The RAND Blog

Iran
commentary
Behind the 'Surprise' Resignation of Iran's Foreign Minister
Ariane M. Tabatabai
Feb 26, 2019
Foreign Policy
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, announced his resignation after a nearly six-year tenure. His resignation has sparked as much controversy as his tenure, one dominated by overtures to the West and resulting tensions at home. Although his departure will likely be felt most acutely in Europe, it may have a deeper impact in Tehran.
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Russia
commentary
Russia's Soft Strategy to Hostile Measures in Europe
Raphael S. Cohen, Andrew Radin @andrewmradin
Feb 26, 2019
War on the Rocks
They've been called political warfare, measures short of war, gray zone warfare, and a host of other terms. Russia has used a wide range of hostile measures to expand its influence and undermine governments across the European continent. These tactics should be appreciated for what they are: part of a larger, coherent Russian effort, but ultimately not an insurmountable one.
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Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
commentary
Who Should Fund U.S. Research and Development?
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Feb 22, 2019
The Hill
The United States is in a global technology competition with important economic and national security implications. Government leadership and funding for shaping national research and development priorities will be essential.
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Counterterrorism
blog
Syrian Workers, Iranian Spies, Jihadi Brides: RAND Weekly Recap
Feb 22, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on jobs for Syrian refugees, Iran's efforts to spy on the United States, the complicated cases of jihadi brides, and more.
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Health Economics
commentary
Health Funding—Finally Something We Can Agree On
Jon Sussex
Feb 21, 2019
The Health Foundation
At a time when it has become common to think of the UK as a divided society, there are important questions of policy on which a great many people agree. How to fund the ever-growing needs of the NHS and social care is one such area of agreement.
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Bioethics
commentary
Biology, in the Language of the People
Timothy Marler, Dona Odell
Feb 21, 2019
Annals of Biostatistics & Biometric Applications
As technology and the ability to gather ever-growing amounts of data move further into the realms of biology and human performance, communication and transparency become increasingly important. Experts should consider whether they are using the words, examples, and models that connect with a broad audience most effectively.
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North Korea
commentary
Engagement with North Korea: Small Steps May Matter More Than Big Ones
Rafiq Dossani, Leah Heejin Kim
Feb 21, 2019
RealClearWorld
Kim Jong-Un has said he wants North Korea to become a normal country. Agreeing to a series of short-term measures could reveal his truthfulness as much as large measures could. This could also pave the way to eventually achieving the larger goals.
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Opioids
commentary
Opioids and a Crisis of Unintended Consequences
David Powell
Feb 20, 2019
The Hill
The pain medicine OxyContin was reformulated in 2010 to make it more difficult to crush or dissolve. But this had unintended consequences, including a rise in hepatitis C infections as drug abusers switched from taking OxyContin to injecting heroin.
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Refugees
commentary
As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working
Louay Constant @LouayConstant, Shanthi Nataraj @ShanthiNataraj, Fadia Afashe
Feb 19, 2019
United Press International
Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan want opportunities to work. But there are multiple barriers and challenges that limit them. Improving the chances of safe and dignified work opportunities for Syrian women in these countries could yield broad positive social benefits for both the refugee and host communities.
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Female Populations
commentary
Book Review: 'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone
Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc
Feb 19, 2019
Modern War Institute (West Point)
'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone is the story of Elizebeth Friedman, the mother of modern cryptoanalysis and cryptography. She broke coded messages of organized crime, broke the Nazi Enigma cryptography machine, and deciphered, mapped, and monitored Nazi activities in South America, though it is her husband William who often gets credit.
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China
commentary
The Little-Known Security Gaps in China's Belt and Road Initiative
Mollie Saltskog, Colin P. Clarke
Feb 18, 2019
The National Interest
China's Belt and Road Initiative focuses on developing infrastructure to connect Beijing to key hubs of economic activity throughout the world. But the more interests one has abroad, the more one has to protect.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
The U.S. Withdrawal from Syria Is an Opportunity for China
Mollie Saltskog, Colin P. Clarke
Feb 15, 2019
Lawfare
The U.S. withdrawal from Syria could allow Beijing to further assert its role as a key international partner in Syria and, by extension, further its interests in the Middle East. The extent of Sino-Syrian cooperation remains ambiguous but it has reportedly deepened, with China supplying intelligence personnel, strategic advisors, and special forces.
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Politics and Government
blog
Shutdown, Hezbollah, Border Wall: RAND Weekly Recap
Feb 15, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on Americans' financial fragility, Hezbollah in Venezuela, assessing the effectiveness of a border wall, and more.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
A New Framework for Evaluating Counter Violent Extremism Projects
Ben Baruch @Ben_Baruch_
Feb 15, 2019
The RAND Blog
Gathering evidence in the area of counter violent extremism (CVE) is vital, given the increasing role for CVE interventions in the political and security environment. Evaluations of these interventions can play a role in growing this knowledge, by helping the CVE field itself to develop.
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Russia
commentary
Russia Chooses Paupers as Partners, with Questionable Benefit
William Courtney @courtneywmh, Howard J. Shatz @HowardJShatz
Feb 14, 2019
Newsweek
By leveraging the efficiencies of globalization and cultivating ties with prosperous partners, Russia could increase its economic potential and improve living standards for its people. And by engaging more positively with the world, it could gain influence in the forums that matter, such as the G20 and multilateral institutions.
Read More »

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308

The Benefits and Costs of Decarbonizing Costa Rica's Economy

This School Year Could Be Another Casualty of the Pandemic

Biden Administration Could Benefit from Keeping an Indo-Pacific Focus

How Better Support Can Be Provided to Ex–Service Personnel in the Criminal Justice System

Mobile Technology: A Tool for Alleviating Homelessness

The Policy Currents Podcast

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Lightening Body Armor

The RAND Blog

Behind the 'Surprise' Resignation of Iran's Foreign Minister

Russia's Soft Strategy to Hostile Measures in Europe

Who Should Fund U.S. Research and Development?

Syrian Workers, Iranian Spies, Jihadi Brides: RAND Weekly Recap

Health Funding—Finally Something We Can Agree On

Biology, in the Language of the People

Engagement with North Korea: Small Steps May Matter More Than Big Ones

Opioids and a Crisis of Unintended Consequences

As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working

Book Review: 'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone

The Little-Known Security Gaps in China's Belt and Road Initiative

The U.S. Withdrawal from Syria Is an Opportunity for China

Shutdown, Hezbollah, Border Wall: RAND Weekly Recap

A New Framework for Evaluating Counter Violent Extremism Projects

Russia Chooses Paupers as Partners, with Questionable Benefit

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