In his latest analysis for our blog, IGCC senior fellow Jimmy Goodrich discusses China's new “AI for Science” national strategy. Guided by government initiatives, Beijing is aggressively deploying AI across multiple fields—but how will it manage risk? Read more here: ucigcc.org/blog/inside-...

In the latest IGCC working paper, John Ahlquist and Theodoros Ntounias of @ucsandiego.bsky.social examine the power and influence of labor unions, ultimately concluding that their preventative and resistant power against threats of democratic backsliding is quite weak: ucigcc.org/publication/...

New research by Prabin Khadka and Linnéa Gelot from Somalia and South Sudan shows that civilians judge peacekeepers not only by protection outcomes, but by whether their actions align with local expectations of effort, responsibility, and commitment: ucigcc.org/publication/...

In a new working paper, Ph.D. candidate Malika Talgatova of University of California, San Diego examines how authoritarian regimes use both traditional and digital forms of information control to maintain political power and social stability: ucigcc.org/publication/...

Read IGCC co-director Tai Ming Cheung explain why there is a critical need for more attention to Chinese scientific research: www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-feat...

IGCC recently convened our 2025–26 Postdoctoral Fellows in Washington, D.C. for a dynamic conference showcasing their latest research. From nuclear policy to artificial intelligence and global security, the fellows shared insights on pressing issues. Read more here: ucigcc.org/news/postdoc...

Congrats to our Postdoctoral Fellows in Technology & International Security for standout presentations at the UC–National Labs Fellowship Conference! 👏 Learn more about the IGCC Postdoctoral Fellowship: ucigcc.org/funding/post...

In a new interview on our blog, Associate Professor at Duke University, Rachel Myrick speaks with Stephan Haggard about her new book in which she analyzes how polarization affects foreign policymaking. ucigcc.org/blog/five-qu...

Bangladesh’s 2026 election marked a rare democratic success story. On our blog Fernanda Buril and Erica Shein explore how the right leadership and decisions can reset a nation’s democratic path: ucigcc.org/blog/free-at...

Research shows growing public interest in nuclear power, but support still trails behind technological progress. In this essay, IGCC postdoc Dominic Brennan explores why advances and transparency haven’t translated into stronger public trust: ucigcc.org/publication/...

The public oversight model established during the Internet age has fundamentally shifted as AI firms have sidestepped the public sector, leaving a gap in governance over these new technologies. IGCC postdoc Emily Kim explains in analysis for our blog: ucigcc.org/blog/nobodys...

In recent years, civil liberties have been increasingly curtailed or suspended, even in advanced democracies, for policy purposes. On our blog, Anil Menon and Pawel Charasz ask if this trend will continue as governments attempt to address immigration concerns: ucigcc.org/blog/will-pe...

In his latest contribution for our blog, IGCC researcher James Lee asks of Taiwan, "If war broke out tomorrow, would they have the will and determination to defend themselves?" Read his analysis here: ucigcc.org/blog/does-ta...

In a new blog post, IGCC dissertation fellow Andrea Zhu explores the role of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in a world where the U.S. has taken a more reluctant leadership role in multilateral development banking: ucigcc.org/blog/the-asi...

In a new five questions interview on our blog, former IGCC dissertation fellow Yeilim Cheong speaks with Lindsay Shingler about how political parties with violent pasts are able to secure electoral support in young, fragile democracies: ucigcc.org/blog/five-qu...

New on our blog, IGCC dissertation fellow and @ucsandiego.bsky.social PhD candidate Theodoros Ntounias writes about how authoritarian governments often retaliate against resistance from local leaders particularly through financial means. Read his analysis here: ucigcc.org/blog/power-o...

New on our blog from @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social assistant professor Kai Thaler:

As major powers increasingly prioritize sovereignty and strategic competition, former IGCC dissertation fellow Wendy Wagner offers her analysis on what this realignment signals for the multilateral architecture and conflict resolution. New on our blog: ucigcc.org/blog/conflic...

New on our blog, IGCC dissertation fellow Yujia Wan poses this question following recent U.S. military intervention in Latin America: is the U.S. reclaiming its influence in the region, and how will China’s engagement there change? Read her analysis here: ucigcc.org/blog/shiftin...

New on Talking Policy, we are joined by Mike Albertson, a former negotiator during the New START deal, following the treaty's official expiration. He discusses how we got here, and what the future of arms control might look like in a post-New START world: ucigcc.org/podcast/what...

In a recent op-ed for @wsj.com IGCC senior fellow Jimmy Goodrich examines the military implications of China's high-yield fusion and pulsed-power programs: www.wsj.com/opinion/chin...

New on our blog, IGCC dissertation fellow Miki Hayashi, a PhD candidate at UC Riverside, offers analysis on how the results of the recent Japanese snap election shapes Japan’s future security path, and the implications at hand for the United States: ucigcc.org/blog/japans-...

New on Talking Policy, Kai Thaler of @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social joins us to discuss his new book, “When Rebels Win”, exploring why civil wars have become more prevalent since World War 2, and what rebel victories often mean for their respective regions and the world: ucigcc.org/podcast/when...

New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the U.S. and Russia in place since 2011, officially expired on February 5. In a new post for the IGCC blog, Mike Albertson reflects on the treaty and the future of continued arms control negotiations: ucigcc.org/blog/taking-...

New on our blog, IGCC Dissertation Fellow Eliana Fonsah offers analysis on the transnational repression tactics employed by the authoritarian government of Cameroon, and the role that host country governments must play to protect diasporic activists: ucigcc.org/blog/cross-b...

Still rounding out your 2026 reading list? Check out the latest entry in our book review blog series from IGCC research director Steph Haggard and Matthew Draper and consider adding one of these five novels on authoritarian rule: ucigcc.org/blog/novels-...

The Trump administration has withdrawn from a number of international organizations, but a recent agreement with the OECD could indicate some hope of continued international cooperation for the U.S. Read more from IGCC dissertation fellow Margaret Kenney: ucigcc.org/blog/why-a-p...

The Trump administration released their new National Security Strategy in November. New on our website, IGCC experts offer their analysis on the implications for the future of Japan-U.S. relations, China, Taiwan, and America's broader global alliances: ucigcc.org/collections/...

The first solo-authored article by 2024-25 IGCC dissertation fellow Anya Stewart has been published in Conflict Management & Peace Science. In it, Anya offers an academic definition of martial law as well as a measurement strategy: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/....

In a new policy brief, IGCC senior fellow Jimmy Goodrich describes how China’s leading military and civilian research institutions are systematically advancing and scaling innovative fusion energy technologies: ucigcc.org/publication/...

New on IGCC's Talking Policy podcast, host Lindsay Shingler sits down with five UC experts to make sense of America’s evolving approach under the second Trump administration to the global economy, China, security, the environment, and the rule of law. Listen now: ucigcc.org/podcast/the-...

Following the dramatic U.S. intervention in Venezuela earlier this month, some are concerned that a precedent may be set for China. For our blog, James Lee argues that the operation doesn't open the door for Beijing to move on Taiwan in the near future: ucigcc.org/blog/venezue...

New on our blog, IGCC research director and @gpsucsd.bsky.social professor Stephan Haggard offers thoughts on the failed martial law declaration in South Korea about one year ago, and what it can tell us about threats to democratic governance around the world: ucigcc.org/blog/rethink...

In the latest analysis on our blog, Dotan Haim, Matthew Nanes, and Nico Ravanilla examine an often overlooked aspect of community policing: how these initiatives affect police opinions of the public, rather than vice versa: ucigcc.org/blog/changin...

New on our blog, IGCC postdoc Dominic Brennan examines potential responses for the U.S. to regain dominance in the nuclear export market. A work-in-progress, we've published this analysis to crowdsource feedback as this work develops over the next year: ucigcc.org/blog/regaini...

Meet new IGCC postdoc Adi Rao! In this interview, Adi shares about his research on cyber espionage, how he uses game theory to teach students, and his love of Muay Thai: ucigcc.org/interview/ig...

In a recent blog post, IGCC senior fellow Jimmy Goodrich unpacks Beijing's call for "extraordinary measures" to accelerate tech self-sufficiency: both what these measures might actually entail and how the language echoes earlier CCP political rhetoric: ucigcc.org/blog/beijing...

In a new report, IGCC director and @gpsucsd.bsky.social professor Tai Ming Cheung examines the key features of China’s strategic Strong Authoritarian Mobilization and Innovation development model for science and technology: ucigcc.org/publication/...

In a recent IGCC blog post, Margaret Peters, a professor of political science at UCLA, expands on the impacts that migrants can have on the democracies in their home countries, beyond simply overseas voting. Read her full analysis here: ucigcc.org/blog/oversea...

On the @ucigcc.bsky.social blog, Professor Achyuta Adhvaryu discusses recent developments in India's relationships with China and the U.S. and how New Delhi sees its place within a changing world. 🔗 Read "Five Questions on Indian Foreign Policy with Achyuta Adhvaryu": ow.ly/HILQ50XqJco

New on our blog, 2025-26 IGCC dissertation fellow Benjamin Weinger (UC Los Angeles) offers analysis on COP30—a pivotal moment for the UN accelerate implementation, restore trust, and reset the multilateral climate process: ucigcc.org/blog/overcom...

In a new blog post, IGCC research director Stephan Haggard shares five more novels that help to illuminate the realities of autocratic rule. Read the list now: ucigcc.org/blog/novels-...

Meet new IGCC postdoc Jung Jae Kwon! In this interview, Jung Jae discusses his research on how nonnuclear-armed allies defend against nuclear threats, his experience as a peacekeeper in South Sudan, and his travels through China: bit.ly/4oVjBQS

Beijing’s growing investment in ocean research is reshaping global marine science and geopolitics alike. Read analysis about the scale and impact of China's ocean science from IGCC senior fellow Jimmy Goodrich new on our blog: ucigcc.org/blog/oceans-...

How can lessons from the past help us create a more secure nuclear future? Sarah Bidgood, a 2024-26 IGCC postdoctoral fellow, speaks with us about what her archival work on historic nuclear crises can tell us about the potential for nuclear-armed conflict today: bit.ly/4pfg6VJ

On the heels of China's fourth plenum meeting, IGCC director Tai Ming Cheung offers analysis of a recent CCP communiqué that reveals some interesting clues to Beijing's priorities for economic and security development plan through 2030. New on our blog: ucigcc.org/blog/continu...

In a new episode of Talking Policy, Georgia Kernell of UCLA joins host Lindsay Shingler for a comparative look at the U.S. political system, and how America's deeply entrenched two-party system impacts both policy and political participation. Listen now: bit.ly/4qGa2qr

At the 2025 APEC Summit in South Korea, the issue of "overcapacity"—the imbalance between China’s vast production and the world’s ability or willingness to absorb it—looms large over the region. Read the latest analysis from IGCC expert Beije Tang: bit.ly/434G4ma

Meet new IGCC postdoc Dominic Brennan! In this interview, Dom discusses his research on nuclear algorithms, his transition from the hard sciences to policy, and his move from the UK to Washington, D.C. for this postdoctoral fellowship: ucigcc.org/interview/ig...

In the latest IGCC working paper, Andrew Shaver of UC Merced and a team of researchers at the Political Violence Lab share conclusions from online surveys in Bangladesh and Pakistan that helped uncover otherwise-unreported instances of political violence and human rights violations: bit.ly/3WrjlwH