Skip to page content

International Affairs

Featured

RAND's international affairs research comprises a range of cross-cutting issues, including global economies and trade, space and maritime security, diplomacy, global health and education, nation building, and regional security and stability. RAND also analyzes the policies and effectiveness of international organizations such as the UN, NATO, European Union, and ASEAN.

Commentary

U.S. Policy Options for Hong Kong

Dec 2, 2019

After six months of escalating police violence and protester resistance, matters in Hong Kong have come to a head. What steps could the United States consider to reduce the prospect of a resurgence in violence?
Commentary

With Chaos in the Streets of Iran, Here’s How the United States Could Help the Iranian People

Dec 3, 2019

The Iranian people deserve American support. But current U.S. policies are hurting the cause that Iranians are fighting for while failing to achieve any strategic objectives.

Topics in Focus:

Explore International Affairs

News Release

News Release

Some Asian Nations Reforming Drug Policies; China Unlikely to Curb Fentanyl Exports in Short Term

Strict policies traditionally embraced by Asian nations to discourage illicit drug use are beginning to change, with a few nations adopting alternative approaches while other nations are taking an even harder line against drugs.

May 15, 2019
News Release

News Release

U.S. Military Gaps in Funding and Personnel Need Addressing to Deter Global Aggression

A significant gap exists between the stated strategic and defense policies of the United States and the resources and capabilities required to implement those policies successfully.

May 7, 2019
News Release

News Release

Nonviolent Ways the United States Could Exploit Russian Vulnerabilities

Russia's use of information warfare and its conventional military arsenal make it a formidable opponent, but the state also has significant weaknesses that could be exploited. A range of nonviolent measures could stress Russia's military, its economy, and the regime's political standing at home and abroad.

Apr 24, 2019
News Release

News Release

Unconventional Approaches Could Help Deter Russian Intimidation and Aggression Against the Baltic States

Amid concerns that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are vulnerable to Russian intimidation and hybrid warfare, a new RAND Corporation report concludes that unconventional defense plans could help deter and counteract Russian aggression.

Apr 15, 2019
News Release

News Release

Middle Eastern Communities Can Resist Sectarianism

Middle Eastern communities are generally resilient to the worst sectarian impulses and even communities that experience sectarian strife can recover from it. Indeed, at least at the local level, communities can resist the slide toward sectarianism and promote resilience and cross-sectarian cooperation.

Jan 14, 2019
News Release

News Release

A Study of Potential Paths to Korean Unification Recommends Avoiding Approaches Involving Armed Conflict

An examination of nine potential paths to Korean unification recommends actions that the Republic of Korea (ROK, or South Korea) and the United States can take to set the conditions for stable reunification, should the opportunity arise.

Oct 31, 2018
News Release

News Release

Terrorism Cost the EU €180 Billion Between 2004 and 2016

The European Union lost around €180 billion in GDP terms due to terrorism between 2004 and 2016. Changes in economic behavior could be the reason behind the observed negative effects on economic growth, as people and companies change their purchasing, saving and investing behaviors following terror attacks.

Jun 6, 2018
News Release

RAND Europe (EU) Established in Belgium as Not-for-Profit International Association to be 'Focal Point' for RAND's EU Research Activity

RAND Europe recently announced that its co-application with the US-based RAND Corporation to establish an international non-profit association (AISBL) in Belgium, RAND Europe (EU), has been successful after it received the required notarial deed and approval by Royal Decree.

May 22, 2018
News Release

News Release

3D Printing Could Disrupt Labor Markets and National Security

While advances in additive manufacturing offer potential breakthroughs in prosthetic arms, jet engine parts, and a host of other products, 3D printing, as it is known, may also disrupt traditional labor markets and exacerbate existing security threats from violent actors.

May 9, 2018
News Release

News Release

By 2040, Artificial Intelligence Could Upend Nuclear Stability

Artificial intelligence has the potential to upend the foundations of nuclear deterrence by the year 2040. While AI-controlled doomsday machines are considered unlikely, the hazards of artificial intelligence for nuclear security lie instead in its potential to encourage humans to take potentially apocalyptic risks

Apr 24, 2018
News Release

News Release

RAND Study Examines Ways U.S. Can Better Counter Political Warfare

The United States needs to improve the ways it combats adversaries adept at using political warfare tactics to achieve their goals and undermine U.S. interests and allies.

Apr 5, 2018
News Release

News Release

To Protect Overseas Interests, China Likely to Rely More on Contractors and Host Nation Forces Than Its Own Military

China is far less likely to involve its military in security activities abroad than has been the case for the United States or for imperial powers of previous centuries. To bolster security for the Belt and Road Initiative and other economic activities abroad, China will instead rely heavily on civilian contractors and host nation-provided forces, with Chinese military and paramilitary forces playing an important but limited role.

Mar 27, 2018
News Release

News Release

UK Likely to Be Economically Worse-Off Outside the EU Under Most Plausible Trade Scenarios

The UK economy is likely to suffer under the most probable post-Brexit trade scenarios. Leaving the EU with no deal and operating under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules would lead to the greatest economic loss for the UK, reducing GDP by nearly 5 per cent, or $140 billion, 10 years after Brexit, compared with EU membership.

Dec 12, 2017
News Release

News Release

British Public Reject “No Deal” on Brexit

The British people disagree with the claim that “no deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain” when it comes to negotiations for leaving the EU. They want a deal on Brexit and are willing to compromise to get one.

Jul 14, 2017
News Release

News Release

Senior RAND Fellow Reflects on 50 Years of U.S. Diplomacy

From Vietnam in the 1960s to the Afghanistan of this decade, James Dobbins has been on the frontlines of American diplomacy, working to advance U.S. national interests in some of the world's most difficult and troubled situations. His new book provides a thoughtful insider's account.

Jun 20, 2017
News Release

News Release

Russia Perceives U.S.-Led International Order as a Threat to Its Security and Interests, but Also Seeks Cooperation

Russia sees the international order as dominated by the United States and as a threat to its interests. While U.S. and Russian interests overlap and cooperation is feasible in some areas like counterterrorism, others conflict, such as U.S. support for liberal democracy and the expansion of NATO. What are U.S. policy options?

May 18, 2017
News Release

News Release

Islamic State Control of People Down 83% in Iraq and 56% in Syria from Peak Levels

The Islamic State has lost substantial control of territory and people but still conducts and inspires attacks around the world. The U.S. should pursue a light rollback strategy that relies on local forces backed by U.S. special operations forces, intelligence assets, and airpower.

Apr 20, 2017
News Release

News Release

Domestic Political Discord Now the Greatest Threat to U.S. Global Leadership

Faced with traditional threats from opponents such as Russia and emerging threats from non-traditional adversaries such as the Islamic State, the United States needs a comprehensive foreign policy strategy that can provide stability and improve policymakers' ability to manage in today's more complex and turbulent times.

Jan 18, 2017
News Release

News Release

China Invests Warily in Middle East

China endeavors to protect its expanding interests in the Middle East by not taking sides in conflicts and controversies. The United States should encourage China to become more involved in efforts to improve regional stability while reassuring partners of its own commitment to the region.

Dec 5, 2016
News Release

News Release

An Independent Kurdistan Would Impact Its Neighbors

If the Kurdish region of northern Iraq were to become an independent nation the move would create important political and economic problems for the neighboring nations of Turkey and Iran, as well as for the Iraqi central government.

Nov 14, 2016

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Next

RAND Topic:
International Affairs

Research conducted by