Politics and Government

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  • Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosts a reception in recognition of Eid, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., May 26, 2022, photo by Freddie Everett/U.S. State Department

    Report

    How Do Americans View Diplomacy and Diplomats?

    A survey asked Americans what they think about diplomacy, the U.S. Foreign Service, and other officials who represent the nation abroad. Impressions were generally favorable, but some lacked understanding of what diplomats do, how they are selected, and the role of diplomacy in national security.

    Jun 8, 2022

  • South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden arrive for a state dinner at the National Museum of Korea, in Seoul, South Korea, May 21, 2022, photo by Lee Jin-man/Pool/Reuters

    Commentary

    Yoon Suk-yeol Is Biden's Perfect South Korea Partner

    Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea's conservative new president, has shown that he is in lockstep with U.S. President Joe Biden on foreign policy. During Biden's Indo-Pacific trip in May, their conversations in the security domain suggest Yoon's overlapping tenure with Biden heralds a golden era in the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

    Jul 5, 2022

Explore Politics and Government

  • Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso addresses the nation next to members of government, after he dissolved the National Assembly by decree, in Quito, Ecuador May 17, 2023, photo by Bolivar Parra/Ecuador Presidency/Handout via Reuters

    Commentary

    Is Ecuador in the Middle of a Self-Coup?

    On May 17, the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, dissolved the country's legislature in the midst of impeachment proceedings against him. Did Ecuador just have a self-coup? The answer matters greatly for the country's democratic trajectory and for the international community's response.

    May 31, 2023

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Cultural Evolution and the Economic Wealth of Nations

    This chapter reviews research on the cultural evolution of economic development around the globe, including the relationship between development outcomes and linguistic and religious ancestry.

    May 25, 2023

  • News Release

    News Release

    Support for Extremism Among U.S. Military Veterans Is Similar to Public at Large

    Support among military veterans for extremist groups and extremist ideals appears similar to or less than levels seen among the U.S. public in general, despite fears that it could be higher.

    May 23, 2023

  • A neighbor and caretaker of a USS Arizona survivor salutes the wall of names at the USS Arizona Memorial at an interment ceremony on December 7, 2019, photo by PO1 Holly He/U.S. Marine Corps

    Report

    Veterans Don't Support Extremist Groups Any More Than the Public Does

    Radical groups find military members and veterans attractive potential recruits because of their skills and training. But the veteran community does not manifest higher support for extremist groups or beliefs than the general population.

    May 23, 2023

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a military parade on Victory Day in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2023, photo by Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via Reuters

    Commentary

    Putin Is Following Brezhnev to a Dead End

    Four decades ago, Leonid Brezhnev led the USSR into what many Soviets called the “era of stagnation.” Vladimir Putin is taking Russia down a similar path. The USSR tried to recover by turning to reform-minded leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, but too late. The USSR collapsed. Could Russia?

    May 23, 2023

  • Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen (r) and former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou in Taipei, Taiwan, May 20, 2016, photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters

    Commentary

    Upcoming Presidential Election Will Clarify Taiwan's China Policy

    Until the Taiwanese presidential election next January, China, the United States, and many other countries will be watching Taiwan with bated breath. Across the Indo-Pacific region and the world, the hope would simply be that no matter who is elected, peace and stability continue to prevail in the Taiwan Strait.

    May 19, 2023

  • Smoke rises from buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan. April 22, 2023, photo by Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters

    Commentary

    The Fight for Sudan Was Inevitable

    When conflict in Sudan did not end after the 2005 peace agreement, the international community fell into a familiar pattern of never-ending negotiations. But conflict resolution focused on agreements that split power between armed groups rarely leads to sustainable peace. The effects of such misbegotten efforts are plain to see.

    Apr 27, 2023

  • Dissertation

    Dissertation

    Whither the Liberal International Order? Does an Attenuated Liberal International Order Affect the Propensity, Incidence, and Intensity of Conflict?

    Seeks to understand and anticipate the impact of an attenuated or weakened Liberal International Order on propensity, incidence, and intensity of conflict.

    Apr 5, 2023

  • Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden walk through the colonnade of the White House in Washington, D.C., January 13, 2023, photo by Mandel Ngan/Pool/Reuters

    Commentary

    Japan's New Security Policies: A Long Road to Full Implementation

    The historic ambition contained within Japan's new defense strategies is notable. But the reality is that an extraordinary alignment of political, economic, fiscal, and other stars will be necessary for Japan's government to fully implement their stated ambitions over the next five to ten years.

    Mar 27, 2023

  • Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Friends of Ireland Caucus St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon in Washington, March 17, 2023, photo by Yuri Gripas/Sipa USA/Reuters

    Commentary

    Juggled Plan for McCarthy-Tsai Meeting Does Taiwan No Favors

    Instead of traveling to Taiwan like Nancy Pelosi did, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is abiding by the advice of President Tsai Ing-wen to skip the trip. They will meet in California. This could be seen as a major victory for China's aggressive stance toward U.S. ties with the island and could embolden Beijing.

    Mar 24, 2023

  • Russian police officers stand guard after opposition activists called for street protests against the mobilization of reservists in Moscow, Russia, September 21, 2022, photo by Reuters photographer/Reuters

    Commentary

    To Heal Russia, Exorcise Fear

    In ordering the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ex-KGB cohort in the Kremlin have invited disaster on Russia. For centuries, Russia's secret police have caused the country harm and terrorized its people. Only by easing its deadly grip might Russians gain freedom.

    Mar 2, 2023

  • RAND Weekly Recap

    Blog

    State of the Union, Mental Health First Aid, China's Spy Balloon: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on President Biden's State of the Union address, the benefits of mental health first aid training, insights on China’s spy balloon, and more.

    Feb 10, 2023

  • President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy applaud, February 7, 2023, photo by Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via Reuters

    Blog

    State of the Union 2023: Insights from RAND

    In his second State of the Union address, President Joe Biden covered a wide range of issues facing the United States at home and abroad, including police violence, gun policy, Russia's war in Ukraine, and U.S. competition with China.

    Feb 8, 2023

  • The U.S. Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C., December 5, 2022, photo by Graeme Sloan/Reuters

    Report

    Prospects for Bipartisanship in a Divided Country

    Political polarization affects democracy and discourse about public policy. But a series of workshops with diverse stakeholders discussing sensitive policy issues found that Americans from different demographic, economic, political, professional, and social backgrounds can reach consensus.

    Jan 19, 2023

  • RAND Weekly Recap

    Blog

    U.S. Gun Laws, China's COVID Outbreak, Space in 2050: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on gun policy in America, the myth of America's “Ukraine fatigue,” the COVID outbreak in China, and more.

    Jan 13, 2023

  • A voter waits to cast his ballot in the 2022 U.S. midterm elections at Considine Little Rock Recreation Center in Detroit, Michigan, November 8, 2022, photo by Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

    Commentary

    Whether Democracy Is Eroding or on the Upswing Depends on What State You Live In

    Voter laws, civic education opportunities, and trust in government are all important aspects of democracy that impact individuals' civic participation. If policymakers had better ways to measure and monitor this “civic infrastructure” beyond just voter turnout, a different, more complicated but complete picture of our democracy would likely emerge.

    Dec 13, 2022

  • RAND Weekly Recap

    Blog

    The Racial Wealth Gap, the Effects of Long COVID, Teacher Diversity: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on understanding the racial wealth gap, why long COVID may threaten the U.S. economy, what prevents people of color from becoming and staying teachers, and more.

    Dec 9, 2022

  • RAND Weekly Recap

    Blog

    Protests in China, Negotiating with Russia, L.A.'s 'Mansion Tax': RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on protests in China amid the government's zero-COVID policy, the potential harm in negotiating with Russia, building more affordable housing in Los Angeles, and more.

    Dec 2, 2022

  • Abstract representation of civic infrastructure, image by CSA-Printstock/Getty Images, design by Pete Soriano/RAND Corporation

    Report

    Defining and Measuring Civic Infrastructure

    Is the United States in a civic crisis? Or is American democracy simply evolving? A framework for defining and measuring civic infrastructure can help answer these questions—and preserve a healthy democracy.

    Nov 30, 2022

  • People hold white sheets of paper in protest over COVID-19 restrictions in Beijing, China, November 27, 2022, photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters

    Commentary

    Five Factors to Watch as the Chinese Communist Party Faces Protests

    It may be too soon to compare protests against China's zero-COVID policy to the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement. However, looking back to 1989 can still provide valuable insights into what might happen next.

    Nov 30, 2022

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