home > the cfr think tank > experts > edward alden
Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow
Contact Info:
Phone: +1-202-509-8474
E-mail: ealden@cfr.org
Location:
Washington
Media downloads:
High-resolution photo (JPG, 47K)
One-page bio (PDF, 51K)
Former Washington bureau chief at the Financial Times. Latest book, The Closing of the American Border, examines U.S. visa and border policies in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Expertise:U.S. economic competitiveness, U.S. trade policy, visa and immigration policy.
Honors:Society of Publishers in Asia, Award for Editorial Excellence in Explanatory Reporting for stories on China's RMB Revaluation in the Financial Times (2006); British Columbia Newspaper Award for General Excellence, "The New Face of Labor," Vancouver Sun (1997); Canadian National Magazine Awards, silver medal (1986), gold medal (1984); Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation Fellowship (1989); MacArthur Foundation Graduate Fellowship (1986); Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities (1986).
Related Links:
"Terrorism, immigration and security since 9/11" (video; UC Berkeley Conversations with History; November 21, 2008)
"How 9/11 transformed American immigration policy" (video; Zócalo Public Square; November 19, 2008)
"Welcome to America? Security and immigration in a post-9/11 United States" (audio; World Affairs Council of Northern California; November 17, 2008)
Current Research Projects
Past Research Project
February 2, 2010
Op-Ed
The Daily Beast
Edward Alden says that Canada's turnaround in the 1990s from running more than two decades of budget deficits offers lessons for the United States today.
See more in Geoeconomics
January 28, 2010
Interview
President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address focused heavily, as expected, on domestic economic recovery and reasserting U.S. competitiveness. Six CFR experts noted different aspects of the challenges facing Obama.
See more in United States, U.S. Strategy and Politics
January 4, 2010
Audio
Listen to CFR fellows Edward Alden and Steven Simon discuss the U.S. response to the Christmas Day bombing plot, including tighter travel restrictions enacted for citizens of 14 countries.
See more in Defense/Homeland Security, Terrorism, U.S. Strategy and Politics
January 4, 2010
Expert Brief
CFR's Edward Alden says U.S. response to recent air-security failures should be to improve existing measures that identify genuine threats instead of imposing "knee-jerk initiatives that look tough" but may be less effective.
See more in United States, Defense/Homeland Security, Air Transportation Security, Terrorism
January 4, 2010
Transcript
CFR fellows, Edward Alden and Steven Simon, discuss the Christmas day bomb plot and the U.S. government's response to terror threats.
See more in United States, Terrorism, Counterterrorism, Terrorist Attacks
December 28, 2009
Op-Ed
New America Media
Edward Alden discusses the Obama administration's quiet overhaul of immigration policies.
See more in Defense/Homeland Security, Immigration, U.S. Strategy and Politics
December 2, 2009
Op-Ed
Forbes Online
Edward Alden reviews Harold James' new book on the risks posed by the destruction of the values that underpin globalization.
See more in Geoeconomics
November 21, 2009
Op-Ed
Washington Post
Edward Alden argues that the Obama administration should promptly eliminate the "special registration" procedures under the National Security Entry-Exit System set up after September 11, 2001.
See more in Geoeconomics, Immigration
November 18, 2009
Audio
Listen to CFR's Edward Alden discuss the findings of the CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force on U.S. Immigration Policy, which he directed, as part of CFR's State and Local Officials Conference Call series.
See more in Immigration
October 22, 2009
Video
Watch members of the CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force on U.S. Immigration Policy discuss the findings and recommendations of the Task Force report.
See more in Immigration
October 22, 2009
Audio
Listen to members of the CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force on U.S. Immigration Policy discuss the findings and recommendations of the Task Force report.
See more in Immigration
October 18, 2009
Article
Washington Post
Edward Alden writes that the Department of Homeland Security "has yet to become a whole that adds up to more than its parts," reviewing books by its first two secretaries, Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff.
See more in Defense/Homeland Security, Terrorism, Organization of Government
October 13, 2009
Op-Ed
Forbes Online
This year's Nobelists demonstrate the United States' success in science. But Edward Alden argues that we are jeopardizing this success through shortsighted immigration restrictions that make it difficult for the most talented and ambitious scientists to come here and remain.
See more in United States, Geoeconomics, Immigration
September 3, 2009
Transcript
Edward Alden, CFR senior fellow and director of U.S. Immigration Policy, a CFR-Sponsored Independent Task Force Report, discusses immigration policy online with Politico readers.
See more in North America, Canada, Mexico, United States, Immigration
July 2009
Task Force Report No. 63
Task Force Report
This Task Force report offers a strategy for maintaining America's political and economic leadership by attracting skilled immigrants, a program of legalization for those living in the United States
illegally, and steps for securing the country's borders in an effective and humane way.
See more in United States, Immigration
August 12, 2009
Academic Module
This module features teaching notes by CFR Senior Fellow Edward Alden, author of The Closing of the American Border: Terrorism, Immigration, and Security Since 9/11, along with other resources to supplement the text. In this book, Mr. Alden examines the complicated interplay between the United States' need for homeland security and economic openness in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
See more in United States, Immigration
July 16, 2009
Audio
Listen to CFR Senior Fellow Evan Feigenbaum discuss the future of U.S-India relations
July 16, 2009
Transcript
CFR's Evan Feigenbaum talks about the significance of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India.
See more in India, Public Diplomacy
July 13, 2009
Op-Ed
Los Angeles Times
See more in Americas, Immigration
July 13, 2009
Op-Ed
Los Angeles Times
Jeb Bush, Thomas F. McLarty III, and Edward Alden discuss the recent Independent Task Force on Immigration Policy and argue, "Getting immigration policy right is fundamental to [U.S.] national interests -- our economic vitality, our diplomacy and our national security."
See more in United States, Immigration, U.S. Strategy and Politics
Explore the international oceans regime with a new interactive from CFR's program on International Institutions and Global Governance.
This report explores how international legal rules regarding military force might evolve to better meet the challenges of mass atrocities.
The authors of this CSR explain why the United States needs to place greater emphasis on preventive action and how current organizational arrangements can be changed to meet that need.
This report addresses pan-Asian and trans-Pacific architectures and guidelines for how the United States can revise its approach in order to consolidate and improve the efficacy of these Asian institutions.
Complete list of Council Special Reports
Through compelling analysis and rich historical examples that span the globe and range from the thirteenth century through the present, Charles A. Kupchan explores how adversaries can transform enmity into amity, and exposes prevalent myths about the causes of peace.
With the insights of geopolitical experts and investors, the authors examine Israel's adversity-driven culture to offer prescriptions for a global economy on the rebound.
Vali Nasr reveals that there is a vital but unseen rising force in the Islamic world—a new business-minded middle class—that is building a vibrant new Muslim world economy and that holds the key to winning the cold war against Iran and extremists.
Complete list of CFR Books
For more information on the David Rockefeller Studies Program, contact:
James M. Lindsay
Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair
+1.212.434.9626 (NY); +1.202.509.8405 (DC)
jlindsay@cfr.org
Janine Hill
Deputy Director of Studies Administration
+1.212.434.9753
jhill@cfr.org
