Policy Currents

Jan 24 2025 270 ep. 10 mins 13
Policy Currents Podcast artwork

The Policy Currents podcast highlights new research findings, commentary, multimedia, and events from RAND. Hosted by Evan Banks and Deanna Lee, with new episodes every Friday.

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New Missions in Emergency Management

Jan 24 2025 66 mins  
Emergency management is essential to all communities, but it isn't a field that most people think about often or understand well. Patrick Roberts and Mary Ellen Carroll join us to discuss what today’s emergency managers do to support communities, how the field is evolving, and why emergency management matters to all of us. For more information on this episode, visit rand.org/pod

News from RAND

Nov 15 2024 3 mins  
Big changes to the podcast. Plus, RAND has a new website. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

Global catastrophic risk, tech vendors and national security concerns, geoengineering.

Nov 01 2024 10 mins  
Assessing global catastrophic risk; how “mercurial leadership” at SpaceX could threaten national security; the actual dangers of geoengineering; and protecting your sleep during election season. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

North Korean troops to Russia, the death of Hamas’s leader, U.S. economic policy toward China.

Oct 25 2024 9 mins  
What to make of Russia and North Korea’s relationship; why Yahya Sinwar’s death matters; the effectiveness of U.S. economic policies toward China; abortion access for minors in Virginia; and how to restore freshwater ecosystems. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

The Israel-Hamas War One Year After October 7

Oct 11 2024 7 mins  
Expert insights on the crisis in the Middle East, including the humanitarian disaster, where the war might be headed next, and prospects for ending the conflict. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

The effects of artificial intelligence, pretrial mental health diversion, U.S. climate policy.

Oct 04 2024 9 mins  
China, AI, and social media manipulation; preparing for AI to transform the workforce; how a pretrial mental health diversion program is working in Los Angeles; and U.S. climate policy. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

Military and veteran caregivers, school shootings, Ukraine’s Kursk invasion.

Sep 27 2024 10 mins  
A close look at America’s military and veteran caregivers; charging the parents of school shooters; and how Ukraine’s Kursk offensive changed the geometry of the battlefield. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

Device explosions in Lebanon, school safety, managing escalation with China.

Sep 20 2024 9 mins  
‘Stunning’ explosions targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon; what teachers think about active shooter drills and school safety; managing escalation with nuclear adversaries like China; and providing more support to veterans left behind. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

AI-enhanced social media manipulation, Ukraine’s resistance to disinformation, the state of U.S. public education.

Sep 06 2024 9 mins  
Social media manipulation in the era of AI; lessons from Ukraine's resistance to Russian disinformation; what the data reveal about U.S. public education; and addressing America’s drinking water quality problems. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.

The threat of bioweapons, Ukraine’s surprise offensive, making U.S. elections safer.

Aug 23 2024 10 mins  
Reducing the risk of biological disasters; a look at Ukraine’s Kursk invasion; the problem with AC in a warming world; and preparing for political violence as the U.S. presidential election nears. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.