Policy Briefs

Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy’s prime minister in October 2023. A confounding member of the right-wing Brothers of Italy Party (Fratelli d’Italia), she was noted for controversial statements pertaining to social issues and economic policy. Recently, Meloni shocked China with the recent announcement to pull out from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at bolstering infrastructure projects abroad with China’s surplus. Following the announcement, Meloni met up with the Biden administration, showing a clear move to strengthen economic ties with the U.S. rather than China in preparation for departure from a once-ambitious project. This brief analyzes the reasons behind Italy’s exit from BRI, reveals the diplomatic consequences Italy may have to deal with and provides policy descriptions in maintaining concord with China.

This brief delves into the impact of entertainment on the modern economy. It analyzes the influence of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and “Barbenheimer” on economic productivity and its vital role in the US financial system. It also predicts the future of the entertainment industry and consumer spending trends.

This brief aims to analyze gender disparities in the criminal justice system and propose legislation to enforce equality. We find that sexism in criminal justice is an expansive issue affecting all gender identities and that policy solutions should target reproductive health, mental health, and intersectional disparities between LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals.

This brief delves into the intricacies of the current Affirmative Action Supreme Court Cases. It evaluates the legal battles of Harvard and UNC and how the Court decided on the fate of race in college admissions. The brief also explains the far-reaching implications of the ruling and how the future of college admissions will change.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to wage his war of atrocity in Ukraine, internal actors are becoming less willing to stay by the autocrat’s side. In the most recent and severe instance of domestic discontent, the Wagner Group — a Russian paramilitary corporation — mounted and aborted a coup against the Kremlin. Such a direct challenge to Putin’s power has sent shockwaves across the world as countries work to understand what comes next. This brief analyzes how countries are beginning to make these assessments, reveals the repercussions of the revolt on the war in Ukraine, and provides policy prescriptions for moving forward.

The criminal justice system aims to administer the law, ensure public safety, and provide justice to the offenders and the offended. The Constitution’s Bill of Rights guarantees access to due process and equal protection, which includes the right to be trialed fairly and impartially, negating the racial, sexual, socioeconomic, or ethnic identity of an individual or group. However, certain laws have made it nearly impossible to achieve true due process in its entirety, such as the Black Codes and Jim Crow laws of 1865, and the Sentencing Project amongst a few that seek to unjustly criminalize people of color. Apart from legal ordinance, racial stereotypes, personal biases amongst the law upholders, and institutional discrimination play a huge role that affect incrimination and sentencing procedures. This brief highlights the implications of the former and various other contributing factors on various stakeholders and how to improve it for the better good of all the citizens and institutional processes.

AI has grown from a concept to a full-blown field, proving to develop the most in computer science. AI learning is the ability to solve more and more complex scenarios. Recently, we have seen Generative AI like Chat-GPT come into question in education. Students are using AI for good and bad uses, which has brought concern to educators on how they can effectively manage AI in education. This brief evaluates the relatively new role of AI in education and what policies can address questions and concerns in education.

Farming as an industry is largely impacted and dictated in some way by policy, specifically the farm bill. This brief will analyze the role the farm bill plays in the industry and how its revisions can impact the future of farming.

This brief details Finland's surprising, recent membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization by revealing its shift from neutrality to active deterrence. It portrays the strong public support and political relationship between NATO and Finland, highlighting the elevated security and interoperability gained by new membership.

Our policy brief delves deep into the urgent need for holistic prisoner rehabilitation in the United States justice system, discussing the educational, resource-based, and psychological models that can strengthen prisoner reintegration into society.

Delving into the intricacies of the annual US debt ceiling debate, this comprehensive brief provides a thorough understanding of its long-standing history, the policy frameworks it revolves around, and the various conclusions that can be inferred. We aim to illuminate the inherent nature of the debt ceiling, along with exploring the potential impacts stemming from diverse solution strategies.

Race-based admissions at universities exemplify the intricate and evolving nature of affirmative action policies, with these universities encountering legal battles to shape the guidelines considering race within admissions. These debates and experiences have far-reaching implications for the future of affirmative action policies by shaping the landscape of diversity and inclusion in higher education.