GSPIA Students Brief Rand Corporation on Unconventional Threats
On Wednesday, April 18, five students in Dr. Charli Carpenter's "Sex, Power, and Security" course briefed Rand Corporation on the necessity of a gender perspective in international security research.
The briefing, titled, "Unconventional Analysis for Unconventional Threats," examined three RAND national security reports -- "Beyond Al-Qaeda," "The Muslim World After 9/11," and "Securing Health: Lessons from Nation-Building Missions.” The team analyzed the reports and offered suggestions as to how a gender perspective might have added additional insights to the findings.
Students Frank Honkus, Vanja Lundell, Ashley Masi, Justin Reed, and Ben Rubin evaluated the reports according to several criteria, such as whether the impact of masculinity was considered; how women's voices and perspectives were included in research -- if they were included at all; They argued that future Rand research might be enhanced by exploring the role of gender as a variable in national security and strategy.
"I think they were very effective," said Carpenter, of her students, who briefed senior RAND officials, and were teleconferenced to the Santa Monica, CA, and Wash., D.C. branches of RAND. "At the end [those in attendance] seemed at least partially convinced that a gender lens might add value to future research." (I would likely add the RAND perspective here.)
Of the semester project, Carpenter said, "The assignment was to determine whether incorporating gender could help Rand help the US better in winning what has been called the ‘Long War’," adding that if one wants to “secure health” in post-conflict societies it’s vital to include data on gender-specific health indicators, such as maternal morbidity, sex-ratios at birth and fertility rates. “At the same time it’s important not to assume that ‘gender’ means ‘women’: men also have important reproductive health needs,” she added. Carpenter cited young boys being sexually abused by the Taliban as a surprising example of gender-based violence that has received little attention in nation-building rhetoric.
The project provided students with an opportunity to tailor their presentation skills appropriately to their particular audience. Prior to the presentation, they rehearsed their briefing before GSPIA faculty, staff, and students, enabling them to strategize ways to convince their audience at RAND to consider their viewpoints.
Students also learned to develop analytical skills.
"There are certain issues in international security where applying a gender lens is very intuitive," says Carpenter, adding that she urged her students to examine other, oft-forgotten research scenarios in which gender perspectives add richer dimensions to the findings.
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GSPIA Student Ben Rubin readies for a presentation to RAND Corporation |
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