FSI Stanford

As more people live to 100+ more frequently, what policies need to change so that longer lives are healthier, more financially secure, and more connected? David Rehkopf of @healthpolicy.stanford.edu explains how the Stanford Center on Longevity is tackling this question. https://ow.ly/SFYn5101ceT

What brings democracies back from the brink? Anna Grzymala-Busse and Alberto Diaz Cayeros compare experiences in Europe and Latin America to show that democracy can recover from illiberal rule, but only where it delivers for citizens and if voters keep showing up. https://ow.ly/KCQ15100Iqr

The rules of how power works and who holds it are changing, Stanford CISAC's Amy Zegart joins Colin Kahl on the World Class podcast to explain what this means for national security, intelligence gathering, and deterrence in the new global order. https://ow.ly/iBKo5100nS6

Join our colleagues at @siepr.bsky.social on October 23 for a policy forum on Africa's economic potential, including a fireside chat with @frankfukuyama.bsky.social! Details below ⬇️

"It’s the same old playbook—appease Putin and then hope he will kindly end his invasion. It hasn’t worked before; it isn’t working now." Read more from Michael McFaul in The Dispatch on why he believes a pivot towards Russia hurts U.S. national security. https://ow.ly/OWUz51003eY

It was our pleasure to welcome former congressman and ambassador Jeff Flake to Stanford for the S.T. Lee Lecture. Ambassador Flake discussed the current U.S. political climate, opportunities for bi-partisanship, and America's global leadership role. https://youtu.be/luHRTh6p9Qo

A new survey by Jeff Hancock of the Stanford Tech Impact and Policy Center and colleagues indicates that the more coworkers turn to AI for help rather than a teammate, the more their trust in each other and their ability to coordinate seems to erode. https://ow.ly/3NVk50ZZ3fk

🗓️ EVENT TOMORROW | Oct. 20, 12:00pm PT Join Stanford APARC for the 2026 Journalism Award honoring Shibani Mahtani and her coverage of the erosion of democracy and human rights across Southeast Asia. A panel with Anna Fifield, Oren Samet, and James Hamilton will follow. https://ow.ly/H45Z50ZVFg2

🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE 🎧 Amy Zegart joins Colin Kahl on World Class to discuss what's old, what's new, what's familiar and what's novel in how nations and other actors are competing politically, militarily, economically, and in the realms of security and intelligence. https://ow.ly/tamI50ZYAZn

It makes sense that autocratic leaders like Putin and Xi are afraid of democracies, but that doesn't mean democracies need to be afraid or kowtow to autocracies, says Michael McFaul. 🎧 Listen to his full conversation on the Clearer Than Truth podcast. https://ow.ly/hxIo50ZY3Pc

"It is the principle of human equality, and not the celebration of great individuals, that has underlined a lot of American foreign policy over the decades." Read more from Francis Fukuyama on the role recognition does —and does not— play in a democracy. https://ow.ly/y2Zf50ZWYM9

When thinking about online safety for kids, Sunny Liu of Stanford Tech Impact and Policy Center suggests parents: ▪️ Be "curious not furious" about a child's online habits ▪️ Communicate and share both ways ▪️ Create an environment of trust and open dialogue https://ow.ly/xVmW50ZWZI6

A U.S. deal with Russia on diesel will do little to relieve fuel prices and much to curtail America's negotiating power and credibility on the world stage, former ambassador Steven Pifer of Stanford CISAC warns. https://ow.ly/yrZQ50ZWCFw

🗓️ UPCOMING EVENT | Oct. 20, 12:00pm PT Join the Stanford APARC for the 2026 Journalism Award honoring Shibani Mahtani and her coverage of the erosion of democracy and human rights in Southeast Asia. A panel with Anna Fifield, Oren Samet, and James Hamilton will follow. https://ow.ly/tIQp50ZW07N

Is the U.S. exceptional? Analysis from Stanford CDDRL scholars offers new ways of conceptualizing the idea of "exceptionalism," and how that can help scholars better contextualize the American experience in comparison to other nations. 📄 READ MORE: https://ow.ly/Erj350ZVZfj

Reporting from his travels in Germany, Francis Fukuyama discusses how the rise of the far-right AfD Party can be traced to not just an unequal distribution of material goods, but also to marginalization and the perceived unequal distribution of respect. https://ow.ly/Uofw50ZV7nh

"AI systems can cause nuclear war even if people remain in charge. AI need not launch a weapon, recommend a strike, or intend harm. Human fallibility—amplified by machines—may be enough to lead to catastrophe." Read more from Herb Lin in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists ➡️ https://ow.ly/xzHg50ZUFtr

Analysis from scholars at SCCEI shows that while the U.S.-China direct trade relationship has undergone an extraordinary unwinding, it has not been replaced by a clean break with China or a radically more dispersed global supply chain. https://ow.ly/S0zI50ZTIca

Beyond the fanfare and photo ops, what did the Trump-Xi summit in Washington achieve? Mark Lambert joins the Stanford APARC Briefing series to discuss both leaders’ near-term interests and still unaddressed challenges of AI, Taiwan, and Iran. https://ow.ly/hfgp50ZTzji

Data shows that mass incarceration in the United States is coming to an end. As high-crime cohorts age out of the system, Keith Humphreys calls for renewed research and updated policies that reflect the new realities. 📄 READ MORE: https://ow.ly/MTCm50ZSU36

Celebrate #InternationalPodcastDay by listening to #WorldClassPodcast with FSI director Colin Kahl! Hear conversations about AI and its implications; how to understand the conflicts in Russia, Ukraine, and Iran; and unpack U.S. competition with China. 🎧 LISTEN HERE: https://ow.ly/xryL50ZSsOW

🎧 @healthpolicy.stanford.edu has a new podcast! Listen to the inaugural episode of "Health Policy Forum," with Michelle Mello and host Paul Costello as they parse what is medical reality and what is headline hype in the world of healthcare AI. https://ow.ly/Wm4v50ZSsF0

A study from FSI Senior Fellow Jennifer Pan and her colleagues shows that self selection, home-country shocks, and host-country context all play a role in shaping the political ideology, attitude, and identity of Chinese students studying abroad. 📄 READ MORE: https://ow.ly/o6G450ZRlfW

.Michael McFaul shares his wishlist for what he hopes was discussed during the Trump-Xi meeting: ▪️ Iranian sanctions and trade ▪️Russian secondary sanctions ▪️Future U.S. military assistance for Taiwan ▪️The detention of American scholar Min Zin https://youtu.be/Ym2ePxxaO-4?si=AdOXMWaLIE7c3EWC&t=306

"AI is a tool that can be used for good or bad purposes. And it does not need either consciousness or autonomous intentionality to become dangerous." Read more from Francis Fukuyama on his evolving viewpoints on AI ↘️ https://ow.ly/VF4550ZQOAo

Curious about the issues surrounding Xi Jinping's visit to Washington? Check out THE SILICON TRIANGLE, edited by @larrydiamond.bsky.social, which explores the inter-connectivity of tech, AI, security, and the economies of the U.S., China, and Taiwan. 📚 READ HERE: https://ow.ly/44le50ZPSpu

🎦 UPCOMING LIVESTREAM | Sept. 23, 4:00pm PT Want to know how the "End of History" began? Join Stanford CDDRL for an evening with Francis Fukuyama and a discussion of his new memoir, "In the Realm of the Last Man." https://ow.ly/4AmE50ZPRyu

Has NATO made Europe safer? Or is the expansion of the alliance provoking actors like Russia towards more aggression? Michael McFaul joins Emma Ashford on Foreign Policy's Counterpoint to talk through both sides of the debate. https://ow.ly/tAUk50ZPuce

A new report from the Stanford Tech Impact and Policy Center offers one of the first cross-sector attempts to understand the dual-use nature of AI companionship, and what remains unclear about its effects on individuals and society. https://ow.ly/qcsi50ZOWVb

The Democracy Action Lab at @stanfordcddrl.bsky.social has launched the Democracy Garage, Latin America's first democracy accelerator. This project will work with eight organizations to co-develop strategies tailored to specific democratic challenges in the region. fsi.stanford.edu/news/democra...

Have you listened to the latest episode of #WorldClassPodcast? FSI Director Colin Kahl talks to James Fearon of Stanford CISAC about why nations go to war and how to prevent more conflicts from happening in the future. 🎧 Listen at the link below https://ow.ly/msQ050ZO5iq

Scott Sagan of Stanford CISAC has been named the inaugural Harry Frank Guggenheim Fellow for Nuclear Ethics and Security at the Carnegie Council. The fellowship supports his research and forthcoming book on the ethical, legal, and strategic challenges of nuclear weapons. https://ow.ly/Tjcz50ZNzjh

Francis Fukuyama joins Ezra Klein to discuss the real meaning of "the end of history," and how Fukuyama's original text can help explain contemporary politics and the state of liberalism today. https://ow.ly/nsAx50ZNaSK

On the anniversary of 9/11, Amy Zegart of Stanford CISAC reflects on how her approach to teaching students about that day has changed as the events have shifted from being a shared memory to distant history. https://ow.ly/b2sL50ZM6hz

As the world gasps through another summer of wildfires, Marshall Burke joins other scientists and Stanford Medicine experts to explain the health dangers of wildfire smoke and how to mitigate them. https://ow.ly/h6P050ZLFyb

We are pleased to announce that James Fearon will serve as the next co-director of Stanford CISAC, effective September 16. He will succeed Scott Sagan, who has been in the role since 2021. Congrats, Jim! https://ow.ly/tUFj50ZKAMp

China's scientific expertise and rigor is on the rise, and those gains are being driven by U.S.-based and foreign-educated scientists returning home to China from abroad, finds research from the Center on China's Economy and Institutions. https://ow.ly/Y6TR50ZHXIl

In his forthcoming memoir, Francis Fukuyama sets the record straight on "the end of history," how his experiences as a political scientist led him to his theory in the first place, and where his thinking has led him since. https://ow.ly/P23450ZHvuN

China's local governments have a bigger impact on the country's central political and economic systems than might seem apparent at first glance. Jean Oi of Stanford APARC discusses the interplay between the two, and how they point to the need for fiscal reform. https://ow.ly/7U1250ZGQ9L

Are you subscribed to the World Class podcast with Colin Kahl? Tune in to conversations about what's happening in the world, and why, with some of the best scholars and top thinkers on the pressing issues of today. New episodes coming soon! 🎧 LISTEN HERE: https://ow.ly/Ti3W50Z9ueg

Congratulations to Michael McFaul on receiving the 2026 Hubert H. Humphrey Award from the American Political Science Association. The award is an annual recognition to honor notable public service by a political scientist https://ow.ly/BfvK50ZGhU0

Using the trade war with Canada and the reduction of joint military exercises with South Korea as examples, Michael McFaul cautions against the over-personalization of American foreign policy. https://ow.ly/W0gn50ZFZP8

In a candid conversation, Francis Fukuyama discusses how history, world events, friends, and politics have shaped and changed his views on the idea of the state, what makes states successful, and what contributes to their dysfunction and downfall. https://ow.ly/2Kbr50ZFt5n

We're delighted to welcome prominent sociologist Pei-Chia Lan as the Wang and Chen Senior Fellow in Taiwan Studies at @fsi.stanford.edu & director of APARC's Taiwan Program, effective Sep. 1. She joins from National Taiwan University to lead the program's next chapter. Read on: stanford.io/4y1AJsG

Research from Stanford APARC's Asia Health Policy Program shows that care-robot adoption improves staff retention and boosts employment without displacing workers, offering policymakers in other aging societies a data-backed approach to labor shortages. https://ow.ly/M2EB50ZEYTq

Researchers @healthpolicy.stanford.edu have built the first global map of age-specific heat danger, factoring in how bodies age 65+ lose the ability to cool themselves as temperatures climb, with the aim to guide health officials, emergency planners, and policymakers. https://ow.ly/ArT550ZCWcv

As debate continues over how to regulate AI, Andrew Grotto of @stanfordcisac.bsky.social makes the case for why he believes cybersecurity resilience and AI diffusion goals are both served best by open approaches to cybersecurity governance. 📄READ MORE: www.nbr.org/publication/...

Speaking with The Kyiv Independent, Michael McFaul explains how we got to the Russia of today, what could have been different, and what may be in store in an eventual post-Putin future. https://ow.ly/w9CQ50ZBYz3

How deep or long-lasting is North Korea's commitment to Russia? Dan Sneider explains why he thinks the durability of the North Korea-Russia partnership depends on the outcome of the war in Ukraine and its economic and political impact on Russia. https://ow.ly/bmzB50ZB1xK

The success of Chinese open weight AI models has created a fundamental tension for the CCP — how can open models be embraced while still maintaining security and control? @gwbstr.com of @stanfordcisac.bsky.social explores how Beijing may choose to strike that balance: ow.ly/sfGf50ZAGMG