Policy Briefs

Since the turn of the 21st century, China has strategically developed geopolitical interests within the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, with key investments in natural resources to many of the largest South American state-owned enterprises.

This brief explains how North Korea originally developed its nuclear program, as well as highlights the involvement of nations such as Russia and China. It also details how military aggression has stressed relations on the peninsula, with consideration to major actors such as Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. Lastly, it explains the possible repercussions of escalated tensions, noting the possibility of nuclear proliferation, as well as proposing the approach that the U.S. should take to attempt to de-escalate and, at the time, commit to its allies in the region.

This brief will review the run on the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the looming implications. This bank was a cornerstone of one of the largest areas of economic prosperity in the U.S., it is not new as we have seen banks run throughout history. However, it has forced us to analyze the event in terms of policy that led to it occurring or could have prevented it from happening in order to improve the future economy.

U.S. relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) were established in 1979 after the U.S. confirmed its recognition and established diplomatic ties. However, since then, relations between the two countries have been contentious, with the U.S. and China experiencing strict political and economic competition with each other. In an effort to gain the upper hand, both states have launched counterintelligence programs that focus on collecting data from tragically important nations.

This brief details the rationale behind Finnish and Swedish accession to NATO, highlighting historical tensions between the Nordic nations and Russia, as well as obstacles Finland and Sweden face in the ratification of their accession. Finally, with regard to U.S. interests, it outlines the measures to ensure speedy ratification and clarification and clear communication of intent during the accession process.

When running for public office, individuals will attempt to maximize the contributions they receive as a means to help further their campaign. This brief will cover the history of campaign financing, the policy that surrounds it, and other policy options. This allows us to understand the current and desired impact of campaign financing on elections.

The First Amendment’s right to free speech has attempted to combat the effects of censorship, specifically with books, but efforts to keep books with various values have prevailed.

In this brief, we examine the current state of monkeypox in the United States. Specifically, we focus on disease transmission and past outbreaks, the efficacy of current measures, and policy propositions.

This brief examines the ongoing conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a focus on the decades-long political and ethnic disputes between the DRC and Rwanda. It explains the reemergence of combativeness, as well as the efforts that are taken by neighboring nations and international entities to mitigate hostility within the region. Lastly, it explains U.S. priorities within the region and how the U.S. should address the possibility of further escalation of the conflict.

This brief will cover President Biden’s new student loan forgiveness proposal in relation to its economic implications. The relevance, history, related policy options, and a conclusion about said policy options will be demonstrated.

This brief will cover the current strength of the U.S. dollar and what it means for the economy. Relevance, history, related policy options, and a conclusion about said policy options will be demonstrated.

This brief explains the long dependency of European nations on Russian oil and fossil fuels and how it has played a significant role in the European energy crisis following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.