In the News

Fellow Marc Dunkelman offered commentary on the changing landscape of social interaction in the U.S. "Naturally, the desire to find people who fit our niche will expand to include people who have a different viewpoint, a different experience."

Associate Professor of Economics John Friedman, sat down with WPRI's Ted Nesi to discuss the interactive mapping tool he co-created called the Opportunity Atlas.

Professors Peter Andreas and Mark Blyth are mentioned in an article published by the Cambridge University Press that "identifies the 100 currently most-cited scholars, the 25 most-cited in each PhD cohort and subfield, the 40 most cited-women scholars, and the 25 most-cited emeriti."

Mark Blyth, director of the Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance, spoke with the Financial Times about the politicking of central banking, the hurdles to finding a U.S.-China trade war resolution, and how China can manage the financial risks building in its economy.

Senior Fellow Timothy Edgar joins Dan Yorke on WPRI's State of Mind to discuss the impacts of the government shutdown and the border wall.

Political scientist Wendy Schiller joined Minnesota Public Radio to discuss what the Democrats will do now that they have control of the House.

A new infographic released by the Costs of War Project reveals that the United States is now combatting terrorism in 40% of the world's nations.

Senior Fellow Brian Atwood is among the authors of a letter to the OECD/DAC on efforts to give countries Official Development Assistance (ODA) credit for private development expenditures.

Recent research by the Costs of War Project is cited in an opinion article in the New York Times. "The total cost of the war could reach as high as $2 trillion when long-term costs are factored in, according to Brown University's Cost of War Project."

Senior Fellow Stephen Kinzer makes his government and foreign relations predictions for the new year.

Senior Fellow Stephen Kinzer in The Boston Globe, "If Trump sticks to his peacemaking guns — if he indeed withdraws American troops from Syria and scales back American ambitions there — the next step should be to apply the same approach to the entire Middle East."

A recent study by the Costs of War Project, which estimates that the U.S. has spent nearly $6 trillion on wars post-9/11, is cited in an article on the U.S. military's activity in 2018.

Political Scientist Wendy Schiller offers comments on Nancy Pelosi's political experience and influence in Washington. "She has the political force of character, and she has the temperament and the strategic instincts that come with being very experienced in the Democratic Party leadership."

Senior Fellow Deborah Gordon comments on U.S. oil, saying "We're giving away oil that is potentially much lower-emitting oil, and we're importing oil that is very carbon-intensive."

This explainer piece on the implications of Qatar's departure from OPEC was written by Jeff Colgan, an associate professor of political science.

Nina Tannenwald comments on the current state of U.S.-Russia relations saying, "I think there's going to be no dialogue on arms control with Russia as long as John Bolton is the National Security adviser."

James N. Green, Director of the Brazil Initiative, comments on a bill pending in Brazil's National Congress that would go as far as to bar the use of "gender" in teaching, saying "with the election of Bolsonaro and a more conservative Congress, there is a possibility the bill might get traction."

James N. Green in Inside Higher Ed on a bill pending in the National Congress would go so far as to bar the use of the term "gender" in teaching: "...with the election of Bolsonaro and a more conservative Congress, there is a possibility the bill might get traction."

This column by Stephen Kinzer argues that one of the most important and overlooked factors fueling Central Americans' desire to leave their home countries for the United States is gender-based violence.

Nina Tannenwald joined a panel with Foreign Affairs for a discussion on nuclear weapons and prevention of their spread to other nations.

Senior Fellow Timothy Edgar received the 2018 Chicago-Kent College of Law/Roy C. Palmer Civil Liberties Prize for his book, Beyond Snowden: Privacy, Mass Surveillance, and the Struggle to Reform the NSA. The Prize "honors exemplary works of scholarship exploring the tension between civil liberties and national security in contemporary American society."

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Senior Fellow and President Emerita of BakerRipley, Angela Blanchard, in the Houston Chronicle, "Houston was welcoming the world — albeit haphazardly and without much self-awareness. Families were arriving daily from places gripped by misery and struggle."

Associate Professor Jeff Colgan joined St. Louis' KTRS After Show to discuss the impact of oil and the United States' reliance on Saudi oil.

A new study recently released by the Costs of War Project estimates that the United States has spent $5.9 trillion on wars following 9/11.

Senior Fellow Stephen Kinzer in The Boston Globe, "As a new Congress prepares to take office, incoming members are challenging the status quo on health care, climate change, tax policy and other domestic issues. Few, however, have shown much interest in world affairs."

Senior Fellow Richard Arenberg offered commentary on the upcoming vote for House speaker, saying "The opposition is banking on this being a 'change election.'"

Middle East Studies concentrator Rhea Stark '19 has won a 2019 Rhodes Scholarship, one of the highest academic honors in the nation, which provides all expenses for two or three years of graduate study at the University of Oxford in England.

Neta Crawford, Boston University professor and Co-Director of the Costs of War Project, joined NPR's Morning Edition to discuss the recent study that estimates the U.S. has spent $5.9 trillion on wars following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Senior Fellow Timothy Edgar offered commentary on the midterm election results on WPRI's Dan Yorke State of Mind.

This article cites research from the Costs of War Project saying, "These various post-9/11 foreign policy failures have cost our debt-riddled nation at least $1.5 trillion in direct costs... and more than $5 trillion in ancillary costs—such as interest and future veterans expenses—according to a 2017 analysis by the Watson Center at Brown University."

Senior Fellow Stephen Kinzer in The Boston Globe, "In one way, though, Bolsonaro is scarier than any of those other political thugs. He is not only a provocateur who thrives by turning people against each other, but also a product of the darkest period in modern Latin American history."

Political scientist Wendy Schiller joined NBC 10 News to discuss the results of the midterm elections.

Senior Fellow Richard Arenberg comments on the upcoming plans of the current Congress, before the new Congress is sworn in in January. "Democrats have no incentive to agree to funding that they have steadfastly oppose except in the context of a broader immigration policy agreement."

A new report published by the Cost of War Project estimates the death toll in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq after the 9/11 attacks between 480,000 and 507,000 people.

Chas Freeman, Senior Fellow and former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, joins Monocle's The Foreign Desk to discuss the dozens of vacant ambassadorships under the Trump administration.

Political economist Mark Blyth joined WBUR's Radio Open Source with Christoper Lydon to discuss the results of the midterm election.

Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller said she believes Elorza's landslide victory is evidence that voters are pleased with the direction in which Providence is headed. "It matters how people view the progress of the city more than the actions of campaigning."

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren stopped by Brown last night for the Taubman Center's Governor Frank Licht '38 Lecture series, speaking on the central question of "Who does government work for?"

Political scientist Wendy Schiller said politicians usually hang on to leftover campaign money "until they figure out what the next steps are in their political life."

Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller joined Bloomberg's morning show to discuss midterm election results.

Political scientist Wendy Schiller offered commentary on Nancy Pelosi's political legacy and future, saying "Everything about the rules of the game, about achieving power, has changed out from under her."

Marc Dunkelman, Fellow in International and Public Affairs, said the decline in neighborly interactions across North America is due in part to the rise of digital communication.

Professor Omer Bartov said he saw similarities between contemporary Republicans' campaign posters of Jewish opponents holding fistfuls of cash and famous Nazi posters from the 1940s. "Much of the rhetoric is about how the left is going to destroy everything, destroy the economy, bring this invasion of barbarians — all of this was very much part of fascist and Nazi xenophobia."

Senior Fellow Richard Arenberg in USA Today, "At its best, which many Americans still remember, the Senate was the place where the parties came together, through extended debate and super-majority requirements, to find common ground to move our contentious, diverse nation ahead."

Professor Ross Cheit was awarded the prestigious Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Trust Award for inspiring a former student to make a difference in his or her community.

James N. Green, Director of the Brazil Initiative, sat down with Democracy Now! to discuss what President-elect Jair Bolsonaro means for the future of Brazil. "...the Bolsonaro government... is probably going to be implementing a series of extremely reactionary changes to the country..."

Sociologist Michael Kennedy in RI Future, "Even before the last week's violence, I expected the Democrats to take back the House. This last week makes that anticipation almost a sure thing."