A longstanding plan in my circle at Columbia was to take a large number of existing game-theoretic models, apply an infinite discount rate (rendering the value of future gains and losses effectively zero), and submit our findings to Rationality and Society as an article entitled "The Impact of Belief in the End Times on Common Non-Cooperative Games." So I'm sad to report that anecdotal evidence suggests our findings, had we proceeded with the...
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You never miss it until it’s gone
Nothing fails like success. Consider vaccines. It's rather easy to worry about pesudo-scientific links between vaccines an autism, or even the small percentage of real adverse consequences of childhood immunization, when you aren't concerned that your child is going to die of polio, the measles, or whooping cough. But when people stop taking the vaccines, these diseases come back. We see a similar process in the economic policy front. The prior...
Neorealists as Critical Theorists: Film Edition
On Monday, neorealist IR scholar and Foreign Policy blogger Stephen M. Walt posted his top ten list of "movies that tells (sic) us something about international relations." He was looking for broad insights, beyond what might be offered in genre war films or spy flicks. He also excluded documentaries and overt propaganda exercises. Long-time Duck readers may recall that I previously wrote a series of blog posts about an IR film class I taught...
The flu: context
Though I've previously blogged about the potential serious human security threat of bird flu, I'd like to counter the current media hoopla with a little context (from a CNN report): There had been no confirmed deaths in the United States related to swine flu as of Tuesday afternoon. But another virus had killed thousands of people since January and is expected to keep killing hundreds of people every week for the rest of the year.That one? The...
It’s gone global
Cases in Israel and New Zealand.Back to clearing the writing and reviewing assignments on my desk....
Guest Post: Peter Henne on Turkey-Armenia
Amongst the headlines on the economic crisis, torture memos and the Obamas’ new dog was an almost-missed article that may prove more interesting. As the Washington Post reported on Thursday, “Turkey and Armenia announced yesterday that they had agreed in principle to normalize relations.” This is significant in light of 20th century relations between Turkey and the Armenians, beginning with the expulsion of Armenians from Turkey during World...
Perpetual Hiring Difficulties II: Academageddon
To continue a thread I started some weeks ago: If you're thinking about getting a Ph.D., think again. Its a dysfunctional industry. From today's NY Times op-ed pages, Mark Taylor writes:GRADUATE education is the Detroit of higher learning. Most graduate programs in American universities produce a product for which there is no market (candidates for teaching positions that do not exist) and develop skills for which there is diminishing demand...
Edward James Olmos at the United Nations
Watch the entire proceedings of the Battlestar Galactica cast's visit to the United Nations here.
The Allah-father
Interesting post this morning over at The Argument on the similarities between the Taliban and organized crime. This idea echoes earlier (and interesting) work by Charles Tilly on the origins of the state. While I think Peters' analysis is interesting and thought provoking, I don't think it means we should ignore the religious aspect of the movement. Understanding the criminal aspects of their enterprise is useful for gaining perspective on...
Troubling Advances in Pakistan: Signs of Failure? (updated)
My first semester in graduate school I had the pleasure of attending a talk by General Wesley Clark (Ret.). He gave the talk not soon after the attacks of September 11th and the US offensive in Afghanistan. At the time, Clark was just begining a PR offensive that would eventually position him as a contender for the Democratic nomination in 2004. During the Q&A I asked him a question about the regional dynamics going forward as a result of the...
Peer reviewing: a call to arms (updated)
I just turned down a request that I review for a journal because, in part, they failed to send me an anonymized copy of the decision letter the last time I reviewed for them. And this despite the journal using an electronic review system that automates the process.I can think of a number of reasons why all peer-reviewed journals should be required to supply reviewers with copies of their decision letters. In no particular order:(1) It provides...
Routes and Bases: Developments in Central Asia
I've been hearing rumors to the effect that US negotiators have cut a deal with the Kyrgyz government to allow continued use of Manas. But media sources remain silent, except to note that the Russians are sending additional warplanes to their own base in Kyrgyzstan. Instead, they report on a new US-Tajik agreement to allow transit rights for non-military supplies to Afghanistan. This adds to existing deals with Uzbekistan and Russia.But,...