The RAND Blog

commentary

Japan's Potential Acquisition of Ground-Launched Land-Attack Missiles: Implications for the U.S.-Japanese Alliance

If Japan acquired ground-based strike capabilities, it would have significant consequences for the U.S.-Japanese alliance. American and Japanese policymakers may need to have a new and expanded set of conversations about how such capabilities would be used and how the alliance could adjust to incorporate them.

Jeffrey W. Hornung, Scott W. Harold

q&a

Mass Incarceration and Parenting from Prison: Q&A with Dionne Barnes-Proby, Celia Gomez, and Monica Williams

One in 10 Black children in the United States has an incarcerated parent. RAND experts are assessing what could be done to better support these parents and, in turn, improve the well-being of their children and families.

Dionne Barnes-Proby @BarnesProby, Celia J. Gomez, et al.

q&a

Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: Q&A with Lu Dong and Jennifer Bouey

Lu Dong, Jennifer Bouey, and RAND their colleagues are working to examine how Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are responding to the surge in hate against their communities, and how research can help.

Lu Dong @LuDongPhD, Jennifer Bouey @BoueyHuang, et al.

essay

Violent Extremism in America: Pathways to Deradicalization

Ideologically inspired violence is a serious threat to U.S. national security. Research on effective strategies to fight it has often failed to engage the people who might know best: those who have lived that life and left it behind. Researchers partnered with antiextremism support groups to change that.

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With the Evacuation Over, Afghanistan Is Left to Contend with a Worsening Refugee Crisis

The more than 100,000 civilians recently evacuated from Afghanistan are a small fraction of those who have lost their homes and livelihoods due to war. To avoid worsening the existing humanitarian crisis, the global community should take swift action, including close coordination with regional and national players.

Louay Constant, Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson

q&a

Mapping Environmental Racism: Q&A with Jaime Madrigano and Benjamin Preston

Environmental policy experts Jaime Madrigano and Benjamin Preston are leading an effort to highlight how discriminatory policies have shaped environmental health disparities. Their goal: create an interactive map of the United States to motivate environmental policy that advances antiracism.

Jaime Madrigano @JMadrigano, Benjamin Lee Preston @bl_preston, et al.

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Criminal Justice in the Pandemic Era and Beyond

The pandemic forced the entire criminal justice system to adapt and innovate in ways it never had before. How can the lessons of COVID-19 improve the future of criminal justice?

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The Implications for Human Rights in the Digital Age­­

As society relies more and more on digital technologies, there are growing implications for human rights and individuals' fundamental freedoms—both positive and negative.

Fiona Quimbre @FQuimbre, Sam Stockwell

blog

U.S. Failure in Afghanistan, Critical Race Theory Bans, Income Inequality: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how early mistakes led to America's failure in Afghanistan, the potential effects of critical race theory bans, an art installation that breaks down RAND data on income inequality, and more.

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Reinforcing U.S. Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific After the Fall of Afghanistan

China and North Korea are seizing on the U.S. departure from Afghanistan to press their own political warfare messages. What can the United States do to mitigate the impact of the Taliban takeover on America's interests in the Indo-Pacific?

Scott W. Harold

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Lessons from Afghanistan

The British invaded Afghanistan multiple times from 1839 to 1919. These wars offer wider context for understanding America's intervention in that same nation—and its ultimate failure.

Scott Savitz

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Where Chinese Science Fiction and RAND History Meet

Senior policy analyst Sale Lilly read about renowned RAND researcher Bill Mathers in an award-winning Chinese science fiction trilogy—but somehow had never heard of him before.

Sale Lilly @SaleLilly

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How State Critical Race Theory Bans Could Trickle Down to the Classroom

Given the potential blowback to teaching anything related to race or gender, avoiding lessons on the experiences of women or people of color will be the path of least resistance in many schools. But discussing racism and sexism in a safe environment is crucial for students to become active, knowledgeable citizens.

Julia H. Kaufman @juliahkaufman, Alice Huguet

commentary

Afghanistan Was Lost Long Ago

The United States failed to build a lasting state in Afghanistan. Although the mission was not doomed from the start, early miscalculations and critical mistakes made success unlikely.

James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins

essay

Costa Rica Leads the Way in Cutting Carbon Emissions

Almost every country has pledged to slash carbon emissions to slow the gears of global warming. Costa Rica's plan provides a glimpse of what a carbon-neutral future will look like. It shows how nations can take action and make investments that hold up, regardless of what future comes to pass.