The Duck of Minerva

Peter Henne

Peter Henne is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Global and Regional Studies Program at the University of Vermont. His research focuses on global religious politics and the Middle East. His first book, Islamic Politics, Muslim States and Counterterrorism Tensions, was published in 2017 by Cambridge University Press and he is currently working on a book analyzing how states try to use religion in foreign policy. His scholarly research has been published in International Journal of Religion, International Studies Perspectives, Journal of Church and State, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, Politics and Religion, Religions, States and Societies, and Terrorism and Political Violence. In addition to the Duck, he has written for the Washington Post's Monkeycage, Political Violence at a Glance and The Huffington Post.

Recent Posts

Wait…what about Iran?

Wait…what about Iran?

by Peter Henne | 6 September, 2019 | ,

Remember this summer, when we were about to go to war with Iran? Iran seized an oil tanker passing through the Persian Gulf. Iran also shot down a US drone. The United States responded by shooting down an Iranian drone flying near a US ship, and nearly launching an air strike against Iran. The United States also expanded sanctions on Iran. With Trump's behavior becoming...unpredictable, and hawkish advisers like John Bolton and Mike Pompeo seemingly ascendant in the Administration, some sort of military clash appeared likely. But at some point this likely event kind of...faded away. It's...

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Thoughts on making the most of APSA for the alt-ac attendee

Thoughts on making the most of APSA for the alt-ac attendee

by Peter Henne | 26 August, 2019 | , ,

Graduation Cap and Diploma on White with Soft Shadow. C/o Bluestocking, 2008 Uyen Le APSA is nearly upon us again, and I thought I should write something profession-related as I got back into blogging. My first thought was to make fun of annoying questions, but I already did that (six years ago...but still relevant). And there is a lot of advice floating around for grad students or others on the market. Instead, I thought I'd focus on an area where my experience is more unique: navigating academic conferences while working outside academia (or alt-ac*) and--in my case--trying to get back in....

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Need some evidence of America’s waning influence?

Need some evidence of America’s waning influence?

by Peter Henne | 30 April, 2019 |

One of the (many) concerns about the Trump Administration's foreign policy is the impact it will have on US influence around the world. Will Trump's rhetoric and actions restore US dominance in the international system, or will they aggravate the world, leading them to look elsewhere for leadership? We can find some answers in the reports that Trump is considering branding the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. Most debating US influence under Trump think it's waning. Dan Drezner has pointed to public opinion polling suggesting a turn away from the United States. The UN Secretary...

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Editors, we need to talk about robustness checks

Editors, we need to talk about robustness checks

by Peter Henne | 3 April, 2019 |

It's happened to all of us (or least those of us who do quantitative work). You get back a manuscript from a journal and it's an R&R. Your excitement quickly fades when you start reading the comments. One reviewer gives a grocery list of additional tests they'd like to see: alternate control variables, different estimators, excluded observations. Another complains about the long list of robustness checks already in the manuscript, as it obscures the important findings. Sometimes both of these reviewers are the same person. And it gets even more complicated if the article ends up rejected...

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Does IR really have a “culture problem?”

Does IR really have a “culture problem?”

by Peter Henne | 22 March, 2019 |

Is it a mistake to push back on a senior scholar (whose work you admire) right before ISA? Maybe. Is it overkill to post twice in one week? Probably (sorry Duck superiors). But I had to say something about this Christian Reus-Smit piece in Foreign Policy--based on his new book--claiming IR doesn't understand culture. It's an example of the sort of well-meaning critique that fails to really engage with work being done in IR, which can divide and undermine scholars who should be working together. Reus-Smit argues IR sees culture in an outdated manner, approaching cultures "as tightly...

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Is religious freedom just for the faithful?

Is religious freedom just for the faithful?

by Peter Henne | 19 March, 2019 | ,

Yesterday, Michelle Kosinki of CNN reported via Twitter that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was holding a special briefing for "faith-based media" only. She later relayed that the State Department was refusing to release the list of invited media or a transcript of the event. And we've now learned that the topic of the briefing was the state of religious freedom around the world. This creates a dangerous precedent and raises some serious issues about the manner in which conservatives define religious freedom. It also highlights why progressives need to engage with, rather than write off,...

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What should we think of the Pope’s UAE visit?

What should we think of the Pope’s UAE visit?

by Peter Henne | 6 February, 2019 | ,

Pope Francis recently visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE). His trip is historic, not just because it's the first by the head of the Roman Catholic Church. He will also lead an outdoor mass, the first to be held, according to the new coverage, in the Arabian Peninsula. Additionally, the Pope signed an accord of "human fraternity" with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar University, the top center of religious learning for Sunni Muslims. This all sounds good, but I have mixed feelings. The UAE has been putting a lot of effort into promoting interfaith dialogue and a "moderate Islam." One example is...

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The International Religious Freedom Campaign: A Cautionary Tale

The International Religious Freedom Campaign: A Cautionary Tale

by Peter Henne | 16 January, 2019 | ,

There was some interesting/concerning information hidden at the end of the New York Times coverage of Secretary of State Pompeo’s Cairo speech. After criticizing Obama’s foreign policy and calling for action on Iran, Pompeo mentioned the progress Egyptian President al-Sisi had apparently made on religious freedom, specifically protecting Christians. Some may dismiss this as cynicism or a sign of role Pompeo’s faith plays in his policies, but I think it’s more than that. It represents the worrying state of the international religious freedom (IRF) campaign, a robust, if low-key, international...

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Enes Kanter was right to be cautious

Enes Kanter was right to be cautious

by Peter Henne | 9 January, 2019 |

The NY Knicks will be travelling to London in a few weeks for a game against the Washington Wizards.  But center Enes Kanter has announced he won't be joining them. Kanter, who is Turkish and a frequent critic of Turkey's authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he is worried about his safety if he leaves the United States. This may seem surprising, but it shouldn't; Erdogan has launched a campaign of repression against his critics, both in Turkey and around the world. Kanter has every reason to be concerned. At first, this decision may seem a bit dramatic, like something out of a...

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Progressives: here’s what happens when you steal GOP talking points

Progressives: here’s what happens when you steal GOP talking points

by Peter Henne | 10 December, 2018 |

Progressives and liberals were quick to praise President George H.W. Bush when he passed away. Some of this was basic human decency. Some of this was honest admiration for a masterful foreign policy practitioner and a decent man. But some of it felt strategic, a way to point out all of Trump's failings. Highlighting Bush's virtues emphasized the issues with Trump and his Presidency. The fact that Bush was a Republican seemed to make this more effective; "look," Trump critics could say, "here are things Republicans used to value." It seemed an effective tactic. And then Trump nominated...

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