Past Grants

Stephen Grand will lead an effort to explore how the United States could supportpolitical and economic reforms in Saudi Arabia. He will commission researchand undertake a dialogue between U.S. and Saudi experts. The project’s findings will appear in a series of issue briefs, articles, and reports.

Joshua Kurlantzick will research and write a book analyzing China’s activities to increase its influence in broadcast industries worldwide. He will undertake case studies of Chinese activities in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Henry Sokolski will direct the research and publications program of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center. The center will explore how the United States can most effectively limit the nuclear proliferation risks connected with the spread of civilian nuclear power. It will undertake case studies to develop non-nuclear energy strategies for China, Taiwan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The project’s findings will appear in an edited volume and a series of articles.

Katharine Strunk and Joshua Cowen will direct the research and publications program of the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC). The collaborative will provide research and analysis for state and district officials, with a particular focus on Michigan’s efforts to improve its lowest-performing schools. The project’s findings will appear in a series of papers, reports, and policy briefs.

Thomas Mahnken will lead an effort to examine the defense and policy requirements of the new era of great power competition. He will lead a team that will analyze the systems, structures, and organizations needed to deter conflict, maintain a favorable balance of power, and, prevail in combat. The project’s findings will appear in two monographs and a series of policy briefings.

Russell Hsiao will assess China’s efforts and capabilities to manipulate public perceptions in Taiwan through overt and covert information campaigns. He will collect and analyze Chinese-language source materials in Taiwan and Hong Kong about Chinese Communist Party propaganda and disinformation; conduct interviews in the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore; and organize private workshops and public seminars with experts. The project’s findings will appear in a report and a series of briefings.

Barbara Walter will research and write a book exploring the dynamics of the current wave of civil wars around the world and possible ways to stem this violence. She will synthesize lessons from the literature on civil wars and use them to understand contemporary trends. She will also seek to test the hypothesis that incomplete democratization and the internet have been driving the increase in civil war since the turn of the century.

Michael Petrilli and Victoria McDougald will lead an effort to help junior scholars become better at disseminating their research and sharing their expertise with members of the policy community. Participants in the program will meet key members of the Washington policy community from both the executive branch and Capitol Hill; attend workshops on writing for a policy audience and using social media to extend their reach; and learn about emerging policy issues that could be informed by their current or future research.