March 2022

Russia
commentary
Where Is Business in Russia?
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Mar 16, 2022
The Hill
Businesses in Russia have little hope of making a full recovery and operating normally in the global economy unless the West lifts its extraordinary sanctions. Political and civic engagement may be essential to protect their value and the interests of shareholders and employees.
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South Korea
commentary
Will South Korea's New President Reshape Regional Dynamics?
Soo Kim @mllesookim
Mar 15, 2022
Nikkei Asia
Yoon Suk-yeol has been elected president of South Korea. With a tall order to fill at home and abroad, the Yoon administration has the potential to reshape South Korea's future and relationships in the region. The path that he carves for Seoul in the coming weeks and months will be watched with keen interest marked by hopes and apprehension by his neighbors.
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Educational Institutions
commentary
What Is Really Polarizing Schools Right Now?
Heather L. Schwartz @schwartz_hl
Mar 14, 2022
Education Week
Political polarization that rises to the level of interfering with schooling isn't simply a headache; it's a fundamental problem for public education. When there is deep disagreement over the essentials—what schools teach, how they keep children safe—schools are at risk of becoming ungovernable.
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Information Operations
commentary
Keeping Russians Informed About Ukraine Could Help End This War
Todd C. Helmus @Helmus, Andrew Radin @andrewmradin
Mar 14, 2022
United Press International
Russia has taken increasingly aggressive actions to restrict access of information about the war in Ukraine. Ensuring that the Russian people know the truth about what their government is doing in Ukraine could bring this war to an end soon rather than later.
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Russia
blog
Putin's State of Mind, the Digital Skills Gap, International Women's Day: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 11, 2022
This weekly recap focuses on deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin, understanding America’s gun policy debate, improving teacher diversity, and more.
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China
commentary
China's Security Contractors Have Avoided the Fate of Russia's Military Contractors, So Far
Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc
Mar 11, 2022
RealClearDefense
China's approach to private security contractors is much more limited in scope and effects than Russia's use of private military contractors. But indicators suggest that Chinese planners see benefits in expanding and maturing China's use of private contractors, which creates the potential for dangerous results for China and the rest of the world.
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Russia
commentary
How Russia's War in Ukraine Could Escalate
Samuel Charap @scharap
Mar 11, 2022
The Economist
Russia's attack on Ukraine has raised concerns in many Western capitals of an even-worse outcome: escalation to a broader war with NATO allies which could involve nuclear weapons. While such a war is far from inevitable, the possibility of the current conflict spiraling beyond the immediate theater of hostilities is real. Understanding how that could happen is essential to minimizing the risk that it does.
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South Korea
commentary
What the Media Might Have Missed About South Korea's Elections
Erik Mobrand
Mar 10, 2022
The RAND Blog
The toxicity of the anti-feminist discourse in South Korea does not accurately reflect the gender-related tensions and problems that most Koreans currently face. The obstacles to improving gender equity are more mundane and more ubiquitous than the hyperbole of anti-feminism suggests.
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Teachers and Teaching
commentary
'Grow Your Own' Prep Programs Can Improve Diversity of the Teaching Workforce
Benjamin K. Master, Christopher Joseph Doss @Chris_J_Doss
Mar 9, 2022
The 74 Million
Black and Hispanic educators are much more likely than white educators to say they plan to leave the profession, threatening to exacerbate an already overwhelming lack of diversity. Local, “grow your own” alternative teacher preparation programs can help to strengthen the diversity of the teaching workforce, as well as enable districts to address broader staffing challenges.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
blog
Terrorism Research: How RAND Defined and Built a New Field of Knowledge
Mar 9, 2022
In the early 1970s, amid a worldwide rash of bombings, hijackings, and hostage-takings, RAND researchers began creating the first international database of terrorist incidents. Maintained until 2009, it chronicles more than 40,000 terrorist attacks since 1968.
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Russia
commentary
Is Putin Irrational? What Nuclear Strategic Theory Says About Deterrence of Potentially Irrational Opponents
Edward Geist @sovietologist
Mar 8, 2022
The RAND Blog
Increasingly isolated and desperate, Putin might try to suddenly escalate the Ukraine conflict rather than back down in the face of international opposition. The United States and its allies must account for the possibility that even in the face of credible deterrent threats Putin might double down and lash out.
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Gun Policy
essay
Exploring the Disagreement Among Gun Policy Experts
Mar 7, 2022
A survey asked gun policy researchers, advocates, and congressional staffers who work on gun issues for their views on policies ranging from weapon bans to stand-your-ground laws. Regardless of where they stood, they were not so dissimilar in what they thought gun policies should be trying to accomplish.
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India
commentary
Russia Looks Less and Less Like India's Friend
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Mar 4, 2022
Times of India
India has strong ties with Russia dating back to the Cold War. But the geostrategic winds have shifted significantly in recent years, suggesting that India might want to reconsider the benefits of close Russia ties.
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Arms Proliferation and Control
commentary
A Renewed Nuclear Deal With Iran: Turning Back the Clock?
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Mar 4, 2022
Los Angeles Times
Diplomats from Europe, the United States, Russia, China, and Iran are in Vienna trying to revive the Iran nuclear agreement of 2015. But even if negotiations succeed, the post-deal environment could be much more unstable than it was seven years ago.
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Ukraine
blog
The West's Response to Russia, the State of the Union, Outer Space: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 4, 2022
This weekly recap focuses on how to prevent Russia's war on Ukraine from becoming a war with NATO, insights from RAND on the State of the Union, the future of outer space, and more.
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