Recognition and rapid mastery of cognitive warfare tactics such as gamified narrative language will become increasingly important for the United States in the years ahead. The next conflict may open with a fierce exchange of deprecating narratives and gamer slang instead of bullets and missiles.
Russian private military companies, now more aligned with the Kremlin's agenda and less focused on profit and equipped with a full suite of subversive capabilities, could help steer their African hosts away from the U.S. and impede African progress toward economic prosperity.
Federal policymakers are rethinking education technical assistance to states—and even taking steps to dismantle parts of it. We asked state agency leaders about their experience with federal technical assistance: What works? What doesn't? What can they not afford to lose?
Scott Savitz is a senior engineer at RAND, a specialist in naval operations and technologies, and an expert in mine warfare. In this interview he discusses the threat of naval mines and the challenge of demining the Strait of Hormuz.
Quantum computing has the potential to shape the future. In what areas might this emerging technology have tangible impacts?
By integrating cusp dynamics into its middle-power role, Australia can position itself as a knowledgeable and influential regional actor—ready to influence when necessary and to assertively oppose unwanted changes.
Binding international agreements—particularly between the great space powers—which emphasise principles of stewardship, clarify access rights, and support common benefits from lunar development would ensure the Moon becomes a proving ground for the equitable and sustainable development of space.
A structured technological innovation system allows for targeted resourcing and increased efficiency. But it also creates exposure through openness and dependence. This can create weak points, vulnerabilities, and brittleness, all of which can be attacked or exploited.
The physical activity sector—practitioners, researchers, and educators—has a key role to play in delivering the NHS 10-year plan to create a society that is truly fit for the future.
As educators experiment and refine their approaches to using technology in the classroom, they can develop best practices that ensure digital learning fulfills its promise rather than amplifies its problems.
The U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran have sent shockwaves across the region and beyond. RAND experts discuss the dynamics within Iran, regional and global implications, the prospects for diplomacy, and more.
The loss of safety, opportunity, and a sense of normalcy have shaped how young Palestinians regulate emotions and think about the future. Anxiety, depression, and despair are widespread. Left unaddressed, this latent damage will outlast any ceasefire or physical reconstruction.
Tehran's “escalate to de-escalate” strategy could backfire. By bombarding both friends and foes in the region, Iran may end up poorer, weaker, and more isolated than ever.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that a Chinese blockade of Taiwan might constitute a threat to Japan's survival. It was not a war pledge. But a Japanese commitment regarding Taiwan should be welcomed by Washington.
Jason Ward directs the RAND Housing Center. He discusses findings from his recent research, why housing has become so unaffordable, and ways to address the housing crisis.
Kim will not engage in discussions designed to take away nuclear capabilities that he believes ensure his country's survival. Shifting the diplomatic focus to political and economic measures, as well as steps to reduce the risk of inadvertent nuclear war, might get him back to the negotiating table.
Trump's Iran war is not the catastrophe that some make it out to be, nor is the United States stuck in a quagmire. The war has already succeeded in setting the Iranian threat back, and the United States retains multiple pathways forward.
A simulation of a blockade of the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea and the recent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz underscored that diversifying energy supply routes, maritime logistics, and data systems is no longer optional for Korea—it is a strategic necessity.
A prolonged Israeli presence in Lebanon will generate friction, cost lives, and feed the very narrative of resistance that Hezbollah exploits. This moment offers a rare chance to target a militia without making war on the Lebanese people or state.
Military ground robotics are rapidly transforming battlefield tasks. But for the immediate future, robots are more likely to support the fight, rather than lead it.
Beau Kilmer oversees RAND's research on psychedelic use and policy which informs conversations on the topic and helps decisionmakers think through all the different policy options and to understand the potential trade-offs.
Pivotal parliamentary elections are coming in June, and Armenia's young democracy faces a stirring test between the ghosts of its history and a hopeful bet on a stable future.