Open to Debate, in partnership with the Human Rights Foundation and the Oslo Freedom Forum, is examining a strategy employed by many countries to respond to aggressive or authoritarian regimes. In recent years, these have been levied against countries such as Russia, Venezuela, and Iran, which have ranged from freezing assets and trade bans to travel restrictions and full embargoes. But do sanctions work in deterring repression?Those arguing that they’re effective claim that they’re a nonviolent way to force changeand serve as a deterrent for other countries. Those who are skeptical aboutthe efficacy of sanctions say they are leaky, don’t lead to regime change, and can harm civilians and exacerbate humanitarian crises.Now with this background, we debate the question: Are Sanctions an Effective Policy Tool?This debate was produced in partnership with the Human Rights Foundation at the Oslo Freedom Forum in Oslo, Norway, on May 26, 2025.
A new study from The Lancet revealed that three-quarters of U.S. adults and almost half of teens are now overweight or obese. Weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, known as GLP-1 drugs, have been making headlines as…
Dry January has become increasingly popular, practiced by a quarter of Americans last year, and provides individuals a collegial and open path for reconsidering their alcohol consumption. For almost two million people worldwide who have…
How long would you like to live, and could science and technology make it possible? Longevity science aims to extend our healthy years through advancements in CRISPR, cellular reprogramming, and drug development. While private companies…
Magic mushrooms, MDMA, and Ketamine. These psychedelic drugs, once a taboo, might not be as harmful as we thought. Some scientific studies have shown evidence that psychedelic drugs, when used in controlled therapeutic settings, may…
About the Trial In a post-Roe v. Wade world, a medication that 63% of women use to undergo an abortion is under consideration by the Supreme Court. Mifepristone was approved as a two-drug regimen for use…
In 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued groundbreaking guidelines to tackle childhood obesity, affecting over 14 million U.S. children and adolescents. These guidelines advocate for earlier, more aggressive interventions, including evaluating adolescents with severe…
Open to Debate, in partnership with the Human Rights Foundation and the Oslo Freedom Forum, is examining a strategy employed by many countries to respond to aggressive or authoritarian regimes. In recent years, these have been levied against countries such as Russia, Venezuela, and Iran, which have ranged from freezing assets and trade bans to travel restrictions and full embargoes. But do sanctions work in deterring repression? Those arguing that they’re effective claim that they’re a nonviolent way to force change and serve…
Open to Debate, in partnership with the Human Rights Foundation and the Oslo Freedom Forum, is examining a strategy employed by many countries to respond to aggressive or authoritarian regimes. In recent years, these have…