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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.

Report
Reconstructing Ukraine: Creating a Freer, More Prosperous, and Secure Future
Ukraine's reconstruction may be the largest rebuilding effort in modern history and it's not too early to start planning. Recovery will require an end to the fighting, but ultimate success hinges on a U.S.-European partnership and the establishment of durable post-war security arrangements.
Jun 14, 2023
Commentary
The Global Movement Against China's Economic Coercion Is Accelerating
There is much the West can do to push back against Chinese economic pressure, and many reasons to do so. Doing so is a core interest of the United States, which now places itself in competition with China over the shape of the international order.
Jun 9, 2023

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Report
A New Era of Major-Power Competition
While there is a general consensus that the United States is now in a new era of strategic competition with China and Russia, there is not yet a clear understanding of what that means or what forms it could take. How can the United States best position itself to succeed?
Nov 30, 2022
Commentary
Export Controls Give ASML and the Netherlands an Opportunity to Lead by Example. Will They Take It?
Dutch tech company ASML makes the complex machines required to construct advanced microchips, and it sells many of these machines to China. Harmonization of export controls between the United States and the Netherlands could limit China's development of military technologies and its human rights abuses.
Nov 28, 2022
Report
Realising the promise of the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy in R&D and exports
This Perspective provides a brief overview of the core principles of the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS), before reflecting on two aspects underpinning the Strategy's assumptions: research and development (R&D) and exports.
Nov 28, 2022
Report
Science and technology as a tool of power: An appraisal
This Perspective examines the UK Government's ambition to use science and technology (S&T) as a tool of power and an integral part of the national security strategy. It also reflects on critical enablers, including conceptual and practical levers.
Nov 28, 2022
Commentary
Russian Aircraft Keep Crashing. Could Sanctions Be the Cause?
At least six fixed-wing Russian aircraft have crashed over Russian-controlled airspace since September. Sanctions placed on Russia by the West could well be affecting Russia's ability to manufacture and maintain parts needed to keep aircraft safe.
Nov 22, 2022
Commentary
What's the Harm in Talking to Russia? A Lot, Actually
Despite the way it is commonly portrayed, diplomacy is not intrinsically and always good, nor is it cost-free. In the Ukraine conflict, the problems with a push for diplomacy are especially apparent. The likely benefits of negotiations are minimal, and the prospective costs could be significant.
Nov 22, 2022
Report
Russian Military Strategy: Organizing Operations for the Initial Period of War
The authors of this report identify and examine several factors to assess the orientation of Russian military strategy, including the balance of power, Russian diplomacy with China, views on future war, and trends in force readiness and mobilization.
Nov 22, 2022
Commentary
Is Seabed Mining an Opportunity to Break China's Stranglehold on Critical Minerals Supply Chains?
China dominates global supply chains for nearly all critical mineral resources, including the rare earths that power decarbonization technologies. Seabed mining may be a way to diversify critical minerals supply chains and break China's stranglehold on supplies of some of the world's most important natural resources.
Nov 21, 2022
Commentary
How Russia's War in Ukraine Has Impacted Its Christian Image
Over the past decade, the Russian government has taken pains to present itself as a bastion of Christianity and traditional values. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, however, there have been noticeable cracks in the receptivity to this messaging strategy.
Nov 16, 2022
Commentary
Xi Likely Won't Be Attacking Taiwan Anytime Soon
Rather than start a war, Xi Jinping is more likely to intensify China's use of coercive measures against Taiwan, including diplomatic, economic, and military pressure coupled with cyber and psychological operations. If coercion fails, Beijing might turn to force as a last resort, but this still seems unlikely given the many complicating factors.
Nov 15, 2022
Multimedia
The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Indo-Pacific Region
Policymakers and scholars discuss the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Indo-Pacific. Presenters examined the conflict from the perspective of Japan and the United States as well as the possible impact it may have on the international order.
Nov 10, 2022
Report
Competing for the International System
The United States should view emerging strategic rivalries with China and Russia in systemic terms. That means maintaining predominant influence over the international system and also taking actions designed to shape system outcomes rather than to achieve case-specific wins.
Nov 10, 2022
Commentary
America's Pacific Island Summit: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The United States hosted its first Pacific Islands Summit in September. Pacific Island leaders and observers from over a dozen states participated in the event and pledged to jointly tackle various challenges. But this historic summit was hardly an absolute success, and should be put within its proper context.
Nov 7, 2022
Report
China's Role in the Global Development of Critical Resources
China's extensive foreign investments in energy infrastructure and critical minerals have raised concerns. Case studies in coal power, electricity transmission, and seabed mining examine China's behaviors and suggest ways to build capacity among host nations to minimize the potential effects of an overreliance on China.
Nov 7, 2022
Blog
Lessons from the Pandemic, Diplomacy in Ukraine, Defending Taiwan: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, planning to end the war in Ukraine, reducing deaths in law enforcement custody, and more.
Nov 4, 2022
Commentary
Enhance U.S. Rare Earth Security Through International Cooperation
Most rare earth elements and materials are sourced from overseas but China dominates extraction and processing. With closer multinational cooperation, the United States and its allies and partners could reduce vulnerabilities due to the dependency on China.
Nov 3, 2022
Journal Article
Humanitarian Policymaking as Networked Governance
To understand policymaking from a networked governance perspective, researchers used social network analysis and examined one of the most significant refugee policy processes: the efforts to formulate and adopt the Global Compact on Refugees.
Nov 2, 2022
Dissertation
Facing the Ravenous Sea Dragon: How Weaker Nations Confront Chinese Coercion in the South China Sea
Explores the policies of weaker nations to counter Chinese coercion in the South China Sea disputes.
Nov 1, 2022
Commentary
How Should the U.S. Military Share Secrets?
For security cooperation to work, allies may need access to details of U.S. military plans and activities. But does the need for a clearly defined U.S. advantage prevent sharing information that may be broadly in the U.S. interest? Who should evaluate this advantage, and at what level?
Oct 31, 2022
Periodical
RAND Review: November-December 2022
Features explore an innovative fellowship for military veterans, spouses, and caregivers; how veterans fare in the civilian labor market after leaving the military; and the impact of racism on patient safety in health care settings.
Oct 31, 2022

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RAND Topic:
International Affairs

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Benjamin J. Sacks

Policy Researcher

Benjamin Sacks is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation and a professor of political geography at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. At RAND, Sacks employs mixed-method approaches to examine the history, political geography, public diplomacy, and networks of major power competition, defense…
James Black

Assistant Director, Defence and Security

James Black is assistant director of the Defence and Security research group at RAND Europe. In addition to group management responsibilities, he leads the Defence Strategy, Policy and Capability research portfolio. He also serves as European Lead for the RAND Space Enterprise Initiative, a…

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