Alexandra T. Evans

Policy Researcher; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in history, University of Virginia; M.A. in history, University of Virginia; B.A. in history, Vassar College

Overview

Alexandra T. Evans is a policy researcher at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Her research interests include escalation management, deterrence, coercion, strategic competition, and regional security issues in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to joining RAND, she was an Ernest May Fellow in History & Policy with the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a postdoctoral fellow at the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Evans received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia and a B.A. in history from Vassar College.

Selected Publications

Klotz, Frank G., Alexandra T. Evans, Modernizing the U.S. Nuclear Triad: The Rationale for a New Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, RAND Corporation (PE-A1434-1), 2022

Wasser, Becca, Stacie L. Pettyjohn, Jeffrey Martini, Alexandra T. Evans, Karl P. Mueller, Nathaniel Edenfield, Gabrielle Tarini, Ryan Haberman, and Jalen Zeman, The Air War Against the Islamic State: The Role of Airpower in Operation Inherent Resolve, RAND Corporation (RR-A388-1), 2021

Commentary

  • Social Media

    Protecting Free Speech Compels Some Form of Social Media Regulation

    Given the profound challenges posed by social media, corrective measures need to go beyond “deplatforming” bad apples. But how can the United States make such a structural change without compromising the democratic tradition of free speech?

    Oct 20, 2023

    The RAND Blog

  • Social Media Analysis

    The Promise—and Pitfalls—of Researching Extremism Online

    How big of a problem is extremism in the United States and around the world? Is it getting worse? Are social media platforms responsible, or did the internet simply reveal existing trends? We have few answers because this research is easy to do poorly and hard to do well.

    Jul 17, 2023

    The RAND Blog

  • Gun Violence

    When Mass Shooters Are Seeking Fame

    What motivates mass shooters? And what might break the cycle of violence? Developing an effective policy response first requires better understanding of the factors that drive would-be attackers to kill.

    Jul 13, 2023

    The RAND Blog

  • Military Strategy

    Thinking in (Napoleonic) Times: Historical Warnings for an Era of Great-Power Competition

    Over the last several years, great-power competition has become a major topic of discussion, prompting policymakers, scholars, and pundits alike to look to the past for lessons to explain the emerging contest between the United States and China. Considering how a variety of historical powers have faced rising challengers can aid our understanding of the challenges ahead.

    Dec 18, 2020

    War on the Rocks

  • International Diplomacy

    Carter's Compromise: Cowardice or Calculation?

    Jørgen Jensehaugen's Arab-Israeli Diplomacy Under Carter is a valuable addition to the literature on American peacemaking efforts that deepens our understanding of the difficult choices future administrations will confront in their effort to defuse the Arab-Israeli conflict.

    Dec 20, 2019

    Texas National Security Review

  • Warfare and Military Operations

    Bad Idea: Assuming the Small Wars Era Is Over

    The national security community doesn't need to deny the potential for future great power conflict—or neglect to prepare for it—in order to acknowledge the enduring reality of asymmetric threats. Containing, resolving, and even preventing smaller conflicts is essential to avoiding bigger ones.

    Dec 18, 2019

    Center for Strategic and International Studies

Publications