Policy Currents

We discuss a former U.S. intelligence officer charged with spying for Iran; national efforts to reduce the risk of terrorism; how Russia’s foreign policy decisions affect its economy; the complex cases of jihadi brides; job opportunities for Syrian refugees; and RAND’s history with the game show Jeopardy! For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss Americans’ financial vulnerability; security at the U.S. southern border; what scientific evidence says about gun policies; Hezbollah’s activities in Venezuela; how teachers use data; and how Iran’s foreign policy has changed since the Islamic Revolution. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss President Trump’s second State of the Union address; what might happen at the next Trump-Kim summit; the public-health impacts of reformulating OxyContin; improving road safety for autonomous vehicles; filling STEM jobs in Appalachia; and work-life balance in Europe. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss direct talks between the United States and the Taliban; babies born with opioid withdrawal; threats from Russia and China; single-payer health care; and investing in early childhood education. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss the complex set of problems on the Korean Peninsula; creating accountability in cyberspace; potential security risks from the partial U.S. government shutdown; using artificial intelligence in the classroom; a triage system to address climate change damage; and what happens if Britain leaves the EU without a deal. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss the essential jobs government workers perform; the likely effects of a rushed U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan; whether educators set goals for social-emotional learning; how Middle East communities can resist sectarianism; creating accountability in cyberspace; and a new approach to public policy problem solving. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss what a border wall could realistically accomplish; walking back the U.S. withdrawal from Syria; how schools can reduce suspensions; the chance of peace in the Taiwan Strait; ways that churches help improve health in their communities; and countering future terrorism. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss Kim Jong Un’s latest call for sanctions relief; what happens if consumers stop sharing their personal data; implications of the plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria; trends in teen marijuana use; changes in U.S.-China relations; and strategies for better policing. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss RAND’s top research projects from the year. Topics include U.S. gun policy; the diminishing role of facts in American public life; what’s shaping the future of global security; the postwar international order; and China’s approach to modern warfare. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss Syrian refugees' role in Middle East labor markets; what happens if Britain leaves the EU without a deal; how much influence teachers have in schools; preventing bad behavior at soccer matches; marijuana legalization; and countering violent extremism online. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss what the evidence suggests about heroin-assisted treatment and supervised consumption sites; steps to reduce the risk of political violence in America; how to create summer learning programs that can help close the gap between low-income and non-white students and their more-affluent and white peers; why the U.S. immigration system is getting overwhelmed; obstacles facing Japanese force...

We discuss what makes deterrence effective; North Korean denuclearization; what life is like as an Army private; a wellness program that uses the Apple Watch to incentivize exercise; the U.S.-Saudi relationship; and how libraries are supporting community health. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

We discuss myths and facts about PTSD; new support for gun policy research; how U.S. political polarization impacts competition with China; the high stakes of teen vaping; a promising mental health awareness campaign in California; and China’s long-range bomber flights. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast .

This week we discuss RAND’s new limited-series podcast, Veterans in America; whether civilian health care providers are prepared to treat veteran patients; how the government could help rebuild America’s infrastructure; what Turkey’s realignment in the Middle East means for Washington; how to measure autonomous vehicle safety; and the costs and benefits of refugee vetting procedures. For more info...

In our first episode, we discuss the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and what research tells us about gun policy; how to counter Russian social media influence in the United States; paths toward Korean unification; myths about "Medicare for All" and other single-payer plans; what Angela Merkel's exit means for Germany, Europe, and the world; and what might happen if Palestinians started voting in Je...

Introducing Policy Currents, a podcast from RAND that highlights new research findings, commentary, multimedia, and events. Subscribe now to wrap up your week with us and better understand the world.