Policy Currents

What’s at the heart of the migrant crisis; how U.S. strikes can limit Houthi military capabilities; considering a hypothetical U.S.-China war over Taiwan; and why L.A.’s rental landscape could get even worse. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

RAND experts’ insights on two years of fighting in Ukraine; just how many Americans know someone who has died of a drug overdose; Israel's duty to take responsibility for civilian well-being in Gaza; the availability of telemedicine for mental health care; and the dangers of using AI to monitor youth suicide risk. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Considering how the United States should deal with Russia after the war in Ukraine ends; how policies that restrict teaching about race and gender 'spill over;’ threats to the U.S. financial system and other critical infrastructure; and U.S. strategy in Southeast Asia. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Comparing U.S. prescription drug prices to those in other countries; improving treatment for child diarrhea; what might be standing in the way of affordable housing in Los Angeles; reining in the risks of robotaxis; and three ways to stop the spread of false information online. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Why primary care providers may be key to faster Alzheimer's treatment; charting a path toward thoughtful allied space power; how the West can ‘up the ante’ in Ukraine; and preparing for artificial intelligence in the power grid. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

What’s standing in the way of a two-state solution; whether artificial intelligence can assist in a large-scale biological attack; exploring new treatments for veterans facing PTSD and depression; why veteran single parents need more support. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

What the evidence says about hiring people with criminal histories; what to expect after Taiwan's election; preventing presidential coups; how stackable credentials can help low-income students; and why diplomacy is needed to fully address the Houthi threat. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Estimating the costs of treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19; preparing for climate change risks to the 2024 elections; the problem with "crime-free housing" policies; and how to ensure a successful and secure recovery in Ukraine. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Unintended consequences of a cease-fire in Gaza; what the war in Ukraine is costing Russia; public perceptions of veterans and military service; how many people are affected by tropical cyclones; and tips for countering “Truth Decay” in an election year. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

The Israel-Hamas war; the consequences of America's opioid crisis; deterring Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific; planning for the effects of climate change. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Rajeev Ramchand, codirector of the RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute, joins us for a discussion on the use of psychedelic-assisted therapies to treat conditions such as PTSD and depression. What do we know about the potential benefits and risks of these treatments? And what should policymakers consider as we learn more about them? For more information on this week’s episode, v...

Economics could help drive peace in Gaza; how the Israel-Hamas war has upended the terrorist threat matrix; preventing climate-related conflict in the Middle East and Central Asia; the failure of “crime-free housing” policies; and how to create productive police-community dialogues. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Why the Oct. 7 attack wasn't Israel's 9/11; what history tells us about hostage crises; why it’s time to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; and how to strengthen South Korea’s nuclear assurance. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Could psychedelics become a viable therapy for treating veterans with PTSD or depression? What do we know about food insecurity among veterans? For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

How lies and misinformation will play a key role in the Israel-Hamas war; what North Korea might be learning from Hamas; a look at the evidence on how to address America’s gun violence problem; and exploring supply models for recreational cannabis. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Two revolutionary technologies, machine learning and gene editing, are converging. This could transform how diseases are treated, how crops are grown, how wars are fought, and much more. RAND Europe research leader Sana Zakaria and RAND senior research engineer Timothy Marler join us to discuss this possible future—and the policy approaches needed to prepare for it. For more information on this we...

This week, we break down what RAND researchers have to say about the Israel-Hamas war, including the challenges of an Israeli ground invasion, preventing civilian casualties, and Iran’s and North Korea’s potential involvement. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Scenarios that could lead to escalation of Russia’s war in Ukraine; how much is “enough” for U.S. nuclear forces; why it’s so difficult to estimate the costs of recovery from natural disasters; and the importance of education to help people detect deepfakes online. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

In this special episode, host Evan Banks sits down with RAND researchers Heather Williams and Richard (Dic) Donohue. Williams, a former intelligence officer, and Donohue, a former police sergeant, recount their personal experiences with trauma and traumatic stress. They also discuss the work they do now, which focuses on what is needed to ensure intelligence and law enforcement professionals get t...

Most of America’s teachers feel overworked and underpaid; why insomnia is a multibillion-dollar problem; helping overworked public defenders; why the United States and Israel may be on parallel paths; and how food insecurity and wildfire risk are connected. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

RAND experts Michelle Miro and Krista Romita Grocholski join us to discuss the growing problem of flooding in the United States. They recently published a paper that examines this issue in the Mid-Atlantic region, where extreme precipitation has led to flooding nearly every season since 2018. Climate data, they say, is essential to helping stormwater managers and civil engineers better protect the...

Why comparing the war in Ukraine to World War I is misleading; income share agreements as an alternative to student loans; the U.S.-China race for technological supremacy; and how India is edging out China in South Asia. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Invisible damage from the Maui wildfires; improving the safety of America’s AI industry; Ukraine’s civilian resistance; and how to increase housing affordability in New York City. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

Undermining Russia’s private military contractors; what nighttime lighting reveals about China's efforts to imprison Tibetans; how “Truth Decay” is damaging U.S. national security; and the stackable credential movement. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

How to reverse the erosion of U.S. and allied power and influence; Washington's concerns over Taiwan’s defense spending; why European host countries shouldn’t treat Ukrainian refugees like short-term visitors; and addressing the mental health crisis in U.S. jails. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .