Sarang Shidore

Director of Studies and Senior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute

Southeast Asia

What Is ASEAN?
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organization that brings together disparate neighbors to address economic and security issues, but the group’s impact remains limited.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors January 15, 2025

Taiwan

Why China-Taiwan Relations Are So Tense
Differences over Taiwan’s status have fueled rising tensions between the island and mainland. Taiwan is the likeliest potential flash point in U.S.-China relations.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong January 15, 2025

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.

Backgrounder by Diana Roy January 10, 2025

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Syria

Will the Shake-up in Syria Undermine the Fight Against ISIS?
The United States appears intent on keeping its counterterrorism alliance with the Kurds in post-Assad Syria despite the strains it is causing with ally Turkey.

Expert Brief by Henri J. Barkey January 9, 2025

Disasters

After the Fires: How to Rebuild Los Angeles
The wildfire devastation in Los Angeles will require California to develop far greater resiliency to climate-worsened disasters to sustain its revival—and a path for withstanding future disasters.

Expert Brief by Alice C. Hill January 14, 2025

Public Health Threats and Pandemics

What Is Avian Flu?
A recent surge in avian flu outbreaks in birds and some mammals, including humans, is worrying farmers, scientists, and public health experts. The threat of the virus becoming a pandemic is said to be low, but its evolution continues to raise alarms and pointed questions about preparedness.

Backgrounder by Mariel Ferragamo January 7, 2025