Spring (where it exists) is the time of year when applicants to PhD programs find out the outcome and decide where, if any place, to go. While there are many factors that one must take into account, including what might happen if your preferred adviser leaves...
Check out my new post at e-IR for a consideration of how Game of Thrones tends to reflect how non-IR scholars might be thinking about IR.That's all, folks.
Yesterday the Senate passed the Coburn amendment cutting off funds for political science research through the National Science Foundation. It was by a voice vote, which is another way of saying that...
Some further thoughts on why the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. We've had a few posts already now that the tenth anniversary has come. But given the magnitude of the decision and since even its...
Good morning, ducks! Let's start the week in Pakistan The horrific and systematic killing of the Shia in Pakistan continues in full swing. Sunil Dasgupta asks: "How will India Respond to Civil War in Pakistan" (h/t C. Barwa) General Musharraf has promised (again) that he is coming back to rescue Pakistan...  But will it be the crazy, try-to-provoke-a-nuclear-war-with-India Gen. Musharraf or think-outside-of-the-box and try to resolve the Kashmir dispute Pres. Musharraf?  Does anyone in Pakistan still care about him? Arif Rafiq looks at Pakistan's Powerful Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad...
Traveling home today from a great conference with some awesome Ducks and non-Ducks. The conference, hosted by Debbi Avant (U of Denver) and Oliver Westerwinter (EUI) at the University of Denver, was on the topic of networks, governance, and security. I learned a lot and will hopefully write a nice, normal research -related post sometime soon. At the conference, one of the dinner conversations that kept popping up was the academic job market. In general, the consensus – across age and rank divides - was that the job market is a very difficult, dehumanizing experience for the candidate. Of...
I'm at a conference with a surprising number of Duck bloggers and commentators, so this will be brief. I spent some time last night troubleshooting older podcasts. If you notice a problem please email me. Kings of War analyzes the impact of the sequester on the US army. Andrew Yeo looks at "naming and shaming" viz. North Korean human-rights behavior. Daniel Little looks at recent developments in social theory. Recent developments in intra-regime politics in Bahrain. Joshua Foust on Kazakhstan's "long quest for nuclear power relevance." Kindred's had enough of ceteris paribus policy analysis...
Twitter went nuts when President Obama said he could not get the Republicans to do what is right because of his finite powers, that he could not do some sort of Jedi mind-meld! He mixed his space franchises--Jedis may have Vulcan-like abilities, but the mind meld thing is of Star Trek. So, this sent twitter on a wonderful spiral for awhile. Some of the highlights: RT @jpodhoretz: "By Grabthar's hammer, you will be sequestered." — Hayes Brown (@HayesBrown) March 1, 2013 RT @angelaisms: "Dammit Luke, I'm a doctor, not your father!" #ObamaSciFiQuotes — Philip Klein (@philipaklein) March...
Miscellaneous musings for the weekend. If this is true,  then will the sequester be over by the next Congressional recess?  Any idea as to why so many trips to Switzerland? I seriously doubt it has anything to do with this. Mattea Kramer and Chris Hellman find that we've spent $791bn on Homeland Security since 9/11 -- compared to an inflation-adjusted $500bn for the entire New Deal. On-going stress in India about Pakistan's nuclear capabilities and new developments in India's own capabilities. A basic primer on Iran "One of the most bizarre relationships in international relations?"...