Following its independence in 2011, three years of civil war have left South Sudan on the cusp of full-scale genocide, with its sovereignty discredited and undermined by warring elites.

Following its independence in 2011, three years of civil war have left South Sudan on the cusp of full-scale genocide, with its sovereignty discredited and undermined by warring elites.

Susan Kaufman Purcell discusses the future of U.S.-Cuba relations.

In Failure to Adjust: How Americans Got Left Behind in the Global Economy, Council on Foreign Relations Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow Edward Alden explains why the political consensus in support of trade liberalization has collapsed, and how to correct the course.  The United States has contributed more than any other nation to writing the rules that created the competitive global economy of today, helping support stronger growth in much of the world. Yet successive U.S. administrations have done far too little to help Americans succeed under those rules, says Alden.

A growing body of research suggests that standard peace and security processes routinely overlook a critical strategy that could reduce conflict and advance stability: the inclusion of women. 

Experts discuss U.S. policy options toward Venezuela in response to food and medicine shortages, soaring crime rates, declining oil production, and a government crackdown on the opposition.

Edward Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University, discusses poor world megacities, the reasons their growth differs from previous patterns of urbanization, and the implications for their residents and the world at large as part of the Global Health, Economics, and Development Roundtable Series.

Edward Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University, discusses poor world megacities, the reasons their growth differs from previous patterns of urbanization, and the implications for their residents and the world at large as part of the Global Health, Economics, and Development Roundtable Series.

For a serious attempt to help address worker displacement and anxiety, consider these proposals outlined by Robert E. Litan. 

In the aftermath of the leaked tapes that showcase Donald Trump’s lewd comments on women, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon addresses the intersection of “how we see women; how we treat women; how we promote women; and whether or not we see them as people we respect or people we lunge for.”

Despite evidence that shows that women make unique contributions to peace and security processes, they remain severely underrepresented in military, policy, and peacekeeping forces around the world. Jamille Bigio highlights a new bill led by Senators Barbara Boxer and Jeanne Shaheen that would “require the U.S. State Department to encourage other countries to increase the number of women recruited and promoted in their security forces.” She also argues for better quality training among security forces and conversation of the U.S. National Action Plan on women, peace, and security into legislation.

Jamille Bigio discusses the role of women in security, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping.

President Obama and his defenders are trumpeting the new aid agreement with Israel as proof that he is the best friend Israel ever had in the White House. In fact, it’s a bad deal and should be treated the same way Obama treated prior agreements he didn't like: It should be forgotten by the next president.

What CFR.org Editors are reading the week of September 12–16, 2016.

The beginning of my journey reporting this story began with a casual conversation with a friend at a food court in New York in 2012.

“I know you are writing about child marriage in Afghanistan and India and lots of other places,“ she said. “What about what’s happening here in New York?”

Matthew M. Taylor discusses Brazil's political and economic outlook.

Tony Blair and Irina Bokova discuss the role of education and civil society in preventing global extremism and raising awareness among governments.

The ban on women in ground combat, which stood in some form ever since women were first permanently integrated into the U.S. military in 1948, has been lifted and all combat roles are now open to women. Since Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced the new policy last December, the American military has also seen women ascend to positions in its highest ranks: Air Force General Lori Robinson became the country’s first female combatant commander, and Admiral Michelle Howard became the first female four-star admiral.

What CFR.org Editors are reading the week of August 1-5, 2016.

In an interview with Knowledge@Wharton on Sirus XM, Catherine Powell discusses her recent CFR paper "Women in Tech as a Driver for Growth in Emerging Economies."