The RAND Blog

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Stick with Europe

The United States' chief competitive advantage in the contest with China is its dominant global network of friends and allies. Now is the time to strengthen those coveted ties—in Europe and elsewhere.

Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr

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Why China Should Worry About Asia's Reaction to AUKUS

If most Indo-Pacific nations support AUKUS—or refuse to condemn it—then Beijing will have more geostrategic and military implications to worry about than AUKUS itself. As long as AUKUS continues to assuage nuclear-proliferation concerns, then the region will view it as a legitimate counter to Chinese military excesses.

Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

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Truth Decay and National Security, Gun Violence, Blockading Crimea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on Truth Decay and national security, America's gun violence problem, how Ukraine could blockade Crimea, and more.

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Building a Professional Early Childhood Workforce Requires a 'Compensation-First' Approach

The benefits and costs of large-scale professionalization efforts in early childhood education (ECE) are not yet clear. And we know little about the implications of such policies for a workforce that already faces a great deal of instability. However, research on ECE professionalization offers some lessons.

Daphna Bassok, Laura Bellows, et al.

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As China Ascends, Concerns Grow It Might Be Tempted into a 'Splendid Little War'

When a nation newly ascends or returns to the status of a leading international power, it often feels the need to publicly demonstrate its rise through a brief, victorious war. Today, China's increasing strength may tempt it to pursue such a conflict, and not necessarily with Taiwan, if it anticipates that victory will be swift, decisive, and demonstrative.

Scott Savitz

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Advancing Women's Health Requires Better Evidence

For decades, advances in health and health care have had a bias toward the male body. By shifting the focus of research to women's bodies and building out this base of evidence on women's health, scientists and doctors can improve health outcomes and overall quality of life for women, all while also saving money.

Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD

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Europe: Ukraine's Essential Ally

While the United States is Ukraine's primary military backer, Europe is sharing the war's overall burden, sanctioning Russia, arming Ukraine, and helping prepare it to join the European Union, as well as absorbing huge economic costs. Europe's partnership with the United States on Ukraine may be Western diplomacy's finest hour since the Berlin Wall fell.

William Courtney @courtneywmh, Hans Binnendijk

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Why Blockading Rather Than Retaking Crimea Might Be Kyiv's Best Option

Ukraine may lack the military capability to retake Crimea from Russia. But Kyiv might still achieve some of its key objectives by blockading the peninsula. New technology may ease this task.

Scott Savitz, William Courtney @courtneywmh

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The Army Should Be Looking for a Few Older Soldiers

Recruiting older people to enlist in the Army could help increase numbers, quality, and talent. Individuals who enlist over the age of 21 perform better as soldiers on several metrics. Recruiters have noted that older recruits are of higher quality, more focused, and more motivated.

Ryan Haberman @RJ_Haberman, Michael S. Pollard @MichaelSPollard

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Dementia and National Security, Finland Joins NATO, the Four-Day School Week: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the risk that dementia could pose to national security, Finland's NATO membership, the downside of a four-day school week, and more.

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The Four-Day School Week: Are the Pros Worth the Cons?

The past two decades have seen an explosion in the adoption of the four-day school week. Against this growing trend, however, there is increasing evidence that, by and large, a four-day school week causes student achievement to suffer.

Christopher Joseph Doss @Chris_J_Doss, Andrea Phillips, et al.

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Finland Joins NATO, Sweden's Accession Remains Uncertain

Finland is at long last joining NATO, having applied together with Sweden last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland's accession represents a boon to NATO, a radical change in Finnish foreign and security policy, and another unplanned setback for Russia.

Charlotte Kleberg, James Black

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Maximizing the Potential of American Irregular Warfare in Strategic Competition

It is time that the United States develop the concepts and associated doctrine, commands, field operating agencies, and personnel to maximize the potential of American irregular warfare in strategic competition.

Charles T. Cleveland, Daniel Egel, et al.

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Can China's Green Energy Acceleration Put at Risk the West's Hydrogen Plans?

Hydrogen (H2) plays a key role in the decarbonization plans of the European Union and the United States. Both have launched aggressive hydrogen strategies to increase the generation of H2 and deployment of related technologies. But these bold ambitions may face headwinds due to the acceleration of China's energy transition.

Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, Andrew Star, et al.

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Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on preventing school violence, dealing with drug cartels, the benefits of a neurodivergent national security workforce, and more.