Alexandra T. Evans

Oct 28, 2024 | uscannenbergmedia.com | Ana Susman |Alexandra T. Evans |Caitlin Roehmholdt

Election day is just over a week away. Annenberg Media created a step-by-step guide to casting your ballot in California, as well as the five most popular home states of USC students based on 2024 enrollment statistics — New York, Illinois, Texas, Washington and Florida. The 2020 presidential election saw a historic number of mail-in ballots, and the postal services are preparing for another large turnout.

Oct 20, 2023 | rand.org | Luke Matthews |Heather Williams |Alexandra T. Evans

Throughout U.S. history, Americans have upheld free speech protections as critical to the defense of democracy. But as an online extremist ecosystem has spread across social media, claims to free speech also have shielded actors that threaten democratic civil society. In just the last two years, social media platforms were used to organize a seditious conspiracy, to advance white supremacist ideas, and to sow disinformation that weakens both civil society and national security.

Oct 1, 2023 | rand.org | Michelle Grisé |Alexandra T. Evans

This research was conducted by the Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program within the RAND Arroyo Center. This commentary is part of the RAND Corporation Expert insight series. RAND Expert Insights present perspectives on timely policy issues. All RAND Expert Insights undergo peer review to ensure high standards for quality and objectivity. This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only.

Jul 17, 2023 | rand.org | Heather Williams |Alexandra T. Evans |Luke Matthews

Social scientists are fascinated with social media. These new technologies have altered how humans interact with one another, providing new windows to observe how humans communicate, learn, and build relationships. The result has been a “data gold rush (PDF),” with scholars mining for insights into human behavior. For the subset of us studying extremism, social media has a particular allure. Previously, doing such research demanded physically infiltrating groups to observe how they operated.

May 17, 2023 | rand.org | Miranda Priebe |Bryan Frederick |Alexandra T. Evans |Samuel Charap

After the Ukraine war ends, U.S.-Russian relations will remain hostile. But future U.S. policymakers will also need to balance competing demands and might therefore consider a peacetime limited less-hardline approach toward Russia. Using four historical case studies, the authors found that such approaches can lead to durable but narrow gains without emboldening the rival. But such policies may not prevent later deterioration of the relationship.