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in Foreign Policy
by
Ivan Krastev, May/June 2008
In many ways, the Soviet Union was easier to deal with than present-day Russia. The question is one of motivation: Threatened by the proximity of the postmodern empire of the European Union, and the historical empire of the United States, what does the increasingly insular Russia really want? Betting on an American collapse that would look very much like their own, Vladimir Putin and lapdog president Dmitry Medvedev long for a pre-World War II order, where superpowers would operate in their "spheres of influence." Krastev's well-written article admirably navigates the complex issues that shape the Russian viewpoint.
Posted 10:00, 11 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Gallaway
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Gershom Gorenberg, May/June 2008
Gorenberg presents a moderate overview of Israel's past, present, and future, clinging neither to exaltation of the Jewish state or fearmongering over its enemies. Israel is a democracy, Gorenberg says, but a flawed one, withholding rights and national identity to Arabs and without a constitution to enshrine many liberties -- its political parties desperately need new blood. Gorenberg punctures the myth of religious control of the state and minimizes the Holocaust's role in the state's creation. And while Hamas and a nuclear Iran are threats, each is unlikely to try to destroy Israel, he writes. Gorenberg's description convincingly emphasizes Israel is a real place, not a "country of myth."
Posted 4:54, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bryan Fagan
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Christopher Hitchens, May/June 2008
Hitchens discusses what a public intellectual is and decides that it's a term for someone who "makes his or her living through the battle of ideas," a title earned by the approbation of others. The nature of public intellectualism is changing, no longer strictly tied to the left or secularism. Television has become a battleground of mere pundits and opinion makers, while the Internet "selectorate" has driven down the standards of intellectualism. Hitchens keeps the article from drifting into hagiography by being self-effacing even while glorifying the intellectual.
Posted 4:50, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bryan Fagan
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Richard Lacayo, May/June 2008
Many of the best and most daring architects in the world are working with the most restrictive governments, such as China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The reason, paradoxically, is freedom; the architects are given carte blanche, and their often stunning visions are not hampered by zoning boards, environmental concerns, or community groups. These architects hope their forward thinking will help these restrictive governments evolve, or that the governments will evolve without them. Lacayo worries these futuristic designs will only encourage other developing nations to continue their less-than-democratic ways. The author hopes that top architects stop working with totalitarian governments, but that doesn't make his argument of why they do so any less compelling. Great pictures, too.
Posted 4:31, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bryan Fagan
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Serge Michel, May/June 2008
It seems like a perfect match: China is looking for new markets and oil, Africa is looking to complete a severely lacking infrastructure. But China is having difficulty maneuvering in democratic countries where corruption is rampant. Many African leaders, wary of the increasing Chinese presence, are more apt to leverage cheap Chinese construction bids to illicit competition from western companies. Michel, who writes an insightful and accessible article, notes that even as contracts evaporate, China is planning to invest another $20 billion in African nations over the next three years, which would make it the largest international interest in the continent.
Posted 11:41, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Gallaway
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Nouriel Roubini, March/April 2008
Roubini predicts the US financial crisis will spread globally, and describes in detail how it could happen. The flat-lining of American consumer spending will hobble the world's export economies, especially China; this, in turn, will cause commodity prices to collapse, spreading pain through Latin America and Africa. Meanwhile the tightening of global credit markets, caused by the subprime meltdown will set off property busts in Europe and Asia. Can any of this be averted? Roubini is convincingly pessimistic: Since the underlying problem is American "insolvency," the levers of fiscal and monetary policy likely won't prove useful.
Posted 5:33, 27 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Jon Kay
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Linda J. Bilmes, March/April 2008
Bilmes wastes no time in getting her reader's attention, offering plenty of shocking statistics about the cost of the Iraq War. Bilmes forces a sharp look into the future as she discusses the long-term financial consequences of the war in Iraq; for example, the US will have to pay benefits for years to come to injured survivors, an estimated $500 billion if all troops are pulled out by 2009. There's no escaping reality in this informative discussion about America's debt to its wounded.
Posted 4:35, 27 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Anna Flin
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
E. Benjamin Skinner, March/April 2008
There are more slaves in the world today than there have been at any other time in history, Skinner writes in this compelling overview of the topic. The West has tried to fight this trend, but a focus on sex slavery -- and by association, prostitution -- means most slaves are neglected. Small, non-governmental organizations help those in bondage by, for example, issuing microcredit, but real progress will remain elusive until slavery becomes a priority at higher levels. Skinner's account of his dealing with a Haitian slave-trader is a chilling introduction to his already miserable subject.
Posted 10:40, 26 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Danny Kind
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Eric Weiner, March/April 2008
People don't become happy through democracy, Weiner writes in this short essay; rather, happy people create democracies. Ultimately, though, all Weiner shows is that there are happy undemocratic nations and unhappy democracies. The latter group, at least here, includes Iraq and former Communist countries, none of which have been democratic for more than 20 years and many of which are democracies in name alone. Weiner seems conflicted about democracy's link to economic growth: the Chinese report being happy, but growth also helped build the trust that South Korea and Taiwan needed to democratize. A passage on the different levels of happiness within Switzerland's varyingly democratic regions is interesting, as well.
Posted 10:35, 26 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Danny Kind
and edited by Brijit.
in Foreign Policy
by
Marc Sageman, March/April 2008
The new generation of terrorists, Sageman writes in this insightful, forward-looking piece, comprises a group of young Muslims who are angered by the invasion of Iraq and whose ties to one another come from the Internet. Their goals are self-serving; many seek not martyrdom so much as glory. This might not be of any comfort to their victims, but Sageman sees hope: As the war in Iraq winds down, and as young jihadis commit crimes that are increasingly repugnant, fewer will seek to join their cause. By treating these jihadis as criminals instead of combatants, he argues, the West could hasten their demise.
Posted 10:19, 26 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Danny Kind
and edited by Brijit.