Maryam Z. Deloffre

On advocacy, activism and political science

by Maryam Z. Deloffre | 21 November, 2016 | Academia, Human Rights

What is the role of political science and political scientists during contentious social and political moments? This question seems foremost in the minds of many political scientists (read Jeffrey Issac and Jennifer Victor). Political scientists are uniquely positioned to understand the institutions of government, processes of democratic consolidation and decline, and the power and influence of civil society, social movements and advocacy. Political scientists study populism, civil rights movements, xenophobia, nationalism, autocracy and democracy; we have invaluable insights to add to the...

Ideas, Norms and Nonmaterial Factors in International Relations: A response to Krasner

by Maryam Z. Deloffre | 12 October, 2016 | Academia, Human Rights, Security

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of International Organization, the editorial team asked former editors of the journal to reflect on their time overseeing the journal as well as on the most significant articles published during their tenure. I recently read Stephen Krasner’s reflection and was surprised by a number of conclusions he draws regarding scholarship on ideas, norms and nonmaterial factors in international relations. Starting with Peter Haas’ “Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Coordination,” one of the two most cited articles published during Krasner’s...

Chasing our tail: The Zika ‘emergency’ and stalled U.S. Congressional appropriations

by Maryam Z. Deloffre | 23 April, 2016 | Global Health, Security

On April 13th, the Centers for Disease Control reported 358 travel-associated Zika virus disease cases in the U.S. spanning 40 states and the District of Colombia. The U.S. territories of American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico reported 471 locally acquired cases and 4 travel-associated cases. Since Zika is primarily transmitted by the Aedes species mosquito, the numbers of Zika virus disease cases are anticipated to rise once mosquito season is in full swing in the U.S. Yet, Congress has thus far refused to approve the $1.8 billion in emergency funding President Barack Obama...

Playing Politics with Compassion after the Paris Attacks (and why humanitarianism is in trouble)

by Maryam Z. Deloffre | 19 November, 2015 | Human Rights, Security

Photo Credit: ruimc77 on Flickr In response to the November 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people President Obama stated: Once again, we’ve seen an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians. This is an attack not just on Paris, it’s an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share. President Obama’s statement was a resounding call for universal compassion; the emphasis on “all of humanity” and “universal values” recalls the language of humanitarianism, enshrined in the foundational...

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