Category: Timely Commentary & Analysis

US Q3 GDP: Good news, but old news

By Amanda Dickerson

The latest GDP numbers for the US are historic but misleading. Our analysis shows that this growth doesn’t convey the whole story.

#DFRLabCoffeeBreak with Rappler CEO, Maria Ressa

DFRLab's Director and Managing Editor, Graham Brookie catches up with Maria Ressa, CEO, co-founder and, journalist for Rappler to discuss global disinformation, her ongoing legal battle in the Philippines, and the new documentary about her, "A Thousand Cuts."

Transcript: A conversation with First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani and former First Lady of the United States Laura Bush

By Atlantic Council

The South Asia Center and the George W. Bush Institute host a conversation with First Lady Rula Ghani and former First Lady Laura Bush to discuss strategies for ensuring long-term security without compromising on the rights of women and minorities as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Event recap | Data, tech, and geopolitics in 2021 and beyond

By Hannah Biggs

In this episode of the GeoTech Hour, hosted Wednesday, October 28, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST panelists examined data, tech, and geopolitics as we approach 2021 and beyond. The discussion considered actions that could uplift societies and populations as a whole. The world will, we hope, be more stable in this upcoming year, and as a result, it is the ideal time for governments to learn lessons from 2020 and adjust course accordingly.

Apocalypse almost: Remembering the missiles of October

By Harlan Ullman

Maintaining a strong, relevant military is vital. However, we should maintain an “off ramp” to prevent the adversarial aspects of international competition from provoking a future military confrontation.

Confidence in Chinese sovereign debt shows decoupling is a long way off

By Hung Tran, Nitya Biyani

International investors have also been attracted to China’s domestic Renminbi (RMB)-denominated bond markets, estimated to raise their holdings to 3 trillion yuan ($448 billion) —a 50 percent increase which is quite impressive during the pandemic crisis. Growing confidence in Chinese sovereign debt shows decoupling is a long way off.

Trafalgar offers history lesson for China threat

By Harlan Ullman

Over-militarizing policy, as we did from Vietnam to the second Iraq war, almost always induces some form of failure

Belarus anti-Lukashenka media falls into confirmation bias traps

By Nika Aleksejeva

Independent media outlets NEXTA Live and TUT.by shared unverified information, including a video apparently recorded to undermine their credibility.

Event recap | Data salon episode 5: Indigenous data sovereignty: opportunities and challenges

By Henry Westerman

On Thursday, October 22, the GeoTech Center hosted the fifth installment of the Data Salon Series in partnership with Accenture to discuss the challenges to achieving data sovereignty for indigenous communities. The panel featured Dr. Tahu Kukuthai, Professor of Population Studies and Demography at the University of Waikato, Dr. Ray Lovett, associate professor of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Epidemiology for Policy and Practice at Australian National University, Dr. Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, Assistant Professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies at UCLA, and Ms. Robyn Rowe, Research Associate and PhD Candidate at Laurentian University. GeoTech Center Director Dr. David Bray moderated the panel and the discussion that followed.