The Impact of International Events on Fair Treatment Policy in the US

Recent global events have significantly influenced U.S. domestic policy, marking a shift toward addressing international challenges with local solutions. The CHIPS and Science Act, for example, emerged as a strategic response to mitigate China's dominance in the semiconductor supply chain and to promote the domestic semiconductor industry in the United States.

Similarly, the global discourse on climate change has resonated at the municipal and county levels, sparking initiatives focused on reducing carbon emissions and investing in green infrastructure.

The ethical and cultural perceptions of global events often reverberate within diverse communities, prompting a reevaluation of policies related to fair treatment. Such policies are pivotal in combating discrimination and promoting social equity, demonstrating the profound impact of global perspectives on domestic policy formulation. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for government affairs professionals as they navigate the intricate relationship between international events and domestic policy outcomes.

What is Fair Treatment?

Fair treatment encompasses the implementation of policies and practices that prevent discrimination and promote equity. These policies ensure that individuals have equal access to opportunities and resources, such as education, employment, housing, healthcare, and justice.

The Impact of Global Events on Social Equity

Global events often test the resilience of fair treatment policies. In particular, events with a more direct effect on local populations, such as wars and health crises, can exacerbate negative perceptions around diversity, leading to increased racial, gender, and religious biases.

The challenge for local governments is to navigate these international influences, ensuring that domestic policies are responsive and robust enough to counteract the potential rise in discrimination.

These policies are affected by international events in two broad ways: short-term or reactionary policies and long-term policies which lead to systemic change.

The Immediate Response: Short-Term Policies

In the wake of international events, short-term policies often emerge to deal with a swift rise in discrimination. These policies aim to reinforce the idea of unity through diversity and denounce the actions of the perpetrators of international conflicts and discrimination.

The Israel-Palestine conflict, for instance, prompted numerous U.S. municipalities and counties to enact policies denouncing antisemitism and Islamophobia, a testament to the power of large-scale conflicts to fracture community cohesion. Curate data shows that, since October 2023, the latest iteration of the conflict has led to a shift in policies solely condemning antisemitism to policies that condemn all forms of discrimination tied to the conflict.

Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the propensity for crises to spawn unjust perceptions, leading communities to issue anti-discrimination policies. As COVID-19 transitions to an endemic virus, Curate has noted that communities continue to issue policies in the case of an outbreak while simultaneously preventing discrimination.

Preparing for the Future: Long-Term Policies

Beyond immediate reactions, there lies the opportunity for systemic transformation. Long-term fair treatment policies inspired by global events deal with social equity issues to improve communities’ economic and cultural state. Whether addressing disparities in healthcare, education, or employment, these strategies aim to rectify the imbalances exposed by global crises.

The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, revealed not only disparities in the treatment of minorities but also in the healthcare industry, education, and general workforce. The pandemic was a catalyst for reevaluating policies on workplace equity, educational access, and healthcare availability, among others. According to Curate data, communities across the U.S. are increasingly dedicating efforts to enhance fair treatment, from promoting equity programs to establishing citizen groups.

Tracking Fair Treatment Policies to Navigate Global Shifts

Tracking fair treatment policies at the local level amid global events is a challenging and crucial task for adapting to the complexities global events bring to domestic affairs. By focusing on municipal and county levels, you can more easily discern the larger trend of community responses.

Policy tracking tools such as Curate specialize in capturing the pulse of discussions about global events at the local level. In the past few months, Curate has picked up more than 100 responses to global events that affect fair treatment policies. By allowing you to position your organizations into these conversations early and track their development, Curate helps you stay ahead of current trends in fair treatment policies.