Weekend Reads: Doubting the ISIS Strategy, Class Gaps in Breastfeeding, and ACA Impacts State-by-State

New this week

Jeremy Shapiro doubts whether the regional partners identified by the Obama administration in their strategy for defeating ISIS can get the job done. Read the latest Brookings commentary on the rising threat posed by ISIS at brookings-edu-2023.go-vip.net/ISISThreat.

Edward P. Rodrigue and Richard V. Reeves look at data on class gaps in breastfeeding and find that mothers below the poverty line are 19 percent less likely to breastfeed than mothers 350 percent above it.

A new BPEA paper from Amanda Kowalski examines state-by-state enrollment post ACA implementation and finds that average per-person premiums increased over 24 percent. Wondering what BPEA is all about? Watch Justin Wolfers explain and read all six BPEA papers published this week.

Yun Sun examines the feasibility of U.S.-China cooperation on counterrorism in Africa.

“If we don’t crush ISIS, we’re going to have much bigger problems down the road.” – Mike Doran in the latest Brookings Cafeteria Podcast 

Spend your weekend learning from experts on a range of public policy issues by tuning into the Brookings Cafeteria Podcast. In the latest podcast, Mike Doran talks with host Fred Dews about Obama’s strategy toward ISIS, Syria, and Iran. 

Subscribe to the Brookings Cafeteria Podcast on iTunes to be the first to hear about new podcasts on everything from student loan debt to Islamist movements to America’s crumbling infrastructure.

What our experts are reading

A thoughtful, eloquent piece by John Lanchester on rich world poverty, which my work complements. (@LaurenceChandy)

A behavioral perspective on Apple Pay. Hint: You may end up spending a lot. (@CassSunstein)

Fascinating piece on how Istanbul became a recruiting ground for the Islamic State. (@HaHellyer) 

The Silicon Valley talent pipeline winds through little-known schools. (@BerubeA1)

CFR’s Alyssa Ayres on how Japan and China use state-directed economic policy tools to further relations with India. (@Tanvi_Madan)