Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Sept. 10, 2024
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How Russia Is Using Gold in Wartime
In response to Western economic pressure, Russia has turned to gold to support its economy, evade sanctions, and bolster its international trade. That's according to a new RAND Europe report, which reveals how Moscow pivoted toward gold to shore up its economy in the months leading up to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia's reliance on gold has only increased since.
Although gold is not and will not become a substitute for Russia's oil exports, it does affect the country's capacity to generate revenue and its monetary policy. Gold is also central to Russia's international campaign for de-dollarization. And it's key to Russia's most important wartime relationships, such as those with China, Turkey, Iran, and the UAE. Further, as one of the world's top gold producers, Russia now wields significant influence over international production.
"Gold is a crucial feature of Russia's hybrid threat," said lead author John Kennedy, "and it is important Western governments are aware of this as they seek to maintain pressure on Moscow."
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A Closer Look at the Job of Public School Superintendents
Results from a new RAND survey reveal a divide among superintendents of small school districts (those with fewer than 3,000 students) and superintendents of large districts (those serving 10,000 or more). For example, district budgets topped small-district superintendents' list of stressors, while the intrusion of political issues and opinions into schooling was the most common stressor among large-district superintendents. Notably, the authors say that the contrast between these two groups' experiences is so stark that it suggests the very job of superintendent is substantially different in large, urban districts versus small, rural districts.
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Using Space Force Capabilities to Better Humanity
How might the U.S. Space Force help address challenges like climate change, food insecurity, and communicable diseases? RAND researchers explore this question in a new paper, concluding that the Space Force is well-suited to be a leader on human security issues. For example, Space Force technologies could help support environmental monitoring to enable advance warning of potentially dangerous weather. Importantly, however, many barriers must be addressed to successfully use Space Force capabilities to tackle human security challenges.
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** RAND Recommends
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- Following the deadly school shooting in Winder, Georgia, last week, the FBI's Atlanta field office revealed it had previously received anonymous tips about "online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time." Speaking to Education Week, RAND's Pauline Moore explained why responding to threats is so difficult.
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- A new Washington Post column by David Ignatius mentions an ongoing RAND project exploring whether artificial general intelligence will emerge gradually or suddenly, and whether the country that obtains AGI first will have an unbreakable advantage.
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- RAND's Aaron Clark-Ginsberg recently wrote about the power of community in disaster recovery, which is often untapped and unrealized in disaster management preparation and response efforts.
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** Events
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Policy Lab: New Evidence for the Effects of U.S. Gun Policies
Thursday, September 26, 2024 (Online)
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What Happens to Veterans Who Leave the Military Under Other Than Honorable Conditions?
Thursday, September 26, 2024 (Online)
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All Elements of National Power: The Way Ahead for the Next National Defense Strategy
Thursday, September 26, 2024 (Washington, D.C., and Online)
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