Blog Posts by Pardee RAND Faculty

Fatal Crash Shouldn't Kill Self-Driving Cars
Jul 16, 2016
Nidhi Kalra

The first known fatality in an autonomous vehicle occurred on May 7 and raises important questions. It does not, however, mean that self-driving cars are less safe than human drivers or that development of the technology should be stopped, writes Prof. Nidhi Kalra.
Should Some Californians Lose Their 'License to Drink'?
Jul 6, 2016
Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer

In California, many efforts to reduce repeat drunken driving focus on the driving. Prof. Beau Kilmer asks, What if the state targeted the “drunk” aspect instead?
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.