Dr. Josh Busby, CCAPS Researcher, Crook Distinguished Scholar the Strauss Center and Assistant Professor for Public Affairs at the LBJ School presented research recently at a dinner discussion hosted by the German Marshall Fund in Washington, DC. The event brought together policymakers and experts to consider the links between climate change, national security, and migration and discuss appropriate policy responses.

Protests in the Middle East this month have sparked not only regime change but also concerns about a possible rise in the price of oil.   Political unrest in the region has caused oil supply disruption and price hikes before; many Americans recall – and do not want to repeat – the gas shortages and long lines in 1973 spurred by U.S. support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War.

But is the cause for alarm justified?  New research by Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar Eugene Gholz, and his colleague Daryl Press, suggests not.  By analyzing every major oil disruption since 1973, they show that the related price increases have been short-lived and with little economic impact.  When oil supplies run short, it turns out, oil purchasers scramble but market forces kick in to fill the gap.

Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar Robert Chesney recently contributed to Foreign Policy magazine with his assessment of the Obama administration’s continued use of military commissions in “The Least Worst Venue."

The Strauss Center is pleased to announce its schedule of events for the Spring 2011.  The events will cover a wide range of topics from climate change to public diplomacy to global security.  They’ll include Ambassadors, academics, intelligence officials and TED presenters (that’s Dr. Parag Khanna on February 7).