May 2019

Autonomous Vehicles
commentary
AVs Could Improve Transportation Access in 'Transit Deserts'
Laura Fraade-Blanar
May 31, 2019
Axios
More large U.S. cities are seeing their outer reaches turn into transit deserts, where demand for transportation vastly exceeds supply. Connecting public transit systems with automated vehicles, whether in ride-sharing or shuttle services, could be a solution.
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Elementary Education
blog
Theresa May, Emotional Learning, Teachers: RAND Weekly Recap
May 31, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on Theresa May's resignation, social and emotional learning, the value of a good teacher, and more.
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Parenting
commentary
Empowering Parents Through Positive Parenting Interventions
Barbara Janta, Lynn M. Davies
May 30, 2019
E!Sharp
For parents, knowing whether they are raising their children the “right” way can feel like an impossible task. Parenting programs can make a unique and indispensable contribution to child well-being, and ultimately give children the resilience to thrive, even in challenging circumstances.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
This Is Not a Great-Power Competition
Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr
May 29, 2019
Foreign Affairs
The emerging conventional wisdom among foreign policy analysts in Washington is that a new era of great-power competition is upon us. But does that phrase really capture today's reality?
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United Kingdom
commentary
The End of May: Another Brexit Victim
Charles P. Ries @charles_ries
May 27, 2019
The Hill
What brought down British Prime Minister Theresa May? The essential contradictions of Brexit and a British public that cannot muster a majority for any Brexit outcome.
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Postsecondary Education
blog
Iran, Prison College Programs, Fentanyl: RAND Weekly Recap
May 24, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on Iran's nonstate partners, lessons from a prison college program, what a fentanyl ban in China means for the U.S. opioid crisis, and more.
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Drug Markets and Supply
commentary
China's Ban on Fentanyl Drugs Won't Likely Stem America's Opioid Crisis
Bryce Pardo @brycepardo, Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer
May 22, 2019
Los Angeles Times
Given China's recent decision to ban the unauthorized manufacture of fentanyl, authorities there appear to recognize a growing problem. But China cannot solve the U.S. opioid problem. The United States could do more to reduce demand for opioids as well as drug users' exposure to these powerful drugs.
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Iran
commentary
Iran's Network of Fighters in the Middle East Aren't Always Loyal to Iran
Becca Wasser, Ariane M. Tabatabai
May 21, 2019
The Washington Post Monkey Cage Blog
Iran's nonstate partners are emerging as central players in the escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, and may be a driver of further escalation. But how involved is Iran with these proxy groups?
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Iran
commentary
The U.S. and Iran: Beyond the Rhetoric
Ariane M. Tabatabai
May 17, 2019
Haaretz
Since the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, tensions between the two countries have increased. Washington has stepped up pressure on Tehran in the hopes of reopening negotiations or ushering in the regime's collapse, while inside Iran, President Rouhani is facing pressure to retaliate.
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The Internet
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Journalism, U.S.–Iranian Tensions, School Reform: RAND Weekly Recap
May 17, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on how the news has changed in the digital age, rising U.S.–Iranian tensions, how educators feel about school improvement plans, and more.
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China
commentary
Vietnam Is the Chinese Military's Preferred Warm-Up Fight
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
May 15, 2019
The Diplomat
China's last major war experience gave it virtually zero lessons to apply to future armed conflict. At some point the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will need to test its new capabilities and the training it has honed over time. There are at least three reasons why Vietnam is likely in the PLA's crosshairs.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
We're Just Beginning to Grasp the Toll of the Islamic State's Archaeological Looting in Syria
Fiona Greenland, Oya Topçuoğlu, Tasha Vorderstrasse, James V. Marrone
May 15, 2019
The Conversation
During the Islamic State's rise, looted artifacts were said to be a significant source of income for the group. But no one had identified the value, using empirical data and systematic calculations, of the artifacts that were known to exist in Syria's archaeological sites. Until now.
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The Internet
blog
RAND's Analysis of News in the Digital Age: Three Takeaways
May 13, 2019
How has the rise of digital technology shaped the way that news is presented? RAND researchers conducted an empirical study to find out. Here's what you need to know from their findings.
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China
commentary
Getting to Know the Competition
Cortez A. Cooper III
May 13, 2019
RealClearDefense
Americans are facing a new reality in global great power relations that will define the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Understanding China's threat perceptions, while remaining clear-eyed regarding differences in objectives, is essential to developing strategies to deter conflict.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
What Ronald Reagan Can Teach Us About Dealing with Contemporary Russia
Raphael S. Cohen, James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
May 13, 2019
Lawfare
Politics loves its historical analogies and today, perhaps, there is no more common a comparison to the Trump presidency than the Reagan administration. Reagan's tenure was marked by his successful competition with the Soviet Union. Does Reagan provide a blueprint for triumphing over modern Russia?
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The Internet
commentary
Three 'New Rules' Worth Considering for the Internet
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
May 10, 2019
TechCrunch
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has called for new internet regulation starting in four areas: harmful content, election integrity, privacy, and data portability. But why stop there? His proposal could be expanded to include much more: security-by-design, net worthiness, and updated internet business models.
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Nuclear Deterrence
commentary
Can Anyone Save the Iran Nuclear Deal Now?
Ariane M. Tabatabai
May 10, 2019
New York Times
Europe faces mounting pressure from both Tehran and Washington regarding the Iran nuclear deal. European countries could take steps to signal their commitment to upholding the deal, but doing so may alienate the United States.
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Suicide Attack
blog
Hospital Prices, Border Solutions, Sri Lanka: RAND Weekly Recap
May 10, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on hospital prices, common-sense solutions to the border crisis, myths about the Sri Lanka attacks, and more.
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Iran
commentary
U.S., Iran Must Both Tread Lightly with Tensions Running So High
Ariane M. Tabatabai, Becca Wasser
May 9, 2019
The Hill
Tensions between the United States and Iran have increased, raising concerns that they may be headed for war. But conflict is not inevitable. The United States and Iran could seek to re-establish communications channels, as well as look for available off-ramps to de-escalate tensions and keep the slightest misstep from spiraling into an all-out conflict.
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Postsecondary Education
commentary
Addressing the College Completion Problem
Lindsay Daugherty
May 9, 2019
The RAND Blog
More than half of students who enter college end up dropping out without ever completing a degree or certificate. Time and money are wasted without the benefits of a degree. While colleges are experimenting with novel techniques to boost completion rates, strategic support from the federal government could further these efforts.
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Urban Warfare
commentary
Urban Legend: Is Combat in Cities Really Inevitable?
David E. Johnson @DaveJohnsonDC
May 7, 2019
War on the Rocks
Future combat will take place in dense urban areas and likely in megacities. These are the new “truths” that are taking hold in the U.S. military. But before going all-in on optimizing for urban operations, the U.S. military should take a deep breath and think carefully about future operations within the context of the National Defense Strategy.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
Baghdadi Resurfaces: What It Means for ISIS's Global Terror Campaign
Colin P. Clarke
May 6, 2019
Los Angeles Times
With last week's release of a video of Abu Bakr Baghdadi, ISIS showed that it's still got some life left—literally. The most important message to take away from the Baghdadi video may be that the Islamic State does not need territory to survive and even thrive.
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Terrorist Bombings
commentary
Sri Lanka's Easter Attacks: Dismantling Myths to Prevent the Next Attack
Jonah Blank
May 6, 2019
Fox News Channel
On Easter Sunday, suicide bombers hit six locations across Sri Lanka, killing more than 250 people. Even before ISIS claimed responsibility, there was no obvious connection to the quarter-century of violence that afflicted the nation until 2009. It is worth dismantling a few myths that might prevent better preparation for future attacks.
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Japan
commentary
With Little Fanfare, Japan Just Changed the Way It Uses Its Military
Jeffrey W. Hornung
May 3, 2019
Foreign Policy
In early April, Japan deployed its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) abroad to join a multinational force not connected to the United Nations. This is the first time that SDF personnel will participate in overseas peacekeeping operations not under UN control. The difference may not seem important, but it is.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
blog
Mueller Report, ISIS Leader, Brexit: RAND Weekly Recap
May 3, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on how the Mueller report might affect Russia, the emergence of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, uncertainty over Brexit, and more.
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Pharmaceutical Drugs
blog
Why Are Drug Prices So High in the United States?
May 3, 2019
Ezekiel J. Emanuel is vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy. In 2018, he delivered the Albert P. Williams Lecture on Health Policy at RAND, where he offered a framework for thinking about drug pricing.
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Migrants
commentary
Common Sense Solutions to the Border Crisis
Blas Nunez-Neto
May 2, 2019
The Hill
After years of declines, apprehensions of undocumented immigrants at the U.S.–Mexico border are set for their largest year-on-year increase in history. There is, in fact, a humanitarian crisis on the border. How did this come about? More importantly, what can be done to address it?
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Patient Experience
essay
A New Way to Capture the Patient Experience
May 2, 2019
Researchers have developed a more effective and reliable way for patients to provide narrative feedback about the care they receive. When the right questions are asked, patients' answers can help health care providers better understand the patient experience and learn how they could improve.
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