Past Grants

Elizabeth Rosenberg and Peter Harrell will lead an effort to develop a framework for thinking about the optimal use of coercive economic measures, including the threat or imposition of restrictions on trade and investment, in the U.S.–China competition. They will undertake research; conduct interviews with experts and officials in Washington, New York, Singapore, and Australia; and organize three workshops in Washington. The project’s findings will appear in a report and a series of briefings.

Christopher O’Dea will research and write a book exploring the nature and implications of China’s bid to project its geopolitical power through dominance of the global logistics system. He will analyze open-source materials and conduct interviews in Asia, the European Union, Australia, and the United States to document China’s state-backed effort to create an integrated system connecting manufacturing centers, transshipment facilities, containerized shipping companies, foreign port facilities, and forward distribution systems.

Mira Rapp-Hooper and Rebecca Lissner will research and write a book that analyzes the international and domestic trends that will shape the security environment over the next ten to fifteen years and undertakes a competitive analysis of competing approaches to U.S. strategy.

Donald Kohn will lead a task force to identify potential threats to the stability of the financial system and develop policies to mitigate those threats. The task force will explore developments, such as the rise in lending outside the banking sector and an increase in the level of borrowing by firms, that could create financial system vulnerabilities. The project’s findings will appear in a report and policy briefs.

Michael Greenstone will direct the research and publications program of the Energy and Environment Lab. The lab will work with public officials in regional offices of the Environmental Protection Agency and state environmental agencies to undertake research projects focused on improving policy outcomes. These techniques include using predictive analytics to target inspections, monitoring discharges using real-time data, and fielding randomized controlled trials to test effective enforcement measures and improve screening. The lab’s output will appear in a series of reports, papers, and policy briefs.

Mark Cancian will examine how the United States may better employ surprise to its advantage in great power competitions. He will conduct interviews, undertake research, and organize an expert working group. The project’s findings will appear in a report and a series of briefings.

Glen Howard will assess the evolving role of Belarus in the competition between Russia and the West. He will conduct field work, convene policy workshops, and commission papers in order to examine whether and how the United States and its European allies should engage Belarus to offset Russian influence. The project’s findings will appear in a report.

Robert Moffitt will examine why the employment rate for women has declined since 2000 and consider the need for public policy responses. He will assess whether the decline results from changes in the demand for women’s labor; decisions based on family obligations, such as the care of young children; or the generosity of safety net programs, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. The project’s findings will appear in a series of papers.

Diane Levy and Rolf Pendall will explore the extent to which the reform of land use regulations can stimulate economic development by increasing the production of housing units and lowering rental costs. They will build a database of reforms undertaken to liberalize land use regulations across the country and then assess whether those reforms were associated with changes in housing permits issued, housing units constructed, and rental costs. They will also conduct analyses of how some reforms were implemented in order to understand how political obstacles to liberalizing land use rules can be overcome. The project’s findings will appear in a report and a series of policy briefs.