Blog Posts by Pardee RAND Faculty

UK and Europe Are Behind the Times for Single Mothers and Their Children
Mar 11, 2015
Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD, Kai Ruggeri
Single parents head 10.4 percent of households with children across Europe — 20.4 percent in the UK — and the socioeconomic gap between single- and two-parent households continues to grow. Accessible and flexible work policies are needed to improve employment conditions for single parents, especially mothers.
Progress After Ferguson? Good Ideas Need Good Implementation
Mar 9, 2015
Nelson Lim, Greg Ridgeway
President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing has done a great service by providing dozens of sound recommendations—good ideas that could help avoid another Ferguson. Now we need good implementation to go along with them.
Europe Must Spend More on Arms to Deter Putin
Mar 3, 2015
Steven W. Popper
Demonstrations in Greece and elsewhere suggest that the European public may have little sympathy for governments not devoting most efforts to domestic discontent and foreign indebtedness, writes Professor Steven Popper. But the longtime downward trends in European defense spending matter now that Russia has chosen to flex its military might, diminished though it may be.
Is Geographic Clustering Driving Political Polarization?
Mar 3, 2015
James A. Thomson @thomson0145, Jesse Sussell
The ideological gap separating the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress has grown dramatically wider in recent decades, write Alum Jesse Sussell (cohort '10) and former RAND president James Thomson. An analysis of the presidential vote in congressional districts over the last 60 years finds that the degree to which most districts are different from the “average” district has grown, supporting the theory that polarization stems from geographic clustering.
Future of Coastal Flooding
Feb 25, 2015
Debra Knopman, Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, et al.
President Obama's executive order that directs federal agencies to plan and build for higher flood levels as they construct new projects in flood-prone regions will affect hundreds of billions of dollars of future public works projects. In an ideal world, write Pardee RAND faculty Debra Knopman and Rob Lempert, and alum Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04), planners would estimate the benefits and costs for each project, taking into account everything from the details of the local landscape to the potential for adaptive responses over time.
Last Week Tonight's Jeff the Diseased Lung Is No Joke
Feb 20, 2015
Jeffrey Wasserman
John Oliver's “Jeff the Diseased Lung,” a cross between a warning label on cigarette packs in Australia and the Marlboro Man, has gone viral, writes alumnus/professor Jeffrey Wasserman (cohort '85). Meanwhile, research shows cigarettes are responsible for even more premature deaths than previously thought.
Growth Versus Equality: Striking the Right Balance
Jan 30, 2015
Charles Wolf, Jr.
There's a difficult trade-off between income equality and the growth that comes from successful innovation. But one doesn't have to overwhelm the other.
Recommendations for ESEA Reauthorization That Support Innovation
Jan 27, 2015
John F. Pane @JohnFPane
As lawmakers consider the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, it is critical that in meeting their objectives they do not create unnecessary obstacles to the productive innovations being explored at schools, such as personalized learning.
Reauthorizing ESEA: Four Recommendations to Make Testing Work
Jan 21, 2015
Laura S. Hamilton @HamiltonLauraS, Brian M. Stecher, et al.
Will Congress be able to reauthorize ESEA in 2015? Success will depend on legislators clearing several hurdles, such as decisions regarding teacher quality, school improvement, and charter schools. And at the center of the debate remains the issue of federal requirements for testing.
America's College Promise: Meeting the Higher Education Challenge
Jan 19, 2015
Trey Miller, Holly Kosiewicz
President Obama's proposal to cover the costs of two years of community college offers hope to many American students, but two key challenges should be addressed: meeting the needs of underprepared students and devising a system to smooth the transfer of credits from one institution to another.
The Great American Working Vacation
Jan 19, 2015
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman, Michael Pollard
For years, vacations were a time for Americans to reset and renew, a time away from work. But more and more, Americans check their email, take calls, and work while on vacation.
China Can Fix Its Severe Pollution Problem
Jan 19, 2015
Keith Crane
China's economic transformation over the last three decades has produced potentially deadly air pollution its people inhale every day. But an investment of $215 billion annually could substantially reduce pollution, lessen its drag on productivity, spare the lungs of countless people, and save lives.
Why al Qaeda in Yemen Attacked Paris
Jan 12, 2015
Angel Rabasa
The bloodshed in the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was a startling reminder of al Qaeda's ambitions, capabilities, and ruthlessness. And whether or not the attack was planned as a marketing device to help al Qaeda emerge from the expanding shadow of the Islamic State, it may be having that effect.
'Product of Mexico': Why Have Corporate/Social Responsibility Programs Failed?
Dec 12, 2014
Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis
The Fair Food Program has been a leader in using cooperation, visibility, and accountability to meet the needs of workers, growers, and buyers. Dean Susan Marquis asks, Can it be a model for addressing these critical issues in Mexico as well?
Access to Technology Is Key to Early Childhood Education
Nov 4, 2014
Lindsay Daugherty, Rafiq Dossani
Pardee RAND alum Lindsay Daugherty (cohort '05) and professor Rafiq Dossani find that, for children from all income classes to benefit from the proper use of technology in early childhood education, providers, families, and children themselves must have access to an adequate technology infrastructure, including devices, connectivity, and software.
Republicans May Make Gains in Midterm Election, but Democrats Remain Strong Nationally
Nov 4, 2014
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman, Michael Pollard
The Republican Party has a strong chance of maintaining control of the House and possibly even gaining control of the Senate. But survey results suggest that, while individual races may vary, support for Republican candidates nationwide may be less than support for Democratic candidates.
Ebola Outbreak: Putting the Public Back in Public Health
Oct 9, 2014
Melinda Moore
Medical and public health systems are crucial to controlling the transmission of Ebola and treating patients. But the public's role in becoming aware and engaged, both in West Africa and the United States, cannot be overstated, writes Professor Melinda Moore.
The Realities of Silicon Valley's Lack of Workforce Diversity
Oct 2, 2014
Lawrence M. Hanser, Nelson Lim
Major Silicon Valley tech firms have released statistics indicating their workforces are largely made up of white men, write Professors Lawrence Hanser and Nelson Lim. Corporate America is on the receiving end of a complex chain of social and educational factors that continue to leave minorities behind in terms of college graduation.
Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarettes Are Scary, but Do They Work?
Sep 30, 2014
Deborah M. Scharf, William G. Shadel @william_shadel
“Graphic warning labels” pair gruesome images with warnings about the dangers of smoking, covering anywhere from 30 to 80 percent of cigarette pack “faces” (the front and back). Professor Deborah Scharf asks, do they prevent people from starting to smoke or cause current smokers to quit?
Using Education to Stop the Prison Revolving Door
Sep 30, 2014
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Providing education and vocational training to inmates is a cost effective way to reduce recidivism rates and thus shrink prison populations and ease the strain on prison budgets. Education is far less expensive than incarceration, writes Professor Lois Davis.
In Ferguson's Wake, How a Data-Driven Approach Can Improve Police-Community Relations
Sep 16, 2014
Keith Henry
Pardee RAND's Keith Henry says community leaders and police departments have a responsibility to their citizens to address questions about their policing practices, such as: What are the most significant areas of concern? How severe are the problems? What are the most effective solutions?
The State of Washington and Its Focus on Rehabilitation
Sep 16, 2014
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Professor Lois Davis says California can learn a great deal from the state of Washington, which has implemented a series of reforms focused on rehabilitation—on diverting offenders to treatment and other options and making serving time in prison the last option.
Hackerazzi: How Naked Celebrities Might Make the Cloud Safer
Sep 8, 2014
Lillian Ablon @LilyAblon
Despite data breach after data breach that lays bare the personal information of millions of people, leading to only incremental changes by the hacked company, it seems it only takes a handful of celebrity nude selfies to bring issues like cloud security and multi-factor authentication to the fore causing immediate changes, writes Professor Lillian Ablon.
If You Want Ex-Cons to Be 'Productive Members of Society,' Ban the Box
Sep 5, 2014
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
When an inmate is released, you often hear Americans say that he's “paid his debt” and can now become “a productive member of society.” But, Professor Lois Davis writes, the reality is ex-cons pay for their crimes long after sentences end. On the outside, the stigma of incarceration makes it extremely difficult to land a job.
A Dispatch from the Ukrainian Front
Sep 5, 2014
Terrence Kelly, David A. Shlapak
If Putin sought advice about what NATO is thinking, his Russian Western Front Military commander might say that given its current political indecisiveness and lack of military readiness, NATO lacks the capability to launch a credible intervention, but they should watch for changes in the alliance posture, writes Professor Terrence Kelly.

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