Today, Defining Ideas features an excerpt from the Stanford Emerging Technology Review on laser technology and its policy implications; former Senator Ben Sasse speaks with Andrew Roberts about the state of higher education in the US and how it can be revitalized; and Raghuram Rajan analyzes the consequences of new US tariffs and trade penalties on India, noting their imposition represents a setback in the US-India relationship.
Stanford Emerging Technology Review
At Defining Ideas, an excerpt from the latest issue of the Stanford Emerging Technology Review (SETR) focuses on lasers, one of ten key technologies studied in this continuing educational initiative. A companion short video from Hoover’s Technology Policy Accelerator explores the fascinating world of laser technology, drawing on scholarship from the SETR report. From reshaping vision in eye surgery to defending against drones and linking satellites in orbit, lasers are redefining precision and power across critical fields. They exemplify how a single enabling technology can accelerate breakthroughs while raising new risks and dependencies. Laser technology has become essential for a wide range of applications, including communications, high-end chip production, defense, manufacturing, and medicine—raising policy questions around supply chain dependencies and continued US global leadership in the field. The laser chapter of SETR is informed by the work of Hoover Science Fellow Norbert Holtkamp, as well as Stanford researcher Dr. Siegfried Glenzer, and SLAC National Accelerator researchers Eric Galtier and Nicholas Hartley. Read the excerpt here. Watch the video here.
Revitalizing American Institutions
Former US Senator and university president Ben Sasse joins Distinguished Visiting Fellow Andrew Roberts on Secrets of Statecraft for a candid and very wide-ranging conversation about the state of American institutions and how to revitalize them. Sasse explains why Congress has become weak and dysfunctional, why entitlement spending and debt threaten US stability, and how social media distorts our politics. Sasse also shares his thoughts on higher education—touching on issues such as grade inflation, the replication crisis, and Harvard’s decline—while reflecting on the coming challenges of the AI revolution. In addition, Roberts and Sasse discuss the extinction of late-night comedy, foreign policy, tariffs and trade wars, and Iran, China, and Russia. And yes, Ben explains to Andrew what a “nougie” is. Listen here.
Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies
Senior Fellow Raghuram Rajan joined India Today to discuss the recent imposition by the United States of 50 percent tariffs on imports from India, including a 25 percent penalty for purchasing Russian oil. Rajan, a University of Chicago Booth School of Business professor and former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, calls the breakdown in US-India trade relations “unfortunate” and “deeply distressing,” emphasizing that the tariffs will be especially harmful to small Indian exporters and US consumers. In Rajan’s view, trade negotiations should have prevented this state of affairs. Rajan’s remarks cover the rationale behind the tariffs, why India appears to have been singled out, and the policy questions around India’s oil import strategy that the new US penalties bring to the fore. Rajan also shares some of the steps Indian businesses may take to reduce dependencies on particular foreign markets, like the US and China, in light of the trade disputes. Watch here.
Revitalizing History
In late July 2025, twenty-four high school students selected by application convened at the Hoover Institution for the Hoover History Skills Academy, an accelerated summer session designed to help them learn best practices for designing, researching, and writing a substantive historical research paper. Unique to this “history camp” was the focus on leveraging the extraordinary historical materials in the renowned Hoover Library & Archives. Guest speakers during the program included the director of the Hoover History Lab, Senior Fellow Stephen Kotkin, who engaged students on the topic of what historians “do,” a conversation that the student surveys showed was memorable, down-to-earth, and fascinating. “[Professor Kotkin] seems to really care about the next generation of scholars,” commented one student, “ensuring that we are well equipped for success.” Another popular speaker was Hoover Fellow Ria Roy, who talked with students about her research experiences with North Koreans to demonstrate the value of oral history. Read more here.
Research Fellow Joseph Torigian joined the North Korea News Podcast to discuss his recently published biography of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s father and Xi senior’s delicate diplomacy with North Korea in the 1980s. Research from Torigian’s biography, The Party’s Interests Come First, sheds light on Xi Zhongxun’s role in rebuilding China-North Korea ties, navigating North Korea’s succession politics, and nudging Pyongyang toward reform. Torigian also notes how China and North Korea influenced each other’s policies during this pivotal period, and how those interactions still shape Beijing-Pyongyang relations today. Additionally, Torigian discusses sources of tension in this bilateral relationship, including North Korean leadership’s propensity to engage in hostile rhetoric and militaristic activity that threatens regional conflict—which the Chinese leadership have viewed as counter to their interests. Listen here.
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