2018

International Trade

commentary
Engagement vs. Competition: The China Policy Debate
There is a consensus that the U.S. is engaged in an intensifying strategic competition with China. It's less clear what relationship the U.S. should seek and can plausibly achieve with its competitor. An inability to classify China along the ally-to-adversary continuum limits, if not precludes, America's ability to formulate a coherent strategy.
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Dec 31, 2018
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins, Ali Wyne

commentary
Data Breaches Could Cause Users to Opt Out of Sharing Personal Data. Then What?
As tech-based systems have become all but indispensable, many institutions might assume user data will be reliable, meaningful and, most of all, plentiful. But what if this data became unreliable, meaningless, or even scarce?
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Dec 28, 2018
Douglas Yeung @DouglasCYeung
Peacekeeping and Stability Operations

commentary
Trump's Syria Withdrawal: Right Idea, Wrong Way, Wrong Time
President Trump's desire to withdraw from Syria is consistent with his and his predecessor's national strategies, but the manner in which the decision has been taken is highly counterproductive. Unless modified it could have disastrous consequences, says James Dobbins.
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Dec 26, 2018
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Refugees

commentary
For One Syrian Refugee, the Research Strikes Close to Home
Fadia Afashe came to the United States to study public policy in 2011, with every intention of eventually going home to Syria. But when her fellowship ended a year later, the possibility of returning home had vanished. She became a refugee success story, but a path for others is needed.
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Dec 22, 2018
Fadia Afashe
Crime and Violence Prevention

blog
Terrorists, Policing, Cyberattacks: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on terrorism recruitment trends, helping police find the right strategies, who should investigate cyberattacks, and more.
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Dec 21, 2018
Gun Violence

blog
The Most Popular RAND Research of 2018
RAND serves as an objective source of facts that help inform the world's most pressing policy debates. When decisions are based on the best evidence, that's when public policy can have a positive impact on people's lives. We're highlighting the 10 research projects that RAND.org readers found most engaging this year.
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Dec 21, 2018
International Diplomacy

commentary
The Good and Bad of the Trump Administration's New Africa Strategy
The Trump administration's Africa strategy combines a turn away from counterterrorism as a priority, emphasis on trade, and working to help Africans solve their own problems, all of which could be opportunities for a more positive relationship. The implied prioritization of great power competition, however, suggests the real risk of a return to Cold War-era approach.
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Dec 20, 2018
Michael Shurkin
Military Strategy

commentary
An Army Caught in the Middle Between Luddites, Luminaries, and the Occasional Looney
The creation of the Army Futures Command is an important and necessary move for the U.S. Army. For the first time since the 1970s, the Army has a major command focused on preparing it for future war with a peer competitor.
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Dec 20, 2018
David E. Johnson @DaveJohnsonDC
Globalization

blog
Most Popular RAND Blog Commentary of 2018
RAND experts publish hundreds of pieces of RAND Blog commentary every year, weighing in on pressing policy questions, breaking down current events, and untangling complex trends. To look back on some of the policy stories that defined the year, we've rounded up the RAND Blog pieces that resonated most with rand.org visitors.
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Dec 20, 2018
Cambodia

commentary
Does Nuon Chea Still Have No Regrets?
Nuon Chea was convicted of genocide in a tribunal in Phnom Penh in November for his role in the Cambodian genocide. Shelly Culbertson relays the story of her trip to interview him at his home in Pailin in 2003.
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Dec 19, 2018
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Social Media Analysis

blog
Best RAND Videos of 2018
RAND research yields findings that run the gamut of potential applications and promising policy solutions. Here, we highlight three of 2018's most captivating videos featuring RAND research and its potential to inform policy.
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Dec 19, 2018
Tobacco and Smoking

commentary
Vaping May Have Its Place, Just Not With Teens
While e-cigarettes may be a “safer” option for adult smokers, they are not safe for young people. Teens who vape are significantly more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes in the future.
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Dec 17, 2018
Michael Stephen Dunbar, Elizabeth J. D'Amico
International Economic Relations

commentary
The Trump-Xi Meeting at G-20: Kicking the Can Down the Road
Much was expected of the discussion at the 2018 G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires between the United States and China on their ongoing trade war. However, nothing of significance emerged. With signs of a global economic slowdown surfacing earlier than expected, the failed outcomes of this meeting could come back to haunt world leaders.
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Dec 14, 2018
Rafiq Dossani
Crime and Violence Prevention

article
Helping Police Find Better Strategies to Fight Crime
Which police interventions work best in certain situations, and which don't? A new RAND resource helps police choose the best strategies—and put them to work.
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Dec 14, 2018
Refugees

blog
Refugees, Brexit, Cannabis: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how Syrian refugees can contribute to local economies, prospects for Brexit, marijuana legalization, and more.
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Dec 14, 2018
China

commentary
Is This the Beginning of a New Cold War?
It has become increasingly common for observers of world affairs to contend that the United States and China have either entered into or are poised to embark on a new Cold War. While the contours of a long-term contest between Washington and Beijing are undoubtedly forming, especially in the economic realm, the analogy is problematic.
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Dec 12, 2018
Ali Wyne