For a long time, policy analysis in the fields of foreign, security and defense policy was driven more by ideology, 'gut feeling', pathos and ego than by dispassionate, evidence-based, collaborative and (!) creative analysis. Much of that is starting to change. The increased availability of new publicly available (and often free) data-sets and -tools are finally starting to give us an opportunity to do much more rigorous work. This will hopefully start feeding into more evidence-based policies in also those important areas. Stephan will share some examples of recent and ongoing work that HCSS, a small but influential think tank in the Netherlands, has been doing along these lines. He will also highlight the role that international interns have been playing - and hopefully, will continue to play - in this work.

Lunch will be provided.