Collecting Our Thoughts: Selected Insights from Recent Schar School Op-Eds (July 2018)

From Time Magazine:

Mexico’s New President AMLO and Donald Trump Have Promised Mutual ‘Respect.’ How Long Can That Last?

But the main question in the new era of AMLO and his party, Morena, will be whether Mexico-U.S. border security and anti-narcotics cooperation will maintain the close cooperation established over the past 12 years. It currently seems unlikely that under AMLO, Mexico will maintain its current drugs and security policies—which have come to ally closely with U.S. anti-narcotics policies and hemispheric security interests. 

Associate Professor Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera

From Science Magazine: 

Cancel Turkey’s F-35s—and Maybe Its NATO Membership As Well

In the end, an increasingly authoritarian and politically fragile ally that cozies up to Russia, works against the U.S. war on terror, and spreads extremist forms of Islam is not much of an ally. Turkey today certainly does not act like an ally that Americans would be willing to fight and die for as required by Article 5 of the NATO charter. And Turkey is certainly not an ally that deserves the highest level of access to advanced American weaponry. 

Associate Professor A. Trevor Thrall and Political Science PhD Candidate Jordan Cohen

From Axios: 

Cybersecurity Is the Real Threat to Grid Resilience

Vulnerabilities to cyberattacks that technology and microgrids introduce must be addressed. But because coal and nuclear plants are just as susceptible to hackers as gas and renewable-fueled power systems, coal and nuclear subsidies will not do so, even in the near term. Rather, government and energy producers must work together to develop comprehensive cybersecurity measures. 

Professor Richard Kauzlarich

From the Los Angeles Times. 

To Win Over Moderates, Democrats Need a Coherent Immigration Policy

Between the disapproval of Trump’s specific measures and these more humane views on immigrants as a group, Democrats should be well positioned to capture moderates when it comes to immigration. But the Democrats offer little beyond a condemnation of Trump’s policies. Their most recognizable counter-proposal is the campaign to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, a polarizing idea that is not likely to gain widespread support. 

Assistant Professor Justin Gest and Tyler Reny

From the Harvard Business Review: 

How to Use Mindfulness to Increase Your Team’s Creativity

With mindfulness techniques we have an opportunity to strengthen the creativity of our work teams. We know that mind training can nurture key areas in the creative process. The burgeoning research suggests that people who practice mindfulness have more cognitive flexibility, are able to see beyond what they’ve already done, and are better at solving problems requiring insight. This facilitates what creativity experts refer to as the incubation and insight stages of the creative process… Organizations have an opportunity here. Simple mindfulness practices can begin to shift their teams’ levels of creativity and can be a necessary tool for addressing the complexities of today’s workplaces.

Professor Tojo Thatchenkery and Ellen Keithline Byrne 

From NBC News: 

No Collusion? Trump’s Ego Is a Bigger Threat to America Than His Courtship of Putin or Contempt for Iran

Maybe Putin has compromising material on Trump or maybe the American president is merely allowing his ego to sabotage himself, as he has over and over again these past two years. So sad! 

Professor Bill Schneider

From the National Interest: 

Will Trump’s Pressure Campaign Work?

To describe his approach as “zero-sum” is not strictly accurate. On the contrary, he regularly refers to the possibility of mutual benefit between the United States and other countries. But he is attuned to the relative gains to be had from these various negotiations—or at least what he thinks of as gains—and insists that America’s material interests be pushed more aggressively within those same diplomatic frameworks. Moreover he does not instinctively insulate economic issues from security concerns, nor U.S. allies from adversaries. All are subject to the application of leverage up and down the ladder. 

Professor Colin Dueck

From the Virginian-Pilot: 

Women Could Lead the Charge for Virginia Democrats This Year

But the unending drama surrounding Trump all but guarantees that he will be a constant and looming presence with the electorate, generally helping Republican candidates in rural districts, and hurting them in urban and suburban areas. Opposition to Trump was so strong in Virginia last year it triggered a wave election that carried Democrats to victory in statewide contests and nearly obliterated a huge Republican advantage in the General Assembly. 

Schar School Dean Mark J. Rozell