Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Jan. 23, 2025
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How Russia Uses Extremist Narratives Against Ukraine
When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia's "special military operation" into Ukraine nearly three years ago, he claimed that Ukraine was led by "far-right nationalists and neo-Nazis" and that the purpose of Russia's invasion was to "demilitarize and denazify Ukraine."
At the same time, Russian leaders and propagandists denied the existence of Ukraine and called for purging or cleansing Ukrainian territory, using terms that often mirror rhetoric preceding past genocides.
A new RAND report explores Moscow's use of such falsehoods and propaganda over social media, primarily on Telegram and X, formerly known as Twitter. The authors consider who is spreading and amplifying these extremist narratives, whether propagandists have been successful in reaching broad audiences, and the potential for Russia's narratives to raise the risk of further violence against Ukrainians.
The researchers find that, although Russia has made inroads, Moscow's ability to mainstream its propaganda and mobilize audiences against Ukrainians has been limited. The most virulent extremist conversations on X and Telegram remain highly Russian-language dominated, are concentrated in specific communities, and do not draw much attention from others in the networks.
The limited success of pro-Russian voices to spread the most-virulent narratives suggests that extensive and elaborate U.S.-led campaigns to directly counter these messages may be unnecessary. Rather, Washington's efforts may be most effective if they are indirect and support other trusted voices.
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China in the Arctic: Benign Activities or Hidden Agenda?
China's activities in the Arctic are increasing. There are growing concerns that Beijing might be on its way to becoming a security and military actor in the region and that Russia is enabling this pathway. A new RAND report looks at China's economic, scientific, and information activities in the Arctic and highlights key risks they may present. The authors find that China's data and information transmission activities pose the clearest risks, because they have the potential to allow for intelligence collection, military applications, or threats to U.S. critical infrastructure.
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How Are U.S. Public Schools Teaching Topics Related to Jewish People and History?
The ongoing crisis in the Middle East has accelerated instances of antisemitism in the United States and heightened concerns about antisemitism in schools. This climate makes it especially challenging for educators to teach students about topics related to Jewish people and their history. Results from a new RAND survey reveal insights into whether and how grade 6-12 public school teachers are providing students with instruction about the Holocaust, genocide, antisemitism, Israeli history, and Jewish life. Nearly all those surveyed said they have lessons focused on at least one of these areas. However, educators could use more guidance and more high-quality instructional materials to help students better understand these sensitive and nuanced topics.
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** RAND Recommends
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- The fall of the Assad regime in Syria could be a key factor in the growing alignment among America's four greatest adversaries. RAND's Michelle Grisé and Mark Cozad discuss.
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** Events
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Policy Lab: AI and Homeland Security
Thursday, January 30, 2025 (Online)
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