2016

Taiwan
commentary
Taiwan Should Not Worry About the Vatican
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Oct 5, 2016
PacNet, CSIS
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.
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Economics
blog
Conversations at RAND: Howard J. Shatz on the International Economy
Oct 5, 2016
One of the contentious issues in this year's presidential election campaign is the U.S. role in the global economy. A RAND panel offers strategies for the next president, who will face a troubled landscape.
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Data Privacy
commentary
Rethinking Data Privacy
Osonde A. Osoba @OsondeOsoba, John S. Davis II
Oct 5, 2016
Inside Sources
Society benefits from the exchange of large-scale data in many ways. Anonymization is the usual mechanism for addressing the privacy of data subjects. Unfortunately, anonymization is broken.
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Politics and Government
commentary
The World Has Passed the Old Grand Strategies By
Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr
Oct 5, 2016
War on the Rocks
The international order is in the midst of an epochal shift, and a new administration will have to rethink basic organizing concepts for America's role in the world. The truth about grand strategy today is that the United States badly needs new options.
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Arctic Region
commentary
Being Safer in the Arctic
Abbie Tingstad, Timothy William James Smith
Oct 3, 2016
The National Interest
The Arctic is more accessible than it once was, but it's still a formidable place to travel. An emergency involving a cruise ship or a downed plane could stress the search-and-rescue system. But modest investments and planning measures can make a big difference.
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Drug Courts
commentary
Drug Dependence: Treatment Over Incarceration
Matthew Davies, Emma Disley, Kristy Kruithof
Oct 3, 2016
Criminal Law & Justice Weekly
Drug dependence imposes significant costs to society and traditional criminal justice responses like imprisonment do not reduce crime. More quality research on alternative sanctions could help police, prosecutors, and judges expand their options while helping users get treatment.
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United States
essay
Election 2016: The Domestic Issues
Oct 3, 2016
RAND offers a unique take on the big domestic issues facing America: research that is independent, reliable, and rigorously nonpartisan.
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Economics
commentary
Book Review: 'Bourgeois Equality'
Charles Wolf, Jr.
Sep 30, 2016
The Weekly Standard
In Bourgeois Equality, economist and historian Deirdre McCloskey advances the theory that ideas — not capital, institutions, innovation, R&D, tax policy, monetary policy, or regulatory policy — are the propelling force behind economic and societal growth.
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Russia
q&a
Russia's Determination to Revise the Post-Cold War Order
Christopher S. Chivvis
Sep 30, 2016
The Cipher Brief
As long as political will for military measures to contain and deter Russian aggression remains limited, sustaining sanctions against Russia remains the only option to deal with a nation that is determined to revise the post-Cold War political and economic settlement in Europe in its favor.
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Iran
commentary
Whoever Wins the Presidency, the Next Big International Crisis Will Come from Iran
Alireza Nader
Sep 29, 2016
Fox News Channel
The next U.S. president is likely to meet many international crises after taking office, and Iran may be one of the most challenging. The continuing climate of repression, the next Iranian presidential election, and Khamenei's eventual demise may provide some important opportunities for him or her.
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Cybercrime
commentary
The DNC Hack: Are New Norms Needed?
Martin C. Libicki
Sep 29, 2016
FedScoop
A new norm that would hold the Russian DNC hack to be unacceptable could not rest on a general prohibition against cyber-espionage or political interference. It would have to combine both prohibitions at once.
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
commentary
Invisible Wounds: Closing the Gaps to More Effectively Address These Injuries
Terri Tanielian @TerriTanielian
Sep 29, 2016
George W. Bush Institute
Too few of the veterans who experience mental health issues get the help they need. Even fewer get the right care. Closing these gaps will require raising awareness about the barriers to care, and changing how the mental health care system is organized and delivers services.
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Chemical Terrorism
commentary
Keep Chemical Weapons Out of Terrorist Hands
John V. Parachini
Sep 27, 2016
U.S. News & World Report
As the Islamic State group and the Nusra Front seized territory in Syria and northern Iraq, they came upon military sites with chemical munitions and industrial facilities with toxic chemicals. Reducing such opportunities should be a priority.
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Autonomous Vehicles
commentary
The Brains Behind Autonomous Vehicles May Need a License to Drive
Isaac R. Porche III
Sep 27, 2016
VentureBeat
Autonomous vehicles require exquisite software. To make this software secure, industry and government should consider educational standards and licensure requirements for the engineers who create it.
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Disadvantaged Students
commentary
Free School Meals Are Still the Best Measure of Deprivation
Alex Sutherland
Sep 26, 2016
Schools Week
Free school meal eligibility is not a perfect measure of student disadvantage, but it's the best there is. Other measures, such as parental education or neighborhood deprivation have also been used, but they are not as good at determining which schools are most in need.
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