2015

Teachers and Teaching
announcement
Harold and Colene Brown Endow Faculty Chair at Pardee RAND Graduate School
Nov 18, 2015
The Harold and Colene Brown Faculty Chair will enable exceptional RAND researchers and faculty to be in residence at the school each year, allowing them to work on independent research and provide mentorship and guidance to students.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
ISIS Will Become More Deadly Before It Dies
Seth G. Jones
Nov 18, 2015
Slate
The lesson with ISIS is straightforward. Western populations should be prepared for an upsurge in violence if ISIS continues to lose territory. There has already been a growth in attacks and plots across the West with operational or inspirational ties to ISIS.
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France
commentary
Insights on the Paris Terror Attacks from RAND Experts
Nov 17, 2015
RAND experts weigh in on what the wave of coordinated terror attacks across Paris means for France, the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, the global refugee crisis, and more.
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Military Strategy
commentary
The French Way of War
Michael Shurkin
Nov 17, 2015
Politico
There is a French way of warfare that reflects the French military's lack of resources and its modest sense of what it can achieve. They specialize in carefully apportioned and usually small but lethal operations, often behind the scenes.
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Educational Technology
commentary
Step Aside, 'Screen Time.' Make Room for 'Screen Purpose.'
Lindsay Daugherty
Nov 17, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Technology is simply another way to communicate, learn, and play. It shouldn't automatically be regarded as a threat. Whether technology helps or harms children largely depends on how it is used.
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Syria
commentary
Bosnia Was Hard, Syria Is Harder
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Nov 16, 2015
Foreign Policy Concepts
To find peace in Syria, cooperation among outside powers will be an essential first step. But before going forward, the great powers should soberly assess prospects for an enduring peace accord, as well as the resources required.
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Water Resources Management
commentary
Ensuring Robust Water Management Strategies in Lima-Callão, Peru
Laura Bonzanigo, Nidhi Kalra, David G. Groves, Carter Brandon
Nov 16, 2015
The World Bank Water Blog
Water resource agencies around the world are grappling with how to make smart investments to ensure long-term water reliability at a time of unprecedented water stress, growing demands, uncertain climate change, and limited budgets.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
Why the Paris Terrorists Couldn't Be Stopped
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Nov 16, 2015
Slate
Terrorists almost always have the advantage. Theoretically, they can attack anything, anywhere, anytime. And governments cannot protect everything, everywhere, all the time.
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Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Time to Prepare for the Unthinkable
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Nov 16, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Given ISIS's strategy, it seems only a matter of time before these extremists might attempt an attack in the United States. The irony is that the very rights that Americans hold so dear (liberty, privacy, freedom) place it at greater risk. So what should America do to prepare?
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Terrorist Bombings
commentary
Big Questions Facing France
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Nov 14, 2015
CNN
In Paris, the heavily armed terrorists reportedly struck at six locations, including restaurants, a football stadium, and a theater during a rock concert. It seems clear the killers must have had some confederates. That would mean some terrorists are still at large.
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Education Reform
commentary
Implementing Education Reforms to Enhance School Performance
Rita T. Karam
Nov 13, 2015
The RAND Blog
Although countries differ greatly in how their education systems are structured, financed, and the extent to which they are centralized, they share common obstacles that undermine reform success. Beyond the obvious steps of providing adequate resources and professional development, there are ways to improve the implementation of school-wide reforms.
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Cybercrime
commentary
The Two Sides of Cybersecurity
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Nov 13, 2015
GlobalSecurity.org
Securing government networks is certainly necessary, but authorities should not lose sight of the need to couple their defense of America's networks with appropriate resources dedicated to combatting criminal, terrorist, and other threats in cyberspace.
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Health Care Quality
commentary
How Can Regulation Improve Quality of Care in the English Health Care System?
Christian Van Stolk
Nov 13, 2015
The RAND Blog
Inspections have become more prominent in England's approach to health service regulation as a way to identify problems before they occur. But the evidence of regulation contributing to better quality of care in different systems is scarce.
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United States
blog
What Is America's Role in the World?
Nov 12, 2015
One Night with RAND brought together leaders in business, philanthropy, government, academia, and media for a discussion about the international strategic choices that will shape the U.S. role in the world for years to come.
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Russia
commentary
Is Winter Coming? Or, Our Russia Strategy
Michael Spirtas
Nov 12, 2015
Breaking Defense
Many ask if Russian actions represent a new challenge to international order, and, if so, what is the best course of action to respond to it.
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