Experts in the News

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl — the primary driver of a 30.8% increase in drug overdose deaths for the 12-month period ending March 2021 —  are "a can of worms that’s open now,” said drug policy fellow Katharine Neill Harris. The best solution starts with education, she added. "It’s important to educate individuals about the risks and to provide resources so people can figure out what they’re taking."

Vaccines prevent millions of deaths each year. Why are so many reluctant to get COVID-19 vaccines now? Kirstin Matthews, fellow in science and technology policy, addressed the factors underlying vaccine hesitancy.

A lawsuit filed by Voto Latino contends that the newly drawn maps dilute the voting power of Texas' communities of color. Political fellow Mark Jones explained the legal fight ahead.

Detentions and arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border are at an all-time high. Mexico Center fellow Gil Kerlikowske, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, considered reports of alleged misconduct and abuse by DHS officers.

"Bahrain has always had a strong pan-Arab and Islamic current in its domestic politics," said Middle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, "and the latest protests indicate that the [Arab-Israeli conflict] retains its mobilizing power among Bahraini citizens.”