by Charli Carpenter | 28 Dec 2007 |
Deborah Boucoyannis has published a thought-provoking article in this month’s Perspectives on Politics in which she argues that neo-realism is actually most consistent with classical liberalism, and in which she articulates a new way of distinguishing realist and liberal IR theory. If her argument is correct, most of us will have to completely rethink how we teach the two theories in our introductory classes.In particular, she argues that “the...
by Peter | 27 Dec 2007 |
Hillary Clinton is running as the “Experienced” candidate. Her political experience consists of 8 years in the US Senate and 8 years in the White House as First Lady. In her speeches and discussion, she leaves a great deal of that resume deliberately ambiguous, and in doing so, raises a very important question: How should one count the experience of being First Lady? The New York Times addresses that issue today:In seeking the Democratic...
by Peter | 25 Dec 2007 |
I saw Charlie Wilson’s War Saturday night (two thumbs up, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is fantastic, and the great irony about the film is that they had to tone it down from Wilson’s actual life). What’s most fascinating about watching a movie like that is how much of a commentary it is on the present day, as the events from 20+ years ago have a direct and not at all subtle link to the present day’s politics.There’s a very poignant scene in the...
by Patrick Thaddeus Jackson | 25 Dec 2007 |
Ever since the invention of the InterNet, not a December goes by without some version of this making the rounds of listservs and e-mail chains and the like. I must have received it a dozen times from various sources. It's cute and funny and all, but I must say that I've never been entirely happy with its conclusions. So in the spirit of the season, I present the first known social constructionist investigation in the the existence of Santa...
by Peter | 22 Dec 2007 |
In the post- 9-11, post Iraq world of Intelligence and policy, the great hue and cry has been that the US needs better Human Intelligence. To that end, the Intelligence Reform act created the National Clandestine Service out of the CIA's old Directorate of Operations, in an attempt to beef up our human intelligence capability.Joseph Weisberg, writing in the Washington Post, raises an interesting and provocative argument:Although we dedicate...
by Dan Nexon | 20 Dec 2007 |
Yes, you read the title correctly. I don't think the United States should withdraw from Iraq. My disagreement with the views of some of my fellow bloggers, most of "my blog friends," and every candidate with a shot at getting my vote in the 2008 elections, stems from a number of ethical and realpolitik considerations.I feel strongly that the United States has an ethical obligation to repair Iraq--or at least to continue to try. I agree, in...
by Charli Carpenter | 20 Dec 2007 |
Foreign Policy has released its annual “Top Ten Stories You Missed in 2007.” Among the contenders: 1. The Cyberwars Have Begun. However, see Miriam Dunn Cavelty’s article “Cyberterrorism: Looming Threat or Phantom Menace” in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Information Technology and Politics. 2. US Navy is in Iraq for the Long Haul. And a good thing too, if trade in the Arabian Gulf is to be protected from the emerging threat of piracy,...
by Peter | 18 Dec 2007 |
An actual job description currently posted on the website of a major government contractor:JOB DESCRIPTION:The Policy Analyst would focus primarily on projects investigating the creation and evolution of subnational identities within and across states, focusing on the construction and interpretation of narratives, contestation, and negotiation with hegemonic discourses, and the temporalization of values, ethics, and ideals. In the project,...
by Dan Nexon | 18 Dec 2007 |
The recently leaked photographs of Liberal Fascisms table of contents have provided some of my favorite bloggers with an excuse for another round of snark at Jonah Goldberg's expense. John Cole mostly hits the proverbial nail on the head when he writes:The most depressing thing about Jonah Goldberg’s new book is that this whole “liberals are fascist” argument is going to morph from something idiot frat boys would argue after three credit hours...
by Peter | 18 Dec 2007 |
Several days ago, I asked if someone making 97,000 / year was Middle Class, and Rodger followed up wonderful post on the two "two Americas," economic and cultural.Matt Bai, NY Times Magazine political writer and new contributor to their political blog The Caucus, raises the issue again. Responding to a John Edwards ad where Edwards promises to "save the middle class," Bai asks:All the Democratic candidates, to one extent or another, have been...
by Rodger Payne | 16 Dec 2007 |
The press has periodically made note of various allegations, but the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee just released (December 12) its full report on Political Interference with Climate Change Science Under the Bush Administration. The Committee has been gathering evidence for 16 months and examined 27,000 pages of documents from the Bush administration. It also conducted multiple hearings and interviewed key figures.What did the...
by Charli Carpenter | 14 Dec 2007 |
Human Security Report Project's newsfeed reports:Serbia has promised NATO it would not use force against Kosovo if the breakaway province carried out a vow to declare independence early next year, a senior alliance commander said on Thursday. NATO has patrolled Kosovo since it bombed Serbia for nearly 3 months in 1999 to force the withdrawal of Serb forces accused of atrocities in a war against separatist Albanian guerrillas in the province....