Explainers

Backgrounders

Authoritative, accessible, and regularly updated primers on hundreds of foreign policy topics.

Taiwan

Why China-Taiwan Relations Are So Tense

Differences over Taiwan’s status have fueled rising tensions between the island and the mainland. Taiwan has the potential to be a flash point in U.S.-China relations.

Energy and Environment

How the U.S. Oil and Gas Industry Works

The United States is the world’s top producer of oil and natural gas. Its decision to either continue at this pace or curb production to achieve its climate goals will have global consequences.

Explainers Video Filters and Cards

Iran Nuclear Agreement
What Is the Iran Nuclear Deal?
Diplomacy to revive this arms control agreement has faced multiple stumbling blocks, including Iran’s nuclear advances and geopolitics related to the war in Ukraine.
Infrastructure
How U.S. Aviation Infrastructure Works
Civil aviation plays a crucial role in the U.S. transportation network and economy. Ongoing turbulence from the COVID-19 pandemic, underinvestment in infrastructure, and climate change are clouding its future.
China
China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
For more than two decades, China has developed close economic and security ties with many Latin American countries, including Brazil and Venezuela. But Beijing’s growing sway in the region has raised concerns in Washington and beyond.
United States
U.S. Temporary Foreign Worker Visa Programs
The United States accepts hundreds of thousands of foreign workers each year in a variety of industries. Persistent U.S. labor shortages and accusations of abuse have reenergized the debate over the scale of these programs.  
United States
The U.S. Immigration Debate
Comprehensive immigration reform has eluded Congress for years. With border crossings at a record high, how are policymakers responding?
Middle East and North Africa
Turkey’s Growing Foreign Policy Ambitions
Turkey’s geography and membership in NATO have long given the country an influential voice in foreign policy, but the assertive policies of President Erdogan have complicated its role.
United States
What Does the U.S. National Guard Do?
The National Guard is a special part of the U.S. military that answers to both state governors and the president. While it began as a “strategic reserve,” the guard has grown into a pivotal partner in military operations.
Middle East and North Africa
The Arab League
Founded as a loose confederation of states in 1945, the Arab League has struggled to overcome dysfunction and disunity among its members.
United States
What Happens When the U.S. Hits Its Debt Ceiling?
As the U.S. government grapples with another deadline to increase its debt ceiling in 2023, economists warn that a possible default could have disastrous economic consequences. 
Diplomacy and International Institutions
What Does the G7 Do?
The Group of Seven (G7) serves as a forum to coordinate global policy, but experts are increasingly questioning the group’s relevance.
United States
Seeking Protection: How the U.S. Asylum Process Works
Record numbers of migrants seeking to cross the southern U.S. border are challenging the Joe Biden administration’s attempts to restore asylum protections. Here’s how the asylum process works.
Trade
Mercosur: South America’s Fractious Trade Bloc
Three decades after its founding, Latin America’s largest trade bloc continues to deal with internal divisions, including over a stalled trade deal with the European Union. How could the return of Brazil’s Lula change the calculus?
United States
What Is the Dodd-Frank Act?
The Dodd-Frank Act is one of the most significant U.S. regulatory reforms since the Great Depression. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has rekindled the debate over banking regulation.
Middle East and North Africa
Yemen’s Tragedy: War, Stalemate, and Suffering
Yemen’s internal divisions and a Saudi-led military intervention have spawned an intractable political, military, and humanitarian crisis.
Iran
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
Conceived as the principal defenders of the 1979 revolution, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has evolved into an institution with vast political, economic, and military power.