Daniel Drezner asks:What is new and essential in international relations?Tyler Cowen worries that after a burst of innovation in the late eighties, economics has gone a bit stale:I see mid-1980s as the end of a great era in economic theorizing. Take game theory, principal-agent theory, and the economics of information, and apply them to everything, for better or worse. This was an exciting, indeed intoxicating, time to learn economics. While applications continue, we have run out of new ideas on those fronts. Experimental economics is completely Nobel-worthy, but it is now over forty years...

Within the span of five months in 2004-2005 remakes of two "classic" science-fiction series entered their regular seasons. The first regular episode of the "re-envisioned" Battlestar Galactica aired in October of 2004. The first episode of the new Doctor Who series aired in Britain in March of 2005. Battlestar Galactica has already emerged as perhaps the best science-fiction television series ever made, and probably one of the best television dramas ever produced. Despite some missteps in the second season, BSG arguably outshines the current fare being offered on HBO; it comes close to the...

Most of the evidence suggests grounds for cautious optimism about the prospects for some sort of deal with Iran. Already, some (admittedly obscure) right-wing bloggers are crying foul over the carrots on the table. Others trumpet Bush's "diplomatic coup." What should we make of all this?First, liberals shouldn't begrudge giving credit to the Bush administration if they're able to negotiate a deal. We should, rather, welcome its embrace of multilateral diplomacy.Second, Merkel's decision to back the Bush administration's condition that Iran cease enrichment prior to negotiations is, in the...

Twenty-five years ago today Israeli F-15s and F-16s carried out a preventive air-strike on Iraq's fledgling Osirak nuclear reactor. By all accounts the operation was itself a success, with 14 of 16 bombs striking their target and no Israeli losses. The mission has since been touted as a) an solid example of a preventive strike against a threat that has yet to materialize b) a possible template for US action against Iran's nascent nuclear program given the lack of ground options available at this time.While the current situation with Iran seems to have entered a diplomatic state we should not...

...Indeed. (for more on the flypaper theory, see here, here, and here.)It appears that Somali Islamic Militias have seized the capital, defeating the US-backed coalition of warlords. Curzon at Coming Anarchy has more.Yet another glowing victory in the war on terror and fundamentalism. I thought this President's comparative advantage was his ability to lead us to victory in this global war. I don't know if you are keeping score at home, but at this point I am not seeing a whole lot on the positive side of the ledger.Iraq: potentially falling into sectarian civil war, leading to a failed state...

I should've written this before Peter introduced himself.I want to welcome the Duck of Minerva's newest member, Dr. Peter Howard. You can read his introductory post below. Peter is the first of what may prove to be a longer list of additions to the collective. Be sure to give him a warm welcome.

The 17 men were mainly of South Asian descent and most were in their teens or early 20's. One of the men was 30 years old and the oldest was 43 years old, police officials said. None of them had any known affiliation with Al Qaeda."They represent the broad strata of our society," Mr. McDonell said. "Some are students, some are employed, some are unemployed.Thus the New York Times story on the Canadian arrests of suspected terrorists reminds us of something that should have been obvious after the July 2005 London bombings. Democracy is not a panacea for terrorism.Consider just some of the...

A box of copies of Harry Potter and International Relations just arrived at my house. According to the people the publisher asked to endorse the book, it's a good read:"A landmark in muggle studies."—The Daily Prophet"Nexon and Neumann explore an underdeveloped area of Harry Potter scholarship in a collection of essays covering a wide range of political and cultural topics. In a post-9/11world, international relations is a critical area of inquiry. Their book is a valuable contribution to the growing body of scholarly attention to the boy wizard and the magician who created him."—Lana...