Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Oct. 16, 2025
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How to Stabilize the U.S.-China Rivalry
Growing tensions between the United States and China pose serious risks, including economic warfare, political subversion, and outright military conflict. What might it take to keep competition between the world's two superpowers from spiraling out of control? A new RAND report explores that question and outlines several recommendations to stabilize the U.S.-China rivalry. Here are just a few:
- Clarify U.S. objectives. The United States could adopt language that explicitly rejects absolute versions of victory and accepts the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party.
- Seek agreements to limit cyber competition. It is possible to achieve changes in China's behavior through formal public accords and private understandings.
- Declare mutual acceptance of strategic nuclear deterrence. This could begin with simple statements on nuclear use and broad commitments to not threaten the security of one another deterrents.
Even though the United States and China remain far from conceptualizing an end to their rivalry, steps like these could lay the groundwork for stabilizing the competition. As the authors note, "Reducing the risk of crises, preventing unnecessary cascading of competitive moves, and preserving limited areas for positive coordination can benefit both sides."
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Inaccuracies in Homeless Counts Could Jeopardize Progress
A new RAND study finds that Los Angeles County's official homeless counts increasingly underestimate the number of people living on the street in three key neighborhoods. These shortfalls in Hollywood, Venice, and Skid Row align with a rise in "rough sleeping," or living without a tent or vehicle. The undercount risks diverting essential resources from high-need areas and eroding recent gains in addressing homelessness in Los Angeles.
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Preparing for AI-Human Collaboration
As companies invest heavily in AI, your new teammate at work could be a machine. The potential for such collaboration is clear, says RAND's Nelson Lim: "If we effectively combine the computational power of AI with the intuition, creativity, and ethical judgment of a human, the team will achieve more than either could alone." But before that promise becomes a reality, leaders must answer a crucial question: When the AI-human team fails, who will be held accountable?
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- Teachers report experiencing worse work-life balance than other working adults. A new RAND study explores.
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** Events
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An Examination of Migration in Afghanistan
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 (Online)
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The 'Big Shift' from Hospitals to Communities
Thursday, November 6, 2025 (Online)
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** Policy Minded, RAND's Flagship Podcast
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On Policy Minded, we pick the brains of the world's top policy experts. In each episode, RAND researchers join us for conversations that go beyond the headlines--bringing you insights you can't find anywhere else.
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