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  • A crowd of people surrounding images representing the news, design by Alyson Youngblood/RAND

    Article

    What Americans Think of the News—and What That Means for Democracy

    Apr 28, 2020

    RAND researchers asked a nationally representative sample of adults about their news-consumption habits. The answers reveal clues about what it might take to address Truth Decay—the decline of facts in U.S. public life.

  • Supporters of the outgoing president, Donald Trump, climb a wall during a deadly mob assault on the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., January 6, 2021, January 6, 2021, photo by Jim Urquhart/Reuters

    Commentary

    The Battle of Capitol Hill

    Jan 11, 2021

    The deadly mob assault on the U.S. Capitol Building was a predictable possibility. Democracy held, but security failed, spectacularly. We need to be better prepared for future acts of political violence.

Explore Democracy

  • Audio Podcast of Truth Decay Event at RAND

    Multimedia

    Truth Decay and Community Engagement

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, RAND political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh and William "Pat" Getty, president of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, discuss Truth Decay's consequences on community engagement and resilience.

    Sep 20, 2018

  • Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz are seen on the mobile phone screen as they attend a news conference at the Chancellery in Vienna, Austria July 4, 201,8

    Commentary

    Iran's Disinformation Campaigns

    New reports suggest that the Kremlin may have company in its efforts to shape the United States' domestic information landscape: Iran. As Americans prepare to return to the voting booths this fall, Washington would be well advised to look into Iran's disinformation capabilities and intentions.

    Aug 24, 2018

  • Voters voting in polling place

    Commentary

    Here's How Russia Will Try to Interfere in the 2018 Elections

    Russia will threaten U.S. midterm elections in November, although by how much is unclear. Moscow might be more restrained this year, but it could be wilier.

    Aug 14, 2018

  • The Facebook logo is pictured during the Viva Tech start-up and technology summit in Paris, France, May 25, 2018

    Commentary

    Freedom of the Internet 'Press'

    The First Amendment enables companies such as Facebook to publish what they choose. Arguing against this right could lead to government regulation over digital media. It could also further degrade the reliability of online information.

    Aug 10, 2018

  • Young woman using a computer

    Multimedia

    Millennials and National Security

    In this Call with the Experts, Marek N. Posard and Kathryn Edwards discuss their new report, which compares attitudes and opinions of millennials with those of previous generations and draws inferences about potential millennial concerns about security. Andrew Parasiliti also joins the conversation to provide an overview of the Security 2040 project.

    Jun 28, 2018

  • Lawmakers from India's main opposition Congress party and the Janata Dal (Secular) protest against India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B.S. Yeddyurappa's swearing-in as Chief Minister of the southern state of Karnataka, in Bengaluru, India, May 17, 2018

    Commentary

    Politics in India—Not Business as Usual

    India's ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has suffered recent, self-inflicted electoral setbacks. But it is still the best-organized and richest political party in the country. Can opposing alliances defeat the BJP?

    Jun 19, 2018

  • Group of millennial business people

    Report

    What Do Millennials Think About Security Issues?

    As millennials become more prominent in the public and private sectors, their views will have greater influence. How do their attitudes toward security differ from those of previous generations? And what do these perceptions imply for U.S. security policy in 2040?

    Jun 14, 2018

  • Audio Podcast of Truth Decay Event at RAND

    Multimedia

    Truth Decay and Trust in Institutions

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, the Pew Research Center's Carroll Doherty joins RAND's Jennifer Kavanagh for a discussion about the causes and consequences of Truth Decay and declining trust in institutions.

    Jun 7, 2018

  • Audio Podcast of Truth Decay Event at RAND

    Multimedia

    Truth Decay and Civil Discourse

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, Jennifer Kavanagh addresses the connection between Truth Decay and the erosion of civil discourse, as well as Truth Decay's effects on policymaking and the future of democracy.

    May 24, 2018

  • Audio Podcast of Truth Decay Event at RAND

    Multimedia

    Truth Decay and the Media

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, a panel of experts discusses the connection between the media and Truth Decay. They address the effects of changes in the information environment, including the rise of social media, the shift to a 24-hour news cycle, increasing partisanship of some news sources, algorithms and filters, and media literacy.

    May 8, 2018

  • Illustration of a globe deconstructed

    Report

    Building a Sustainable World Order

    The growing threat to the rules-based postwar order is a defining feature of current discussions about world politics. A two-year project explored the existing international order, assessed the challenges facing it, and recommended policies to advance U.S. interests.

    May 3, 2018

  • A tablet displaying a voting website

    Commentary

    E-enabled Elections: The Future of Overseas Voting in Europe?

    Interest in technological solutions for elections is at an all-time high, but there are only a few mature online voting systems to learn from. Countries seeking to pilot e-enabled elections can learn from Estonia and others, but should also learn from those that never made it to full implementation.

    Apr 26, 2018

  • Liberia's former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the new President-elect George Weah at his swearing-in ceremony in Monrovia, Liberia, January 22, 2018

    Commentary

    In Africa, Presidential Term Limits Are Working

    World news regularly features headlines about African power grabs and constitutional coups. Presidents Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia both adhered to term limits, stepping aside after finishing their second terms. Are they part of a broader trend?

    Apr 24, 2018

  • A man tests Estonia's internet voting system in Tallinn, February 19, 2007

    Commentary

    Online Voting: The Solution to Declining Political Engagement?

    The potential benefits of online voting merit a conversation across Europe about its increased use in elections. But the evidence is mixed on whether online voting actually helps increase voter turnout.

    Mar 23, 2018

  • A witness in a courtroom swearing to tell the truth

    Commentary

    Truth Decay and the Spirit of the Law

    The widening gap between how the law is expected to be (and generally is) practiced, and certain events transpiring in America's political and policymaking realms, is of increasing concern.

    Mar 23, 2018

  • An Iranian scratched flag with a grunge texture

    Commentary

    Unrest in Iran: An Opportunity for Democratic Change

    As the unrest that began in Iran on Dec. 28 begins to wane following a crackdown, it is difficult to assess what may come next. But this is not the first time Iranians have come out on the streets to protest and challenge authoritarian rule, nor will it be the last; the Iranian people have a long history of seeking a democratic political order.

    Jan 14, 2018

  • Blue globe puzzle

    Report

    Testing the Value of the Postwar International Order

    The postwar order offers significant value to U.S. interests and objectives and is worth the investment. It represents a leading U.S. competitive advantage. At a time of growing rivalry, nationalism, and uncertainty, a functioning multilateral order will be essential.

    Jan 8, 2018

  • Morning commuters are seen outside the New York Stock Exchange, July 30, 2012

    Commentary

    Economic Instability Endangers Democracy

    The Western political community is retreating from its own institutions. The problem stems from the fact that the health of democracies is crucially dependent on their economic growth rate.

    Dec 16, 2017

  • Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) delivers remarks on North Korea, accompanied by U.S. President Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, February 11, 2017

    Commentary

    Japan's Election Matters for U.S. Interests

    What happens in Japan's election carries enormous consequence for the United States and its interests in the region. U.S. Asia policy begins and ends with America's critical alliance with Japan.

    Oct 21, 2017

  • Report

    Report

    Civic engagement: How can digital technologies underpin citizen-powered democracy?

    The report provides an overview of an expert consultation on how digital technologies can be used to support citizen-powered democracy. It identifies key opportunities, risks and aspirations, as well as emerging ideas for delivering on this vision.

    Oct 11, 2017