Allison J. Smith

CFR Staff

Allison J. Smith

Associate Director, Global Economics

Allison J. Smith is associate director for global economics at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), where she works with the director of CFR’s Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies on RealEcon: Reimagining American Economic Leadership. Before joining CFR, Smith worked as a consultant conducting anti-money laundering investigations and as a paralegal in the areas of commercial litigation and criminal defense. Smith holds a BA in international relations and Russian from Beloit College and an MA in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Most Recent

Cuba

U.S.-Cuba Relations
Cuba has long been a major foreign policy challenge for the United States. President Biden is the latest U.S. leader to grapple with how to balance democracy promotion with the desire for a better bilateral relationship.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors April 24, 2024

Palestinian Territories

What Is Hamas?
The Palestinian militant group struggled to govern the Gaza Strip before launching a surprise attack on Israel in 2023. Now facing Israel’s military campaign to destroy it, Hamas’s future is in doubt, as is Gaza’s.

Backgrounder by Kali Robinson April 18, 2024

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.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors April 17, 2024

Top Stories on CFR

United States

What Is the CHIPS Act?
Extraordinary U.S. government incentives are proving popular with many large chipmakers, but it is too early to tell how much of the semiconductor industry can be lured back to the United States.  

In Brief by Michelle Kurilla April 29, 2024

Singapore

Singapore’s New Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Faces Challenges From Day One
After two decades in office, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will pass the baton to the ruling party’s chosen successor, who faces a complex geopolitical environment and growing challenges to the party’s leadership at home.

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick April 25, 2024 Asia Unbound

Ukraine

Weapons of War: The Race Between Russia and Ukraine
The new U.S. aid package will reestablish a critical flow of weapons to Ukraine’s military, but the war will hinge greatly on which side can ramp up and sustain its firepower and troop numbers in the months ahead.  

Expert Brief by Max Boot April 24, 2024