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Commentary

For Joe Biden, an Experienced Foreign Policy Team

Jan 19, 2021

As President-elect Biden fills out his foreign policy team he might wish to reach out to a few foreign affairs professionals who sat out the Trump administration in order to fill positions in fields where some degree of bipartisanship remains a possibility. These areas might include relations with allies and with the two major U.S. competitors, Russia and China.
Commentary

Putting America's Civic Infrastructure on the Biden-Harris Agenda

Nov 19, 2020

Much like our bridges and roads, America's civic infrastructure has been allowed to crumble. This has allowed Truth Decay to set in. The new administration can begin to repair the deep fissures in our society by explicitly and implicitly rehabilitating the nation's civic infrastructure.

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News Release

Historic Lynchings in the U.S. South Are Linked to Lower Levels of Voter Registration Among Black People

Black Americans who reside in counties in the South where there was a higher number of lynchings from 1882 to 1930 have lower voter registration today, a likely sign of the lasting effects of historical racial animus.

Jul 27, 2021
Blog

Equity in Research, North Korean Instability, Traffic Stops: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how RAND applies an equity lens to research, instability in North Korea, what police think about traffic stops, and more.

Jul 9, 2021
Commentary

Donald Rumsfeld: Anti–Nation-Builder

As Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld repeatedly resisted U.S. military participation in nation-building–type operations. Even as the United States terminates the last of those nation-building missions, that in Afghanistan, it is worth reflecting on these experiences.

Jul 6, 2021
Commentary

Stop, Start or Continue? A National Survey of the Police About Traffic Stops

Traffic stops are the most prevalent way police have contact with the public. As research continues to show widespread racial disparities of those stopped, it is increasingly seen as a practice that, if ended, would serve the cause of social justice. Should the police continue to conduct traffic stops? Police1 conducted a survey of officers to find out what they thought.

Jun 30, 2021
Commentary

Trying to Manage North Korean Instability Risks

The regime in North Korea usually makes extreme efforts to prevent outsiders and even its own people from seeing instabilities there. But Kim Jong-un appears to be taking some risks trying to solidify his grip in the wake of events undermining his control.

Jun 30, 2021
Content

RAND NextGen Initiative

RAND's NextGen Initiative aims to encourage younger generations' passion for policy, build on their understanding of the issues, and inform their efforts to change their communities and the world.

Jun 24, 2021
Report

Advocacy efforts in Brazil to extend the recognition of children's rights in early childhood: A case study

Case study on the advocacy efforts of the National Network of Early Childhood (RNPI) in collaboration with governmental institutions to introduce a Legal Framework for Early Childhood Development in Brazil.

Jun 22, 2021
Report

Countering Russian and Other State-Sponsored Propaganda

Since the Russian propaganda campaign that targeted the 2016 U.S. presidential election, researchers have penned a trove of reports that offer recommendations for countering such efforts. To help policymakers and others, RAND experts produced a compendium that divides these recommendations into various categories.

Jun 1, 2021
Commentary

Progress on Infrastructure, but the Devil May Be in the Details

Negotiations are underway between the White House and Congress about the scope of investment in infrastructure and how to pay for it. But reaching a compromise on spending may not be enough to ensure that the spending will produce results as intended.

May 21, 2021
Commentary

How America Can Help Re-Shape the Post-Soviet Countries

For the post-Soviet states, development could bring better living standards and social conditions and promote more stable politics and inclusive governance. The West would make the most difference by focusing on mid-ranked states, especially those undertaking reforms.

May 17, 2021
Commentary

Policing in the Post-Floyd Era

Calls to reform, reimagine, or disband the police can be seen as existential threats. But they present opportunities for progressive change that can work to the advantage of law enforcement.

Apr 30, 2021
Blog

Biden's First Address to Congress: Insights from RAND

President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress, summarizing his administration's early COVID-19 response and outlining plans that aim to loosen the pandemic's year-long grip on a weary nation. The speech reflected the fact that the United States faces policy challenges across a wide range of domains.

Apr 29, 2021
Commentary

COVID-19 Exacerbates North Korea's Bad Choices

Recently, Kim Jong-un admitted that North Korea is facing a dire situation. It was surprising that he would admit circumstances which at face value suggest major failures on his part. Why is Kim admitting that such circumstances are developing in the North now?

Apr 20, 2021
Commentary

'Joe-Yoshi' Spirit Buoys Japan-U.S. Alliance in Turbulent Seas

President Biden and Prime Minister Suga appear to have established a warm, personal rapport while communicating a clear vision of the importance of working together to end the pandemic, combat climate change, preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific, and defend democracy.

Apr 20, 2021
Commentary

The USPS Is a Public Service, Not a Business

As Congress and the White House debate how to assist the Postal Service, it will be important to understand the effects of proposed cost-cutting measures on mail delivery of vital services, smaller and rural communities, low-income communities, and the USPS's broader public safety and security functions.

Apr 6, 2021
Report

PSAs Might Prevent Foreign Disinformation from Taking Hold

Tests with focus groups suggest that Americans are vulnerable to Russian-made memes. The participants responded positively to a public service announcement about foreign election interference, especially after they learned that they had just viewed content from Russia designed to breed dissension.

Mar 29, 2021
Project

Truth Decay: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

The United States is experiencing an era of "Truth Decay"—the line between fact and fiction is becoming blurred. What's causing this phenomenon? And what can be done to counter it?

Mar 26, 2021
Project

Explore Truth Decay Research and Commentary by Topic

From how disinformation spreads online to Americans' trust in democratic institutions, RAND researchers are studying a wide range of topics related to Truth Decay—the diminishing role of facts in U.S. public life.

Mar 23, 2021
Commentary

Biden's China Reset Is Already on the Ropes

The prospects of a U.S.-China reset are rapidly fading, and both sides bear some measure of responsibility. Beijing has refused to change its own assertive behavior. And all signs thus far point to a Biden administration that plans to take an exceptionally hard line against China.

Mar 15, 2021
Commentary

Book Review: 'Liberalism, the Blob, and American Foreign Policy: Evidence and Methodology' by Robert Jervis

Robert Jervis' “Liberalism, the Blob, and American Foreign Policy: Evidence and Methodology” is a thoughtful review of two books written by prominent international relations theorists John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt. Jervis focuses his critique primarily on methodology and argues that the actual historical record is more complicated than either Mearsheimer or Walt suggests.

Mar 12, 2021

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