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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.

Explore Politics and Government

Commentary

The U.S. Post Office Is a Public Service, Not a Business

As Congress and the White House debate how to assist the USPS, it will be important to understand the impacts of proposed cost-cutting measures not only on mail delivery of vital services, on smaller and rural communities, and on low-income communities where last-mile delivery is especially important for residents, but also on the broader public safety and security functions USPS performs.

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
Commentary

Pathways to Peace in Yemen: National Reconciliation or a 'Phased' Approach?

Any pathway to an enduring peace in Yemen could take decades to recover from the economic, political, and social costs of this civil war. A phased approach could require patience from the Yemeni people and a robust and enduring commitment from the international community. But war has brought Yemen to this point, and there are few remaining options.

Mar 5, 2021
Commentary

An Early Policy Victory for DNI Haines: Boost the Priority of Open Sources Information

The quantity, quality, and accessibility of publicly available information has exploded over the past decades. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines has an opportunity to advance intelligence community mission activities on several key issues shaped by the digital information age, including the role of publicly available information.

Mar 4, 2021
Journal Article

Study on Child Participation in EU Political and Democratic Life: Final Report

RAND Europe and Eurochild were contracted by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers to support this study. This Final Report summarises the findings from all research methodologies applied in this study.

Feb 23, 2021
Commentary

Myanmar's Coup and Its Recent Elections: Institutions Matter

What was the Myanmar military's calculus in deciding to stage a coup against the civilian-led government? The history of coups and elections provides some insights.

Feb 15, 2021
Commentary

Tech Alone Isn't Enough to Create a Successful Smart City

Smart-city initiatives are popping up in small communities and large metropolitan regions alike. But these initiatives have run into significant hurdles. Some cities have developed frameworks to overcome these challenges, but many continue to struggle.

Feb 10, 2021
Commentary

Myanmar Coup: First Foreign Policy Test for President Biden

Shortly after dawn on February 1, Myanmar's military staged a coup against the nation's fledgling civilian government. There are no easy solutions, and how the Biden administration responds will be widely seen as a template for other thorny situations in the future.

Feb 9, 2021
Testimony

Addressing the Threat of Domestic Violent Extremism

The attack on the Capitol was an unprecedented assault on America’s political system. How might a national commission to review the events of January 6 offer a road to national recovery? And what can be done to address broader threats from violent domestic extremists?

Feb 4, 2021
Commentary

Alexei Navalny Has Become a Profile in Courage. This Puts the Kremlin in a Quandary

Prolonging Alexei Navalny's imprisonment, attempting to murder him—or actually succeeding—would only galvanize his supporters. And releasing him could be viewed as a victory for the opposition, making the Kremlin look weak.

Feb 2, 2021
Commentary

What the Capitol Siege Means for the Future of Security Clearances

Some people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 had or have a national security clearance and thus trusted access to classified information. And some might apply for a security clearance in the future. If they are not identified and prosecuted, then they won't have a criminal record that could be detected in a background check.

Feb 2, 2021
Brochure

Spotlight 2020–2021

Spotlight 2020-2021 features examples of our research that helped to improve people's lives during a turbulent year. It also highlights a selection of research initiatives on the horizon for 2021.

Jan 26, 2021
Commentary

How Threats Against Lawmakers Could Distort the Political Landscape for Years

The political environment is changing in a way that goes beyond immediate security concerns. The prevalence of threats and violence as a feature of American politics will ripple throughout the political system. Our politics could be distorted by the vicious atmosphere for years.

Jan 25, 2021
Commentary

Why We Need a January 6 Commission to Investigate the Attack on the Capitol

The history of politically charged violence in and against the United States can be read in the reports of its national commissions. The takeover of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 demands such an inquiry.

Jan 20, 2021
Multimedia

The Likelihood of Violence Following the U.S. Presidential Inauguration

Brian Michael Jenkins, senior adviser to the RAND president, discusses the likelihood of violence that could occur following Inauguration Day in response to election results.

Jan 15, 2021

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