• Skip to page content
RAND Corporation
Objective Analysis. Effective Solutions.
Toggle Menu

Site-wide navigation

  • About RAND
    • RAND at a Glance
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • RAND History
    • Leadership
    • Organizational Structure
    • Contacts
    • Locations
    • Quality Standards
    • Educational Opportunities
    • Events
  • RAND Campaign
  • Press Room
  • Careers
  • Research

    Research Areas

    • Children, Families, and Communities
    • Cyber and Data Sciences
    • Education and Literacy
    • Energy and Environment
    • Health, Health Care, and Aging
    • Homeland Security and Public Safety
    • Infrastructure and Transportation
    • International Affairs
    • Law and Business
    • National Security and Terrorism
    • Science and Technology
    • Social Equity
    • Workers and the Workplace

    Trending Topics

    • Democracy
    • Ukraine
    • International Economic Relations
    • Gun Violence
    • Telemedicine
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Global Climate Change
    • Education Policy
    All Topics Browse Reports

    Research Divisions

    • RAND Army Research Division
    • RAND Australia
    • RAND Education and Labor
    • RAND Europe
    • RAND Health Care
    • RAND Homeland Security Research Division
    • RAND National Security Research Division
    • RAND Project AIR FORCE
    • RAND Social and Economic Well-Being
    Featured Research Activities
    • RAND International
      • Center for Asia Pacific Policy
      • Center for Global Risk and Security
      • Center for Middle East Public Policy
      • Center for Russia and Eurasia
    • RAND Gulf States Policy Institute
    Research Departments
  • Latest Insights

    Reports

    /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/reports
    • Soldiers of China's PLA take part in a joint multinational U.N. peacekeeping military exercise with troops from Pakistan, Mongolia, and Thailand, in Henan province, China, September 15, 2021, photo by Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters
      China's Overseas Military Diplomacy and Implications for U.S. Interests
    • Tent encampments, where people experiencing homelessness live, line the boardwalk on Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California, April 14, 2021, photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
      Unhoused Population Increased by 18 Percent in Three Hot-Spot L.A. Neighborhoods

    Blog Posts

    /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/blogPosts
    • Sailors on the USS <em>Wasp</em> observe as the Japanese destroyer JS <em>Yuugiri</em> moors alongside in Okinawa, Japan, April 23, 2018, photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Barker/U.S. Navy
      Japan's Strategic Shift: Significant, but Implementation Hurdles May Await
    • RAND Weekly Recap
      Avoiding a Long War in Ukraine, Gun Violence, Migrant Surges: RAND Weekly Recap

    Multimedia

    /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/multimedia
    • Call with the Experts: The North Korean Nuclear Threat
      RAND Experts Discuss the Implications of China Easing Zero-COVID Rules
    • Policy Currents
      The Policy Currents Podcast
  • Policy Experts

    All Experts

    Spotlight
    • Jeffrey W. Hornung
      Jeffrey W. Hornung
      Commentary:
      Japan's Strategic Shift: Significant, but Implementation Hurdles May Await
    • Sasha Romanosky
      Sasha Romanosky
      Commentary:
      Software Supply Chain Risk Is Growing, but Mitigation Solutions Exist

    By Research Area

    • Children, Families, and Communities
    • Cyber and Data Sciences
    • Education and Literacy
    • Energy and Environment
    • Health, Health Care, and Aging
    • Homeland Security and Public Safety
    • Infrastructure and Transportation
    • International Affairs
    • Law and Business
    • National Security and Terrorism
    • Science and Technology
    • Social Equity
    • Workers and the Workplace
  • Capabilities

    Drawing upon decades of experience, RAND provides research services, systematic analysis, and innovative thinking to a global clientele that includes government agencies, foundations, and private-sector firms.

    • Capabilities Overview
    • RAND Solutions
    Who We Work For
    • Public Sector
    • Philanthropic Sector
    • Private Sector
    Work with Us
    • Explore Business Contacts
    About RAND Research
    • Disciplinary Expertise
    • Quality Standards
    • Methodological Innovation

    Featured Solutions

    /content/admin/rand-header/jcr:content/par/header/caseStudies
    • Sunrise over Louisiana wetlands
      Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change
    • A ballistic missile target is launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on October 3, 2013
      Managing Escalation in Crisis and War
    • Aerial view of Santa Monica city and beach
      Measuring Wellbeing to Help Communities Thrive
    • Ripples in water
      Assessing and Articulating the Wider Benefits of Research
  • Graduate School

    The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PardeeRAND.edu) is home to the only Ph.D. and M.Phil. programs offered at an independent public policy research organization—the RAND Corporation.

    • About Pardee RAND
    • Admissions
    • Degree Programs
    • Students
    • Faculty

    Featured Video: Campus Tour

    Pardee RAND Graduate School sign

    Student Life at Pardee RAND

    Student Spotlight

    • Diana Gehlhaus
      Diana Gehlhaus

      Adjunct Policy Researcher

    • Rebecca L. Wolfe
      Rebecca L. Wolfe

      Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND; Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School

  • About

  • 中文(简体)
  • العربية
  • Sign In Sign out
  • Cart
Toggle Search
  1. RAND
  2. >The RAND Blog
/content/rand/blog/jcr:content/par/bloglist .topic.religion
The RAND Blog

Religion

  • An Orthodox priest conducts a service for Russian reservists during a ceremony of their departure for military bases, in Sevastopol, Crimea, September 27, 2022, photo by Alexey Pavlishak/Reuters
    Russia

    commentary

    How Russia's War in Ukraine Has Impacted Its Christian Image

    Over the past decade, the Russian government has taken pains to present itself as a bastion of Christianity and traditional values. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, however, there have been noticeable cracks in the receptivity to this messaging strategy.

    Read More »

    Nov 16, 2022

    The Moscow Times

    Ryan Bauer

  • A woman prays alone in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Palm Sunday amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Worcester, Massachusetts, April 5, 2020, photo by Brian Snyder/Reuters
    Community Organizations

    commentary

    The Important Role of Faith-Based Organizations in the Context of COVID-19

    Maintaining social and spiritual connections in the midst of COVID-19 are not the only challenges facing communities of faith. Congregations play critical roles in providing social services within communities. How can their services, such as food assistance, be delivered safely?

    Read More »

    Apr 16, 2020

    The Health Care Blog

    Kathryn Pitkin Derose, Michael Mata

  • Mozambique on a map with a green pin, photo by Mark Rubens/Adobe Stock
    Counterterrorism

    commentary

    Counterproductive Counterinsurgency: Is Mozambique Creating the Next Boko Haram?

    Despite recent claims of ties to the Islamic State, the threat in Mozambique from the Islamist insurgent group al-Sunnah wa Jamaah appears to be domestic, with scarce evidence of direct ties to international extremist groups. But if the Mozambique government continues to respond in a heavy-handed manner, the threat is likely to grow, with potentially devastating effects for the country and region.

    Read More »

    Sep 3, 2019

    Lawfare

    Hilary Matfess, Alexander Noyes

  • RAND Weekly Recap
    Border and Port Security

    blog

    Border Wall, Student Suspension, Syria: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on what a border wall can accomplish, reducing student suspensions, confusion over the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, and more.

    Read More »

    Jan 11, 2019

  • Kathryn Derose at St. Augustine by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Santa Monica, California
    Community-Based Health Care

    essay

    Faith-Based Organizations Promote Well-Being in Underserved Communities

    Kathryn Derose, a senior policy researcher at RAND and an Episcopal deacon, works with Latino and African-American churches to address health issues in their communities. Her research has shown the power of the pulpit to fight health disparities, counter stigma, and encourage healthy living.

    Read More »

    Jan 4, 2019

  • Lawmakers from India's main opposition Congress party and the Janata Dal (Secular) protest against India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B.S. Yeddyurappa's swearing-in as Chief Minister of the southern state of Karnataka, in Bengaluru, India, May 17, 2018
    India

    commentary

    Politics in India—Not Business as Usual

    India's ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has suffered recent, self-inflicted electoral setbacks. But it is still the best-organized and richest political party in the country. Can opposing alliances defeat the BJP?

    Read More »

    Jun 19, 2018

    Foreign Policy Concepts

    Rafiq Dossani

  • Young Chinese faithful shelter from the sun as Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 22, 2016
    Taiwan

    commentary

    Taiwan Should Not Worry About the Vatican

    Concerns are growing in Taipei over whether the Holy See intends to switch its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. Beijing could be entertaining Vatican requests not out of genuine interest in reestablishing relations, but to put Taiwan on edge.

    Read More »

    Oct 5, 2016

    PacNet, CSIS

    Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

  • People take part in a candlelight memorial service the day after a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, June 13, 2016
    Counterterrorism

    blog

    Orlando Nightclub Shooting: RAND Experts React

    RAND experts provide perspective on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, what it likely means within the context of the campaign against ISIS, and more.

    Read More »

    Jun 15, 2016

  • A Malian gendarme climbs stairs at the Byblos hotel, site of a siege over the weekend in which 17 people died in Sevare, Mali, August 11, 2015
    Terrorist Organizations

    commentary

    How to Defeat a New Boko Haram in Mali

    While there is a need for stepped up military and police efforts against the self-proclaimed Macina Liberation Front, Mali's policymakers and their international partners need to focus on countering revivalist Islam, ideally by promoting Mali's other Islamic traditions, while finding ways to calm the inter-communal competition.

    Read More »

    Sep 8, 2015

    Newsweek

    Michael Shurkin

  • A young man praying in a church pew
    Veterans Health Care

    commentary

    Faith-Based Organizations as Force Multipliers

    Faith-based organizations are an important community-based resource for veterans who are adjusting to civilian life. What current and potential roles can they play in reintegration?

    Read More »

    Jun 2, 2015

    Laura Werber

  • Spanish police arresting a woman suspected of recruiting women to go to Syria and Iraq to support Islamic State insurgents
    Terrorism Threat Assessment

    commentary

    The Allure of ISIS for Young Recruits

    Poverty and oppression may explain why people in some countries embrace violent extremism, but it does not account for the flow of Western volunteers or the dreamy allure of fighting for a faraway cause. Biographies of those who have reached out to participate in jihad suggest a variety of motives, including alienation, personal crises, dissatisfaction with empty spiritual lives, and adolescent rebellion.

    Read More »

    Mar 20, 2015

    The Hill

    Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

  • U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism February 19, 2015
    Counterterrorism

    commentary

    Tackling Radicalization Before It Begins

    Why not turn the question of violent extremism inside out and develop programs that reinforce non-radicalization? That is, rather than eliminating drivers, focus instead on strengthening the factors that inhibit violent extremism.

    Read More »

    Feb 23, 2015

    U.S. News & World Report

    Kim Cragin

  • French soldiers patrol a Jewish neighborhood near a religious school and a synagogue as part of the highest level of 'Vigipirate' security plan
    France

    commentary

    Vive France's Defense of Its Jewish Citizens

    France is not the problem when it comes to defending Jewish lives and Jewish rights. With a few exceptions, the French state and nation have been stalwart on these issues, if only because the French government has understood that those who strike at Jews usually are striking at values dear to France.

    Read More »

    Feb 13, 2015

    U.S. News & World Report

    Michael Shurkin

  • A man purported to be ISIS captive and Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh in front of armed men in a still image from an undated video filmed in an undisclosed location, made available on social media on February 3, 2015
    The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)

    q&a

    Experts React to ISIS's Gruesome Execution of Jordanian Pilot

    A grisly video released yesterday by ISIS appears to show Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh burned alive in a cage. Why the shift away from beheadings? What does the execution mean for Jordan? What implications will it have for ISIS?

    Read More »

    Feb 4, 2015

  • Candles and a placard that reads 'I am Charlie' at the French embassy in Berlin, January 7, 2015, tributes to victims of a shooting at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris
    Terrorism

    q&a

    Terror in Paris, Answers from RAND Experts

    The attack that claimed the lives of 12 people in the offices of a Paris-based satirical magazine sent waves of terror and disbelief across France today. RAND experts discuss what the terrorists stand to gain from the attack, what it could mean for Muslims around the world, and more.

    Read More »

    Jan 7, 2015

  • Posters of a boy, killed in Shi'ite-Sunni violence, displayed on his grave in Sanaa, Yemen, November 17, 2014
    Global Security

    commentary

    The Tortured Roots of Sectarian Violence

    The recent increase of sectarian terrorism is best understood as a product of the ancient Sunni-Shiite divide, the growth of modern-day extremist groups, the Iranian-Saudi rivalry, and the growing phenomenon of fractured states.

    Read More »

    Dec 12, 2014

    The Mark News

    Rick Brennan, Jr. @rickbrennanjr

Quoted

  • Software supply chain security has emerged as a leading risk because of the massively fragmented and decentralized nature of modern software development. Unlike other problems in cybersecurity, this is a discrete problem, where the data exist. Information required to map software dependents or dependencies is knowable because there exists a finite limit to the number of nodes and dependencies.

    sasha romanosky, sasha romanosky

    Sasha Romanosky

    Senior Policy Researcher

    Source: The Hill

  • Compared to White women, Black women are 3.7 times more likely to die and Asian women 1.8 times more likely to die during or within the 6 weeks after pregnancy.…[W]omen experiencing disadvantage (e.g. domestic abuse, mental health illness, substance abuse) [are] also at greater risk of death during or soon after pregnancy.

    H0884
Lucy Hocking

    Lucy Hocking

    Senior Analyst

    Source: The RAND Blog

Stay Informed

RAND Policy Currents

Stay on top of the latest RAND research highlights, news, and commentary with the official RAND email newsletter.

Explore Posts

By Content Type

  • Commentary
  • Essay
  • Announcement
  • Article
  • Q & A

By Research Area

  • Children, Families, and Communities
  • Cyber and Data Sciences
  • Education and Literacy
  • Energy and Environment
  • Health, Health Care, and Aging
  • Homeland Security and Public Safety
  • Infrastructure and Transportation
  • International Affairs
  • Law and Business
  • National Security and Terrorism
  • Science and Technology
  • Social Equity
  • Workers and the Workplace

By Top Topic

  • International Diplomacy (1120)
  • Security Cooperation (643)
  • China (548)
  • Russia (538)
  • Politics and Government (517)
  • Global Security (476)
  • Counterterrorism (464)
  • Military Strategy (389)
  • International Affairs (289)
  • Pandemic (287)
  • International Economic Relations (282)
  • Syria (278)
  • Iran (273)
  • Iraq (264)
  • Peacekeeping and Stability Operations (252)

Archives

  • 2023
    • January
  • 2022
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2021
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2020
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2009
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2008
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2007
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2006
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2005
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2004
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2003
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2002
    • December
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2001
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2000
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • July
  • Save to My RAND
  • Subscribe
  • Email
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn

About

The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest.

  • RAND History
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Leadership
  • Research Integrity
  • Career Opportunities
  • Santa Monica, CA
  • Washington, DC
  • Pittsburgh, PA
  • New Orleans, LA
  • Boston, MA
  • Cambridge, UK
  • Brussels, BE
  • Canberra, AU
World map of RAND office locations

Connect

Contact Us

  • Contact Us
  • Locations

I am interested in

  • Jobs at RAND
  • Media Resources
  • Congressional Resources
  • Doing Business with RAND
  • Supporting RAND
  • Educational Opportunities
  • Alumni Association

Follow

  • RAND Corporation on Facebook
  • RAND Corporation on Twitter
  • RAND Corporation on LinkedIn
  • RAND Corporation on YouTube
  • RAND Corporation on Instagram
  • RAND Corporation RSS Feeds
  • RAND Corporation mobile applications

Stay Informed

Subscribe to the weekly Policy Currents newsletter to receive updates on the issues that matter most.

Stay Informed

RAND Policy Currents

Get weekly updates from RAND.

View all email newsletters

Resources

  • Multimedia
  • Latest Reports
  • Browse by Author
  • RAND Classics
  • Databases and Tools

Site Information

  • Site Map
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Support Policy
  • Feedback
  • Help
RAND Corporation 1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, California 90401-3208
RAND® is a registered trademark. © 1994-2023 RAND Corporation.