Capital and Innovation to Increase Opportunity (AEI Press, 2024) which he co-edited with Scott Winship and Yuval Levin, and The Future of Cities, (AEI Press, 2022) which he co-edited with Joel Kotkin.

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In addition, his writings have appeared in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Politico, USA Today, The Hill, City Journal, National Affairs, and National Review, among others. He has a Ph.D. in political philosophy from Emory University.

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Books

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Doing Right by Kids: Leveraging Social Capital and Innovation to Increase Opportunity, co-editor with Scott Winship and Yuval Levin (Washington DC: AEI, 2024).

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The Future of Cities, co-editor with Joel Kotkin (Washington DC: AEI, 2023).‍

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Localism in America, co-editor with Joel Kotkin (Washington DC: AEI, 2018).‍

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The Soul of Civil Society: Voluntary Associations and the Public Value of Moral Habits, co-author with Don Eberly (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2002).
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Articles and Essays

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“Americans Don’t Need to Be Saved,” National Review, April 8, 2024.

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“How We Got Here,” The Catalyst, Issue 29, Winter 2024.

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“An Aspirational Path for American Conservatism,” co-author Stephen Goldsmith, Harvard Kennedy School, 2023.

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“Yes, America’s Cities Can Be Saved,” National Review, April 6, 2023.

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“The False Choices Facing the Republican Party,” with Stephen Goldsmith Politico, February 12, 2023

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“Opportunity Cities and the Midterms,” Real Clear Policy, January 6, 2023

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“Metro Cons,” The Dispatch, January 3, 2023

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“Republicans Shouldn’t Forget About Optimism,” National Review, December 12, 2022

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“Goodbye, San Francisco. Hello, Nashville. Americans Are Fleeing Dysfunctional Cities,” USA Today, September 6, 2022

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“Why Progressives Are Making a Mess of the Culture War,” The Dispatch, July 26, 2022

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“Surviving Social Media,” Law & Liberty, May 19, 2022

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“Get to Know Thy Neighbor,” City Journal, May 19, 2022

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“The Four Bobs — and the Economic Importance of Self-starters,” National Review, January 9, 2022

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“Dynamism as a Public Philosophy,” National Affairs, January 3, 2022

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“Public Places and Commercial Spaces: How Neighborhood Amenities Foster Trust and Connection in American Community,” co-author with Sam Abrams, Daniel Cox, and Beatrice Lee, American Enterprise Institute, 2021.

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“The Role of Community in Place-Based Giving,” American Enterprise Institute, 2021.

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“Welcome to the Ideological Heartland,” The Dispatch, December 29, 2021

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“If Demography Is Destiny, so Are Suburbs and Small Towns,” RealClearPolicy, October 26, 2021

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“Human Scale Cities,” RealClearPolicy, October 8, 2021

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“For Policy Reform, Look to the States,” The Dispatch, September 8, 2021

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“How Affluent Conservatives Fuel the Culture War,” The Dispatch, August 31, 2021

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“Will Progressives Learn from the Cities?” RealClearPolicy, June 22, 2021

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“The Great American Freak-out and How to Address It,” Law & Liberty, April 30, 2021

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“Middle-class Urbanism Is the New Heartland Chic,” RealClearPolicy, March 25, 2021

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“Conservatives Drift Leftward in the ‘plan to Rescue America’,” The Dispatch, March 17, 2021

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“Opportunity Knocks,” City Journal, March 5, 2021

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“The Emergent Urban Anti-progressivism,” National Review, February 5, 2021

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“Grievance Politics Is a Dead-end Road,” The Dispatch, January 15, 2021

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“Revitalize America’s Cities,” Governing Priorities, (Washington DC: American Enterprise Institute Press, 2020).

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“Socially Distant: How Our Divided Social Networks Explain Our Politics,” co-author with Sam Abrams, Jacqueline Clemence, and Daniel Cox, American Enterprise Institute, 2020.

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“Trumpism is More About Culture than Economics,” The Dispatch, November 23, 2020

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“Cities on a Human Scale: The Impact of Community Design on Quality of Life and Upward Mobility,” chapter in Facing the Future: American Communities in the Next Decade, The Knight Foundation, 2019.

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“AEI Survey on Community and Society: Social Capital, Civic Health, and Quality of Life in the United States,” co-author with Sam Abrams, Karlyn Bowman, and Eleanor O’Neil, American Enterprise Institute, 2019.

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“The Importance of Place: Neighborhood Amenities as a Source of Social Connection and Trust,” co-author with Daniel Cox, American Enterprise Institute, 2019.

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“A Loneliness Epidemic? How Marriage, Religion, and Mobility Explain the Generation Gap in Loneliness,” co-author with Daniel Cox and David Wilde, American Enterprise Institute, 2019.

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“Work, Skills, and Community: Restoring Opportunity for the Working Class,” contributor, American Enterprise Institute, 2018.