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The RAND Blog

Iran
commentary
The Costs of Confrontation with Iran Are Mounting
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Jun 17, 2019
The Hill
Even if the United States and Iran avoid a direct military clash, recent escalation and the U.S. maximum pressure campaign are exacting long-term costs for U.S. interests and regional stability in ways that may be difficult if not impossible to reverse.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Can Washington and Moscow Agree to Limit Political Interference?
Samuel Charap @scharap, Ivan Timofeev
Jun 13, 2019
War on the Rocks
After his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia had proposed a mutual non-interference pledge. The concept of elaborating norms of non-interference on a mutual basis might be the best way to stabilize U.S.-Russian relations and prevent the damaging episodes of recent years from happening again.
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Democracy
commentary
A Democratic Spring Could Be Stirring in Eurasia. The West's Quiet Support Can Help
Denis Corboy, William Courtney @courtneywmh, Kenneth Yalowitz
Jun 13, 2019
Newsweek
An incipient Eurasian “democratic spring” may not yet be on the horizon, but political awareness and civil society are gaining ground. The West could contribute by continuing to help to fill information vacuums, and by offering training and support for nurturing civil society, conducting free and fair elections, and developing competitive politics.
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Workforce Development
commentary
How Community Colleges Can Establish Better Partnerships with Employers
Rita Karam
Jun 6, 2019
The RAND Blog
Career and technical education programs give students a chance to engage in learning relevant to their chosen fields and apply immediately for jobs. A strategic vision of collaboration between industry and community colleges can benefit all parties.
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College-Bound Students
commentary
Dual Enrollment for High Schoolers Can Expand Access to College—with Some Caveats
Fatih Unlu @fatih_unlu_R, Julie Edmunds
Jun 6, 2019
The RAND Blog
Targeted federal investments in high school and college dual enrollment programs can boost postsecondary access for students currently underrepresented in postsecondary education. But thoughtful implementation could be key to ensuring those students are successful in college.
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Postsecondary Education
commentary
Federal Policy Might Encourage Innovation to Cut the Cost of College
Charles A. Goldman
Jun 5, 2019
The RAND Blog
A big factor in the rise of college costs is the traditional seat-time model requiring undergraduate students to spend a specified amount of time in classrooms, frequently with doctorally qualified faculty. But there are alternative models that could enable colleges and universities to offer degrees more efficiently and affordably.
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Postsecondary Education
commentary
Income Share Agreements: What's Risky, What's Promising, and What We Still Need to Know
Melanie A. Zaber, Kathryn Edwards
Jun 5, 2019
The RAND Blog
While policymakers debate options to address college affordability and the nation's mounting student loan debt, an alternative education financing model has been gaining ground in a handful of schools and state legislatures: the income share agreement. While terms vary from institution to institution, they are all based on the same premise: The more income a graduate makes, the more they will pay back.
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North Korea
commentary
Downplaying North Korea's Missile Tests Carries Political and Strategic Risks
Naoko Aoki @naokoaoki
Jun 5, 2019
East Asia Forum
North Korea test-fired short-range ballistic missiles for the first time in 18 months. President Trump is downplaying the tests, refusing to call them a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. But if North Korea starts testing longer-range missiles, it could become harder for Washington to return to talks, risking the end of diplomacy with Pyongyang altogether.
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India
commentary
Modi Fans Nationalist Flames, Cruises to Victory in Indian Elections
Rafiq Dossani
Jun 3, 2019
The Hill
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2019 victory was a much greater achievement than his equally unexpected victory five years ago. Recognizing his weak position on economic and social issues, Modi shifted his campaign to a nationalist plank, and his party won overwhelmingly even in states where it lost elections just six months prior.
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Cybersecurity
commentary
Japan Prepares for Olympic-Level Cybersecurity
Nathan Ryan
Jun 3, 2019
The Cipher Brief
The world's attention will be fixed on Japan as it hosts the Rugby World Cup in September and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Japan's cyber defenses will need to be strong enough to keep attackers out and resilient enough to restore systems should things go wrong.
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Autonomous Vehicles
commentary
AVs Could Improve Transportation Access in 'Transit Deserts'
Laura Fraade-Blanar
May 31, 2019
Axios
More large U.S. cities are seeing their outer reaches turn into transit deserts, where demand for transportation vastly exceeds supply. Connecting public transit systems with automated vehicles, whether in ride-sharing or shuttle services, could be a solution.
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Parenting
commentary
Empowering Parents Through Positive Parenting Interventions
Barbara Janta, Lynn M. Davies
May 30, 2019
E!Sharp
For parents, knowing whether they are raising their children the “right” way can feel like an impossible task. Parenting programs can make a unique and indispensable contribution to child well-being, and ultimately give children the resilience to thrive, even in challenging circumstances.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
This Is Not a Great-Power Competition
Michael J. Mazarr
May 29, 2019
Foreign Affairs
The emerging conventional wisdom among foreign policy analysts in Washington is that a new era of great-power competition is upon us. But does that phrase really capture today's reality?
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United Kingdom
commentary
The End of May: Another Brexit Victim
Charles P. Ries @charles_ries
May 27, 2019
The Hill
What brought down British Prime Minister Theresa May? The essential contradictions of Brexit and a British public that cannot muster a majority for any Brexit outcome.
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Drug Markets and Supply
commentary
China's Ban on Fentanyl Drugs Won't Likely Stem America's Opioid Crisis
Bryce Pardo @brycepardo, Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer
May 22, 2019
Los Angeles Times
Given China's recent decision to ban the unauthorized manufacture of fentanyl, authorities there appear to recognize a growing problem. But China cannot solve the U.S. opioid problem. The United States could do more to reduce demand for opioids as well as drug users' exposure to these powerful drugs.
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