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1402. American Muslims and the Use of Cultural Diplomacy
- Author:
- Hafsa Kanjwal
- Publication Date:
- 06-2008
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
- Institution:
- Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- One of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century will be to address the growing mutual suspicion, fear, and misunderstanding between Western and Muslim societies. Within the United States, in particular, there is an increase in Islamophobia, which seeks to dominate the discussion surrounding Islam and Muslims by linking it to the actions and views of an extremist minority. Within this tense environment, a number of organizations and initiatives have taken steps to urge greater dialogue between the West and the Muslim world on an international level. Oftentimes, this is done with the underlying understanding that there is a bifurcation between “the West” and the “Muslim” and/or “Islamic world.” As such, the primary focus is not placed on changing negative perceptions of Islam in the West, but rather, to improve the image of the West in the Muslim world. The fact that Islam exists within the West, and, for the purposes of this article, in America, is often overlooked. Nonetheless, there are an estimated three to seven million Muslims living in America and a greater number of them are second or third generation Americans. The American Muslim community, especially its youth, is at a unique position in history because they actively engage in the process of reconciling its Muslim as well as American identities in the public sphere. Young American Muslims have the capacity to decrease the negative views that some Americans may have towards Islam. This article explores the specific role that the younger generation of American Muslims plays in using cultural expression to bridge the gap between Western and Muslim societies.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Globalization, Government, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- United States and Rotterdam
1403. Post-Tsunami Aid Effectiveness in Aceh: Proliferation and Coordination in Reconstruction
- Author:
- Harry Masyrafah and Jock MJA McKeon
- Publication Date:
- 11-2008
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- On December 26, 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck off the northeast coast of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (Aceh) on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. In the subsequent tsunami that followed, over 150,000 people lost their lives, while an estimated 700,000 people were displaced. The scale of the damage to the local economy, infrastructure and administration was unprecedented. The magnitude of these events triggered a huge outpouring of compassion and generosity from around the world. The influx of aid and assistance into the province of Aceh in the weeks and months that followed was unprecedented and surpassed all expectations. This paper seeks to provide some insight into the effects of such an influx whilst also exploring some of the coordination mechanisms put in place to manage what was the largest reconstruction program in the developing world at the time.
- Topic:
- Development, Government, Human Welfare, Humanitarian Aid, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Indonesia
1404. Ireland and the Lisbon Treaty: Quo Vadis?
- Author:
- John O'Brennan
- Publication Date:
- 10-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for European Policy Studies
- Abstract:
- The rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by the electorate on 12 June 2008 has presented the Irish government with the most serious crisis in external relations since the Second World War. This was the third such referendum on Europe held in Ireland since the millennium and the second plebiscite in three to result in a rejection of an EU Treaty following the failed Nice poll in 2001. There is no obvious solution to the dilemma the government faces and no obvious pathway to achieve ratification. There is however a clear consensus amongst the political parties that ratification constitutes both a clear political priority and a fundamental national interest. At the October European Council summit in Brussels, Taoiseach Brian Cowen promised to come back to the December meeting “with a view to our defining together the elements of a solution and a common path to follow”. But the external context is now clear – EU leaders indicated an unwillingness to re-negotiate any part of the Treaty: it will be up to Ireland to find an Irish solution to this European problem. Thus the opportunity cost of the No vote has become somewhat clearer: Ireland faces marginalisation and isolation in Europe if a solution to the Lisbon dilemma is not found. The domestic context is also somewhat clearer now that we have access to extensive data that sheds light on the reasons for the No vote in the 12 June poll. In assessing the options for ratification this paper draws upon that data, presented in among other sources, the post-referendum Eurobarometer survey and the government-commissioned Millward Brown IMS research findings.
- Topic:
- Government, International Organization, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Lisbon, and Ireland
1405. Accountability and Inequality in Single-Party Regimes: A Comparative Analysis of Vietnam and China
- Author:
- Regina Abrami, Edmund Malesky, and Yu Zheng
- Publication Date:
- 07-2008
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
- Abstract:
- Over the past two decades, no two economies have averaged more rapid economic growth than China and Vietnam. But while China's income inequality has risen rapidly over that same time frame, Vietnam's has only grown moderately. Structural and socio-cultural determinants fail to account for these divergent pathways. Existing political variables are also unhelpful. China and Vietnam are coded in exactly the same way, even in the path-breaking work on authoritarian regimes. In this paper, we take a deeper look at political institutions in the two countries, demonstrating that profound differences between the polities directly impact distributional choices. In particular, we find that Vietnamese elite institutions require construction of broader coalitions of policymakers, place more constraints on executive decision making, and have more competitive selection processes. As a result, there are stronger political motivations for Vietnamese leaders to provide equalizing transfers that limit inequality growth.
- Topic:
- Government
- Political Geography:
- China, Israel, Asia, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia
1406. A Bridge to Somewhere: Rethinking American Transportation for the 21st Century
- Author:
- Robert Puentes
- Publication Date:
- 06-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- In the past, strategic investments in our nation's transportation infrastructure—the railroads in the 19th century, the interstates in the 20th—turbocharged growth and transformed the country. But more recently, America's transportation infrastructure has not kept pace with the growth and evolution of its economy. At the precise time when the nation desperately needs to prioritize its limited investments and resources, the federal transportation program has lost focus.
- Topic:
- Development, Environment, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
1407. What Has Moscow Done?
- Author:
- Stephen Sestanovich
- Publication Date:
- 11-2008
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Foreign Affairs
- Institution:
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Abstract:
- The next president will have to reassess the U.S.-Russian relationship and find the right balance between pushing back and cooperating.
- Topic:
- Government
- Political Geography:
- Russia, United States, Washington, and Moscow
1408. From Great Game to Grand Bargain
- Author:
- Barnett R. Rubin and Ahmed Rashid
- Publication Date:
- 11-2008
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Foreign Affairs
- Institution:
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Abstract:
- The crisis in Afghanistan and Pakistan is beyond the point where more troops will help. U.S. strategy must be to seek compromise with insurgents while addressing regional rivalries and insecurities.
- Topic:
- Security and Government
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan, Afghanistan, and United States
1409. The Latter-Day Sultan
- Author:
- Akbar Ganji
- Publication Date:
- 11-2008
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Foreign Affairs
- Institution:
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Abstract:
- The real decision-maker in Iran is Supreme Leader Khamenei not President Ahmadinejad. Blaming Iran's problems on President Ahmadinejad inaccurately suggests that Iran's problems will go away when Ahmadinejad does.
- Topic:
- Security and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States and Iran
1410. Markets vs. Monopolies in Education: A Global Review of the Evidence
- Author:
- Andrew J. Coulson
- Publication Date:
- 09-2008
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Would large-scale, free-market reforms improve educational outcomes forAmerican children?That question cannot be answered by looking at domestic evidence alone. Though innumerable “school choice” programs have been implemented around theUnited States, none has created a truly free and competitive education marketplace. Existing programs are too small, too restriction laden, or both. To understand how genuine market forces affect school performance, wemust cast a wider net, surveying education systems from all over the globe. The present paper undertakes such a review, assessing the results of 25 years of international research comparing market and government provision of education, and explaining why these international experiences are relevant to theUnited States.
- Topic:
- Education and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States