Human Rights

As the United States pulls away from global multilateral institutions like the United Nations, CSIS scholars undertake research and analysis on the critical role that human rights and democratic values play in a comprehensive and sustainable foreign policy.

Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

When Faith and Geopolitics Collide

The Dalai Lama is widely revered as an advocate for human rights and nonviolence, but Beijing considers him an existential threat. When the 90-year-old monk passes, a succession crisis will ignite geopolitical flashpoints that world leaders are not yet prepared to manage.

Report by Henrietta Levin and Alison Bartel — January 9, 2026

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Benjamin Jensen

Benjamin Jensen

Director, Futures Lab and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Will Todman

Will Todman

Chief of Staff, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department; and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

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When Faith and Geopolitics Collide

The Dalai Lama is widely revered as an advocate for human rights and nonviolence, but Beijing considers him an existential threat. When the 90-year-old monk passes, a succession crisis will ignite geopolitical flashpoints that world leaders are not yet prepared to manage.

Report by Henrietta Levin and Alison Bartel — January 9, 2026

Taking on Cyber Scams: Ideas for Congress

Nearly three-quarters of Americans have experienced some kind of online scam, but 68 percent of Americans believe the federal government is doing a poor job stopping them. To chart a new path, Congress must deliver real protections for U.S. citizens.

Commentary by Julia Dickson and Emma Gargiulo — December 4, 2025

A New Landscape for Development: Examining Impacts, Capabilities, and Opportunities

Cuts to foreign assistance have been among the most sweeping changes of the second Trump administration. This compendium dives deep into the impacts on fields across the development ecosystem and potential opportunities within this new landscape.

Digital Report by Hadeil Ali, Andrew Friedman, Noam Unger, J. Stephen Morrison, Katherine E. Bliss, Romina Bandura, Caitlin Welsh, David Michel, Rose Parker, and Joely Virzi — November 13, 2025

A New Landscape for Development: Recommendations

Cuts to foreign assistance have been among the most sweeping changes of the second Trump administration. These recommendations provide guidance on how the U.S. can engage meaningfully and productively in the world despite the significant changes.

Digital Report by Noam Unger, Andrew Friedman, and Hadeil Ali — November 13, 2025

USAID Youth Engagement: A Potential Generation Lost?

The halting of USAID’s youth programming represents a critical inflection point for U.S. development policy. The termination risks reversing gains in employment, social cohesion, and civic participation that underpin economic and democratic resilience.

Commentary by Hadeil Ali — November 13, 2025

A New Landscape for Development: The Ground Has Shifted

Cuts to foreign assistance have been among the most sweeping changes of the second Trump administration. This digital report examines the context, current state, and early impacts of these dramatic changes and opportunities within this new landscape.

Digital Report by Noam Unger, Andrew Friedman, and Hadeil Ali — November 13, 2025

Trump’s Africa Policy: Commerce and Domestic Politics Clash

As Africa’s geopolitical importance grows, the United States must clearly define why it is the preferred partner for the continent. Only then can the Trump administration’s commercial diplomacy strategy deliver for both the United States and Africa.

Commentary by Oge Onubogu — October 6, 2025