Law

  • Jacqueline Burns, bottom right, with Ambassador Donald Booth, at an Internally Displaced Person camp in Darfur, Sudan, in 2016, over a map of Sudan, photo courtesy of Jacqueline Burns; images by oxygen and JeanUrsula/Getty Images; design by Chara Williams/RAND Corporation

    Q&A

    Helping People Affected by Conflict: Q&A with Jacqueline Burns

    From the Air Force to Africa to RAND, Jacqueline Burns resolved to help people whose lives have been torn apart by conflict or disaster. As a senior policy analyst she wants to be a part of finding better solutions to the complex questions of peace and security.

    Dec 22, 2021

  • Multimedia

    RAND Video Highlights of 2021

    The best RAND videos from the past year brought our research to life in new ways. From the sidewalks of Pittsburgh to preschools in the Middle East, see how people around the world are using RAND research to make their communities safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous.

    Dec 20, 2021

  • View of Pakistan and Taliban flags at the Friendship Gate crossing point in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Chaman, Pakistan, August 27, 2021, photo by Saeed Ali Achakzai/Reuters

    Commentary

    Complex Calculations Shape Pakistan-TTP Negotiations

    Pakistan sees the Taliban as a facilitator of discussions with the TTP, as an ally in persuading the TTP to negotiate, and as a guarantor of whatever agreement is reached. And given the Taliban's diplomatic isolation and desperate economic situation, Pakistan can in return assist Afghanistan's new rulers in gaining acceptance and aid.

    Dec 20, 2021

  • President Joe Biden signs the American Rescue Plan in the Oval Office, at the White House in Washington, D.C., March, 11, 2021, photo by Doug Mills/Pool/Sipa USA/Reuters

    Commentary

    Temporary Safety-Net Policies Prevented Mass Insurance Loss During the Pandemic

    Although it provided a foundation, the ACA alone could not have absorbed the effects of the pandemic's sudden job losses on health care coverage. Temporary expansions to the safety net enacted by Congress also were necessary to stem coverage loss. As the pandemic continues, policymakers will want to keep safety-net provisions as available policy options.

    Dec 13, 2021

  • Hand holding figures in four different colors to represent different races and ethnicities, photo by Iuliia Anisimova/Getty Images

    Commentary

    The Health of Asian Americans Depends on Not Grouping Communities Under the Catch-All Term

    Health data have historically lumped all Asian American people together, obscuring distinct health disparities and leaving vulnerable communities neglected by researchers and policymakers. What would be needed to construct a fuller representation of Asian American communities and their well-being?

    Dec 13, 2021

  • Blog

    Russia and Ukraine, Climate Migration, Democracy in Asia: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on Russia and Ukraine, planning for climate migration, the state of democracy in Asia, and more.

    Dec 10, 2021

  • Report

    Report

    An Exploratory Analysis of Trends in Text Data from Congressional Oversight Hearings

    Trends in what is said in congressional committees could signal the emergence of issues for policymakers. In this Perspective, researchers describe a proof of concept for how to acquire and begin analyzing congressional text data for policy analysis.

    Dec 8, 2021

  • Marijuana in a jar, photo by MmeEmil/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Green Light for Cannabis Legalisation in Germany Is Not a Clear-Cut Decision

    The new “traffic light” coalition in Germany recently agreed to regulate the sale of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed shops. International experience has shown that great care is needed in how cannabis policy is shaped.

    Dec 6, 2021

  • A woman casts her vote during the by-election in Port Dickson, Malaysia, October 13, 2018, photo by Lai Seng Sin/Reuters

    Report

    Democracy Remains Fragile in the Asia-Pacific

    In Asia, there has been a reduction in the number of autocracies over time but also a rise in the number of partial democracies. What makes some Asian states slide toward authoritarianism? What policies can support democratization, and how can external actors help?

    Dec 6, 2021

  • Blog

    Addressing Anti-Asian Racism, Stabilizing U.S. Rivalries, the Debt-Ceiling Fight: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on countering anti-Asian racism, the instability of U.S. rivalries with Russia and China, the rise in extremist online activity, and more.

    Dec 3, 2021

  • Nurse examines an older female patient, photo by SDI Productions/Getty Images

    Report

    New York State 1115 Demonstration Independent Evaluation: Interim Report

    This report examines whether two components of New York State's Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver—the Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) program and the 12-month continuous eligibility policy—have achieved their goals.

    Dec 2, 2021

  • Military parade after the 2021 coup d'état in Kaloum, Guinea, September 6, 2021, photo by Aboubacarkhoraa/CC BY 4.0 International

    Commentary

    Are Military Coups Back in Style in Africa?

    There have been five coups in sub-Saharan Africa since August 2020. On a continent that was recently lauded for its democratic advancement, this backsliding suggests the military coup may be dangerously back in fashion. Why are more coups happening now?

    Dec 1, 2021

  • U.S. President Joe Biden speaks virtually with Chinese leader Xi Jinping from the White House, November 15, 2021, photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

    Report

    A Guide to Extreme Competition with China

    The U.S.-China competitive dynamic is at a critical crossroads. What realistic, actionable policy options should U.S. policymakers consider in developing effective strategies for this competition?

    Dec 1, 2021

  • News Release

    News Release

    Addressing Anti-Asian Racism Requires Gathering Better Information About the AAPI Community and Its Needs

    The recent rise of anti-Asian attacks across the United States has galvanized the community to build newfound alliances and resilience, with advocates working to increase reporting of hate incidents and developing strategies to fight anti-Asian racism.

    Nov 30, 2021

  • Illustration of two heads facing away from each other. One is blue and has a minus sign overlaid and the other is yellow and has a plus sign overlaid, illustration by DrAfter123/Getty Images

    News Release

    Wide Disagreement Remains Among U.S. Gun Policy Experts; Five Policies Show Less Disagreement

    Wide disagreement remains among U.S. experts who study gun policy issues, with differing opinions about how much individual policies may reduce gun violence and other harms caused by firearms. Researchers found there were generally two ideological camps—a restrictive group (who favor more-restrictive regulatory approaches to gun ownership and use) and a permissive group (who favor more-permissive regulatory approaches to gun ownership and use).

    Nov 30, 2021

  • Tool

    What Are the Predicted Effects of U.S. Gun Policies, According to Experts?

    As part of the RAND Gun Policy in America initiative, experts with diverse gun policy views were surveyed on how they predicted specific gun laws would affect outcomes, such as suicide, mass shootings, and individuals' privacy. This expert-opinion tool shows where these experts agree and disagree.

    Nov 30, 2021

  • Report

    Report

    Building Military Coalitions: Lessons from U.S. Experience

    This report describes factors that seem to be associated with U.S. decisions to use coalitions for military interventions, factors that drive partner states to join such coalitions, and factors that shape the success of military coalitions.

    Nov 30, 2021

  • People take part in a Stop Asian Hate rally at Times Square in New York City, April 4, 2021, photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

    Report

    Addressing Anti-Asian Racism in the Era of COVID-19

    Public anxiety and fear during the pandemic and negative rhetoric by politicians triggered the current wave of anti-Asian hate. It has galvanized the community to build newfound alliances and resilience. Advocates are working to increase reporting of hate incidents and develop strategies to fight anti-Asian racism.

    Nov 30, 2021

  • An illustration of two silhouettes facing different directions, over a background of guns surrounding a map of the United States. Illustration by Alyson Youngblood / RAND Corporation

    Report

    The Magnitude and Sources of Disagreement Among Gun Policy Experts: Second Edition

    This report describes combined results from two fieldings of a survey of gun policy experts designed to identify areas of agreement and whether disagreements stem from assumptions about the policies' effects or from differences in policy objectives.

    Nov 30, 2021

  • Composite image for the U.S. Capitol dome with clouds in the sky and U.S. currency superimposed on the sky, photo by Douglas Rissing/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Nuclear Strategists Know How Dangerous the Debt Fight Is

    Nuclear-war strategists' work offers a warning for Congress: The more times a game is played, the more treacherous it becomes, because when both sides believe catastrophe will always be averted in the end, each behaves more rashly. In the debt-ceiling dispute, the United States could end up defaulting precisely because each side keeps waiting for the other to blink.

    Nov 29, 2021