In the News
News media from around the world rely on the expertise of Watson Institute faculty and researchers to help make sense of current world affairs and public policy issues. On this page, you will find articles that cite research done at Watson, opinion pieces by our faculty, interviews, podcasts and more.
In the News
News media from around the world rely on the expertise of Watson Institute faculty and researchers to help make sense of current world affairs and public policy issues. On this page, you will find articles that cite research done at Watson, opinion pieces by our faculty, interviews, podcasts and more.
In The Boston Globe, Marc Dunkelman discusses his book Why Nothing Works and the challenges facing U.S. infrastructure.
Ashutosh Varshney writes for Indian Express, "India will lower tariffs to accommodate Trump's power, not decrease them across the board for the sake of economic efficiency."
In Yahoo Finance, Wendy Schiller explains that while Trump's tariff policies have yet to impact voters directly, they will significantly affect farmers and serve as a strategic tool for political and geopolitical leverage.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discusses Trump's strategy and possible motives when it comes to ending the nearly three-year old conflict.
Ieva Jusionyte comments for El País, "In the United States, there’s huge demand for drugs and a large supply of weapons and, in Mexico, it works the other way around."
LSE European Institute Podcasts
Burning down the house: carbon politics, American power, and the almighty Dollar (interview with Mark Blyth)
In a podcast, Mark Blyth discusses how the U.S. dollar's global role has fueled economic dominance and says a shift toward carbon-driven reindustrialization under Trump could weaken U.S. influence as the world moves toward green energy.
In The Washington Post, Marc J. Dunkelman writes that progressives have weakened the administrative state, limiting the U.S. government's ability to regulate corporations and expand public works.
J. Brian Atwood told Reuters that mass layoffs at USAID would effectively dismantle the agency and endanger millions of lives worldwide.
J. Brian Atwood writes in The Hill that efforts to abolish USAID would undermine U.S. national security, arguing that the agency is highly regulated, combats poverty, and strengthens global stability in ways that serve American interests.
Lyle Goldstein writes in The Diplomat that the downfall of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has triggered a reassessment of his foreign policy, with Seoul likely shifting toward moderation to ease regional tensions.
Ieva Jusionyte told The Wall Street Journal that both the U.S. and Mexico must take action to curb gun trafficking, with Mexico strengthening its justice system and the U.S. tightening firearm purchase regulations.
Marc J. Dunkelman told NPR that progressives’ distrust of power has led to burdensome regulations that stall infrastructure but says reform is possible.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller examines how public sentiment could impact the president's willingness to allow Musk to continue with his cost-cutting mandate.
Omer Bartov told The New York Times that President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza echoes past forced displacements of Palestinians and amounts to “ethnic cleansing” disguised as a humanitarian act.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller shares her thoughts on possible presidential overreach on the heels of the DOGE team's actions.
Stephen Kinzer writes in The Boston Globe that despite Donald Trump’s admiration for William McKinley, the two presidents were fundamentally different—McKinley was cautious and consensus-driven, while Trump is impulsive and confrontational.
Robert Blair co-authored a new study that found “reciprocal group reflection” — an intervention inspired by marriage counseling — helped reduce affective polarization among opposing political parties.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discusses the implications of President Trump's sweeping orders for Congress and the Republican party.
Mark Blyth comments for the Financial Times, "If you really thought this guy was going to do something about the price of eggs, then you are probably going to be brutally disappointed."
Wendy Schiller discusses the potential impact of President Donald Trump's targeted government spending cuts in the United States and abroad in an interview with Bloomberg.
A recent NBC News article, references a report by the Costs of War project on record U.S. military aid to Israel since the war in Gaza began.
Lyle Goldstein told NK News that Trump-Kim engagement 2.0 could help deescalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula following Trump’s inauguration.
In the Financial Times, Mark Blyth warns that if Trump’s policies drive inflation, the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates despite potential backlash from the administration.
In a Bloomberg interview, Wendy Schiller discusses the nation's first week under the new Trump administration.
In Indian Express, Ashutosh Varshney examines Trump’s second presidency, noting its focus on expanding power, prioritizing popular will over law, and pursuing controversial tariffs and immigration policies.
In a Bloomberg interview, Wendy Schiller analyzes President Trump’s early second-term actions, including his legislative strategy, executive orders, and major policy announcements.
The Boston Globe
The secretary of state is irrelevant now (written by Stephen Kinzer)
Stephen Kinzer writes for The Boston Globe, "Marco Rubio will be one of Trump’s least influential Cabinet members. It’s not his fault."
In ABC News, Timothy Edgar highlights TikTok's $850 billion liability risk under U.S. law and notes potential app degradation over time without updates.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discusses the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States.
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Wendy Schiller analyzes what Donald Trump said — and didn’t say — in his inauguration speech.
In The Hill, J. Brian Atwood warns that reforms aimed at empowering the president at the expense of career civil servants risk undermining effective governance and demonizing dedicated public servants.
Wendy Schiller comments for The Guardian, “The Hunter Biden pardon will be the biggest black mark on his presidency because he promised and he gave his word that he wouldn’t do it and then he did it."
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discussed the potential challenges and priorities of President-elect Donald Trump's upcoming term.
A piece in Medium cites data from the Costs of War Project on the number of casualties in the Afghan war.
Timothy Edgar comments for CBS News, "This generation may be in for a very rude awakening if the law goes into effect and they find a major social media platform that they came to rely on as creators, or just users, is suddenly not available."
In an opinion essay for The Boston Globe, Marc Dunkelman asserts, “What voters really want is more of what the establishment once provided and is now in such short supply: the ability of government to deliver.”
Harvard Gazette
Is TikTok’s time nearly up? (interview with Timothy Edgar)
In an interview with Harvard Gazette, Timothy Edgar discussed national security and First Amendment issues as the popular platform TikTok faces a legal deadline.
A recent New York Times article referenced a piece on the psychology of revenge and deterrence co-authored by Rose McDermott.
Timothy Edgar explained to CBS News what TikTok users might expect if a potential ban on the app is enacted.
In the Providence Journal, Wendy Schiller commented on the political nuances and complications that come with House speakers trying to run for statewide office.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discussed the confirmation hearings for Donald Trump’s leadership picks.
In The Telegraph, Lyle Goldstein suggests China has studied WWII's Normandy invasion tactics and has the shipbuilding capacity to deploy the necessary barges for a Taiwan assault despite expected losses.
In his Boston Globe column, Stephen Kinzer critiques President Biden's foreign policy legacy as marked by limited achievements.
Timothy Edgar explained the potential impacts of a TikTok ban on users for ABC News.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discussed the legacy of Jimmy Carter.
Timothy Edgar comments for Yahoo News, "If we consider that there are 170 million active monthly users of TikTok in the United States, the volume of free speech at risk is the largest of any Supreme Court case in American history."
The Atlantic
The anti-social century (comments by Marc Dunkelman)
In The Atlantic, Marc Dunkelman discusses how "chosen solitude" warps social attitudes, even in an age of constant connection.
In Reuters, Timothy Edgar discusses the looming action over the future of TikTok.
Wendy Schiller comments for Al Día News, "Political parties, like social networks, thrive on divisiveness, so it's not very surprising (that a company) like Meta would stop fact-checking."
In El País, Ieva Jusionyte says Trump’s tough rhetoric on Mexico targets migrants and fentanyl but may escalate violence and exploitation by organized crime under stricter immigration policies.
In The Hill, Lyle Goldstein warned that a U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan would be catastrophic and unnecessary, urging annual summits and a reassessment of U.S. policy to prevent escalation.
In Barron's, Wendy Schiller said social media companies like Meta are stepping back from fact-checking because division benefits both political parties and platforms, though the variety of outlets helps prevent any single entity from controlling information flow.
The Indian Express
The Hindutva-Ambedkar puzzle (written by Ashutosh Varshney)
In his column for The Indian Express, Ashutosh Varshney examines the contradictions in Hindutva's relationship with B.R. Ambedkar, contrasting Ambedkar's call for caste annihilation with V.D. Savarkar's instrumental critique of caste to forge Hindu unity against Muslims.
In The Hill, Lyle Goldstein commented on U.S.-China relations.
In an interview with PBS, J. Brian Atwood discussed critiques of U.S. foreign aid, highlighting concerns about its effectiveness and the influence of the so-called "aid industrial complex."
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Wendy Schiller discussed the dynamics between Trump and Musk that she will be watching during Trump's second term in office.
In The Hill, J. Brian Atwood warns of the risks in Donald Trump’s Panama Canal rhetoric, stressing the treaties’ significance and value of pragmatic diplomacy.
In a piece for The Hill, J. Brian Atwood highlighted the historical significance of the Panama Canal treaties, warning that Trump's threats over shipping fees risk reigniting divisive issues resolved through Carter's pragmatic diplomacy.
Wendy Schiller breaks down the challenges facing the Republican-led U.S. Congress ahead of the House speakership vote and on the heels of deadly incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Wendy Schiller discusses how Republican infighting in Congress could impact Trump's second-term policies, including the national deficit and fiscal legislation.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller breaks down the challenges facing the Republican-led US Congress ahead of Friday's House speakership vote and on the heels of deadly incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
Wendy Schiller comments for Yahoo News, "All presidents use their power to pardon or commute sentences at the end of their presidencies."
Lyle Goldstein comments for Business Insider, "From my observation, they train hard; they are well equipped and disciplined, and they're given stringent ideological training for the reason that they are probably, in my view, the primary reserve force for section invasion."
Stephen Kinzer writes for The Boston Globe, "Carter refused to become a bland elder statesman and did not shy away from controversy."
In an interview with PBS, Wendy Schiller discussed Rhode Island's political highlights of 2024 and shared predictions for the year ahead.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller explains why President-elect Donald Trump will look to take advantage of his executive powers and bypass Congress to the extent possible when his new term begins next month.
Responsible Statecraft
Trump can leverage the Arctic to end Ukraine War (written by Lyle Goldstein)
In Responsible Statecraft, Lyle Goldstein argues that including Arctic development incentives in peace negotiations could entice Russia to end the Ukraine war and promote broader geopolitical and economic benefits.
In a PBS interview, Wendy Schiller discussed concerns over the state’s response to the cyberattack on Rhode Island's public benefits system and the warnings that preceded the breach.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Wendy Schiller discusses the latest on the potential for a government shutdown.
In an interview with CNN, Omer Bartov discussed the Israeli army's operations in Gaza.
Omer Bartov comments for The Guardian, “People are suddenly, in America, avoiding speaking about it, or being advised not to speak, being threatened somewhat.”