Blog Posts by Pardee RAND Faculty

Revisiting Restrictions on Blood Donations from Gay and Bisexual Men

Jul 5, 2016

Sarah MacCarthy

The FDA does not accept blood from male donors who have had sex with a man in the previous 12 months. This has led to an ongoing debate about whether this restriction is supported by scientific evidence or, as some have argued, related to lingering stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS, writes Prof. Sarah MacCarthy.
Grasping the Brexit Moment for Free Trade

Jul 1, 2016

Howard J. Shatz @HowardJShatz

The United Kingdom's surprising vote to exit the EU turned another tricky day into a possible social crisis. But where there is crisis, there is also opportunity, and the vote presents an opening for another step forward of global trade and investment liberalization, writes Prof. Howard Shatz.
South China Sea Spat a Symptom of U.S.-China Jockeying for Advantage

Jun 27, 2016

Timothy R. Heath

A spate of high-profile diplomatic feuds and military actions related to the South China Sea has raised concern about the direction of U.S.-China relations. Neither country is well-positioned politically or economically to engage in a long-term, antagonistic relationship, let alone a major conflict, writes Prof. Timothy Heath.
Countering Extremism: Early Childhood Education Forgotten

Jun 8, 2016

Rita Karam, Gail L. Zellman

Global attention has turned to education as a way to counter extremism, but what has been missing from these conversations is a focus on learning in children's first years, when much brain development occurs, writes Prof. Rita Karam. In the Middle East and North Africa, government underinvestment in formal programs for young children is the norm.
China's Yuan as a Reserve Currency: Boon or Bane for the Dollar?

Jun 3, 2016

Charles Wolf, Jr.

Establishing a system in which two reserve currencies compete with each other to affect global decisions about reserve holdings may lead to greater financial stability than the present dollar-dominated system, writes Prof. Charles Wolf.
ISIS and Dirty Bombs

Jun 3, 2016

Gregory S. Jones

There has been growing concern that terrorists might use radiological sources to create a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD). Prof. Gregory Jones explains that calculations have shown that an attack would be unlikely to produce radioactive contamination sufficient to kill or even injure anyone, but there would be psychological and economic effects.
Good (Fast) Food as a Vehicle for Social Change

Jun 1, 2016

Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis

Neighborhood by neighborhood, a few dozen jobs at a time, two celebrity chefs are tackling complex and persistent public policy problems. They could succeed in their own way in communities where generations of government programs and charity have had limited impact, writes Dean Susan Marquis.
Why Has Obama Lifted the Arms Sales Ban on Vietnam?

May 25, 2016

Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold

The lifting of the Vietnam arms embargo needs to be understood as part of the long process of normalizing relations with a former U.S. enemy and building toward a more cooperative, economically dynamic, and strategic future-oriented relationship, writes Prof. Scott Harold.
Did We Improve Veterans Health Care? It's Unclear

May 24, 2016

Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, Susan D. Hosek

The Veterans Choice program was designed to expedite veterans' access to health care and relieve pressure on the VA system. Before making the program permanent, writes Prof. Susan Hosek, the VA should better understand its effectiveness.
5 Things That Should Happen When Obama Visits Hiroshima

May 23, 2016

Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold

On May 27, President Barack Obama will be the first sitting U.S. president to visit the city of Hiroshima. As Prof. Scott Harold writes, the visit is a sign of respect and friendship between the American and Japanese people, and should make the two countries' ties even stronger.
Making the 'Gap Year' More Inclusive and Purposeful

May 19, 2016

Louay Constant

High schools and universities should work together, with the support of policymakers, to develop programs that would provide a wider spectrum of U.S. students with the opportunity to take a purposeful gap year—and enter college with some real-world adult experience behind them, writes Prof. Louay Constant.
Behind North Korea's Bid for a 'Peace Treaty'

May 18, 2016

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett

By insisting on a peace treaty with America, North Korea is probably seeking war, writes professor and alum Bruce Bennett (cohort '75). Its leaders likely hope a treaty would lead to a withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea, setting the stage for an invasion by the North.
The Hidden Costs of Pension Plan Reform

May 18, 2016

Kristine Brown, James Hosek

While there are many policy options that may decrease pension liabilities for Chicago and cities and states in similar situations, writes Prof. Jim Hosek, some options being considered may also have serious consequences for the public sector workforce, now and in the future.
Partitioning Iraq: Make a Detailed Case, or Cease and Desist

May 16, 2016

Ben Connable

The mostly non-Iraqi voices who want to divide the country into three ethno-sectarian cantonments—Shi'a, Sunni, and Kurd—owe the Iraqi people extensive, detailed clarification. If neither the Iraqi Arab polity nor Iraq's most powerful political factions seek three-way partition, writes Prof. Ben Connable, then the case should be closed.
What Are the Public Health Consequences of Legalizing Marijuana?

May 16, 2016

Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer

Legalizing and allowing profit-maximizing firms to produce, sell, and advertise recreational marijuana would likely increase marijuana consumption. Prof. Beau Kilmer considers how this increased consumption would influence the use of other substances.
Helping Pittsburgh Stay on the Cutting Edge of Education Innovation

May 8, 2016

John F. Pane @JohnFPane, Laura S. Hamilton @HamiltonLauraS

Local organizations, educators, and leaders are creating remarkable learning experiences for Pittsburgh's young people, and other cities around the country are striving to replicate their innovations, write professors John Pane and Laura Hamilton.
Expo Line Could Enhance Wellbeing in Santa Monica

May 6, 2016

Douglas Yeung @DouglasCYeung

On May 20, the long-awaited Metro Expo Line will begin service to Santa Monica. Viewing urban mobility as a key component of community wellbeing may be an instructive way to assess the impact of Expo and other infrastructure efforts, writes Prof. Doug Yeung.
Iraq Reconciliation Requires American Help

May 5, 2016

Ben Connable

It is time for the United States to step in and take the lead on the crucial process of reconciling the Sunnis with their government in order to bolster the tactical fight against ISIL and to ensure Iraq does not further destabilize, writes Prof. Ben Connable.
Out of Line: How to Better Protect Airports from Terrorist Attacks

May 2, 2016

Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis, Michael A. Brown

In airport security, it's not the size of a potential terrorist bomb that matters most, it's where it detonates. Fortunately, new technologies may present opportunities to get travelers out of line and keep them safe, writes Prof. Henry Willis.
What Makes Stakeholders Want to Become Involved in Research?

May 2, 2016

Thomas W. Concannon @tconcannon, Virginia Kotzias, et al.

Involving stakeholders in comparative-effectiveness research is important, write professors Thomas Concannon and Dmitry Khodyakov. But competing demands for their time can make this a challenge. Why do stakeholders get involved in this research, or not?
Study Finds Most Military Families Are Resilient in Face of Deployment

Apr 22, 2016

Sarah O. Meadows @SarahOMeadows, Benjamin Karney

Although service members, spouses, and their children experience frequent deployments to combat zones throughout the world, Prof. Sarah Meadows writes that a recent study of more than 2,700 military families found that they generally fare well and adapt effectively to the stresses of deployment.
Xi's Purge of the Military Prepares the Chinese Army for Confrontation

Apr 21, 2016

Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman, Michael S. Chase

Prof. Michael Chase writes that Xi Jinping is relying on an unprecedented anti-corruption campaign, echoing Mao Zedong's dictum that “the party commands the gun,” and implementing a sweeping reorganization of the PLA to ensure his personal dominance over the military and to strengthen its ability to deter or win future wars.
Regulating Drone Airspace Using 'Smart Markets'

Apr 19, 2016

David Manheim, John F. Raffensperger, et al.

Commercially operated autonomous drones may be on the horizon, especially since Google and Amazon have announced plans to start drone-based parcel delivery in 2017. A policy problem is likely to follow, write student David Manheim (cohort '12) and professors John Raffensperger and Jia Xu.
Ten Years After the Safe Port Act, Are America's Ports Secure?

Apr 6, 2016

Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis

The economic importance and visibility of America's ports make them attractive terrorism targets, writes Prof. Henry Willis. Port security has improved, but many of the threats that motivated the Safe Ports Act in 2006 remain, and new dangers have emerged, including cyber threats.
A New Tool to Assess the Costs and Effectiveness of Traffic Crash Interventions

Apr 4, 2016

Liisa Ecola, Jeanne S. Ringel @JeanneRingel

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. Prof. Jeanne Ringel writes that an online tool she developed with student Ben Batorsky (cohort '12) and RAND colleagues can help policymakers understand the available evidence-based interventions that can help prevent crash injuries and deaths, what they will cost, and how effective they will be in their state.

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