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1. Corporate Political Power and US Foreign Policy, 1981-2002: The Role of the Policy-Planning Network

Author:
Philip Luther-Davies
Publication Date:
06-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
Abstract:
Recent empirical work has offered strong support for ‘biased pluralism’ and ‘economic elite’ accounts of political power in the United States, according a central role to interest groups as a mechanism through which corporate influence is exerted. Here, we propose an additional channel of influence for corporate interests: the ‘policy-planning network,’ consisting of corporate-dominated foundations, think tanks, and elite policy-discussion groups. To evaluate this assertion, we coded the policy preferences of one key policy-discussion group, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), on 295 foreign policy issues during the 1981-2002 period. In logistic regression analyses, the preferences of economic elites and the CFR were positive, statistically significant predictors of foreign policy outcomes while interest group preferences were not. These findings were further supported with a qualitative investigation of the patterns of CFR ‘successes’ and ‘failures.’ We conclude that ‘biased pluralism’ models should include corporate influence exerted through the policy-planning network.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Think Tanks, Pluralism, and Corporations
Political Geography:
United States of America

2. The Politics of Vulnerability: Can Muslims and Evangelicals Find Common Cause in Religious Freedom?

Author:
Inclusive America Project
Publication Date:
10-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Aspen Institute
Abstract:
The Inclusive America Project (IAP) is pleased to publish our new report, “The Politics of Vulnerability: Can Muslims and Evangelicals Find Common Cause in Religious Freedom?” Across all of the fault lines that are polarizing Americans today, one of the thorniest is the relationship between conservative White Evangelical Christians and Muslims, a relationship that has become tied up with broader ideological and political divides facing the country. “The Politics of Vulnerability” explores this relationship and asks how religious freedom can be used as a paradigm to bring Muslims and White Evangelical Christians into conversation with each other over their shared concerns about religious freedom. IAP Fellow for Religious Freedom Asma Uddin argues that the fight over religious freedom is ultimately a fight over America​n identity, and who gets to claim this identity. “The Politics of Vulnerability” summarizes the major findings of two closed-door convenings held by the Inclusive America Project in March 2020 that brought together experts in religious theology, religious freedom, and interfaith work. These meetings were a part of the larger Politics of Vulnerability Project, which seeks to use religious freedom as a framework to bring Muslims and Evangelical Christians in the United States into conversation around their constitutional religious freedom rights, the prominent challenges to those rights, and the impacts that deprivation of those rights would have on both communities and on all other Americans. The First Amendment and its promise of religious freedom protects people of all faiths and none, and is one crucial piece of the puzzle of American religious pluralism.
Topic:
Religion, Minorities, Discrimination, Pluralism, and Freedom of Religion
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

3. Conscience, Community and Citizenship: Religious Pluralism in an Age of Religious Nationalism

Author:
Inclusive America Project
Publication Date:
07-2019
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Aspen Institute
Abstract:
On October 9, 2018, the Aspen Institute Inclusive America Project, with generous support from the Democracy Fund and the Templeton Religion Trust, hosted a symposium entitled Conscience, Community and Citizenship to examine the role of religious pluralism in building a stronger democracy. The symposium sought to answer the following questions: What characteristics of engagement should we express through our words and actions? What skill sets are required for cross-cultural and religious literacy so we can engage, respect, and protect the “other”? How do we combine these characteristics and skills to protect and promote both conscience and community in the name of citizenship? What are the points of intersection between the ideals of religious freedom and religious pluralism? This report offers a summary of the day’s conclusions.
Topic:
Nationalism, Religion, Democracy, Citizenship, Community, and Pluralism
Political Geography:
United States of America and North America