Patrick and Dan talk about the newest feature of the podcast: a series in which they combine thei…
Episode 29: Introducing: Whiskey & IR Theory… in Space!
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Recent Posts
America’s Democratic Shortcomings and the “Liberal International Order”
This is a guest post from Manuel Reinert, a PhD candidate in international relations at American University and consultant with the World Bank. As the COVID-19 crisis illustrates, international...
Coffee and TV: Election Edition
A couple of years ago, I conducted a Gary Steyngart-esque experiment and watched Russian TV for a day, to find out in what kind of information bubble a regular Russian person lives. This...
Episode 14 – Harry Gould
Harry Gould of FIU talks punishment and IR, his career, and coping with loss.
More Recent Posts
A Small Farewell
It is cold in the scriptorium, my thumb aches. Actually, it isn't. I've just always wanted to use that line from the end of Name of the Rose. In fact its about room temperature in the American Institute Library and my thumb is thriving. Anyway, I don't blog much any more because of work and other...
Friday Nerd Blogging: Mocking the New and the Old
Because we are late with Friday Nerd Blogging, we have a two-fer--one that is mocks a TV program to come and one that mocks an old show but lovingly so: And for the kids out there, Bosum Buddies is among the very best short-lived TV shows. No spaceships (Firefly) but realistic portrayal of the...
thursday linkage
As sleet and ice descend upon Austin, Texas this Thursday evening, here are some stories in keeping with this wackadoo weather. Rick Perry and weed at Davos with Kofi Annan, Downton Abbey goes on safari, Putin warns gays to stay away from kids, GDELT goes dark, and scientific findings that may be...
Mid-Week Linkage
Syria New evidence of mass atrocity in Syria sets a bitter tone as peace talks kick off in Geneva. IRC's David Miliband in WAPO on why humanitarian issues must be a priority at Geneva. Speaking to the NYT, HRW's Kenneth Roth concurs. Stephen Heydman in FP on whether justice could undermine peace...
Are CIA Drone Pilots Likelier to Comply With International Law?
That is the justification made by senior lawmakers last week for adding a secret provision into appropriations bill that would block President Obama's efforts to place the CIA's drone program back under military control. As reported in the Washington Post: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the...
Public Opinion in the Midst of the Syrian Civil War
I have been an admirer of Sam Whitt’s work for some time. He has always done interesting research, being one of the first to study and publish on Katrina and run surveys/experiments on divided post conflict societies. Whitt and his colleague Vera Mironova, conducted a survey of civilians and...
Monday Linkage – MLK Day Edition
Good mornin' Ducks! Here are your links: Oliver Steunkel discusses "The Death of IMF Reform?" at the Post-Western World Blog. The US Congress' rejection an IMF funding request by the Obama administration "... leaves the 188-nation group without additional resources and blocks an increase in...
France’s Re-Emergence as a Major Power
If there is an Obama Doctrine in the realm of foreign affairs, it comprises robust multilateralism—being multilateral when the U.S. can, unilateral when it must. Subjected to scrutiny, however, the Obama Doctrine can only work if the U.S. has capable and willing partners. Yet under conditions of...
Belated Thursday Links – It’s Still Thursday Somewhere Right?
So, your humble blogger found himself subsumed by first week of class duties and fell behind on the job! To make amends, I've flagged some stories that caught my eye, which should make for some welcome weekend reading. My eye this week was mostly trained on energy and environment stuff (U.S....
OAIS Blogging Awards Voting Begins
We're a week behind, but the nominees are in and voting is now open. We sent out ballots today to those who registered for voting. If you did not receive one or if you haven't registered yet, please email us for a ballot. Voting runs through February 7. As with last year, we will use a Borda-count...
Friday Nerd Blogging
The new and quite awesome-looking Season 4 trailer promises "war, death, hell," or as the Christian Post puts it, "action and intrigue." Duh. But it also hints at many more diversions from the books to come. Here is a breakdown. For Game of Thrones book fans, this may be appropriate:
I wish I could quote Marry Poppins
When you do not know what to say, “summon up this word and then you've got a lot to say! Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!” says Marry Poppins. I wish I could quote her when I do not know what to say to an MA student who wants to get a Ph.D. but perhaps should not. I think I am not alone....