Insurgent movements worldwide exhibit a wide range of conduct. Their behavior toward civilian populations under their control ranges from brutal to benevolent. Such variation poses a problem for theories of insurgency, and of how to counter it. How can any single theory account for such major differences in how insurgent groups treat noncombatants?
JOHN L. ESPOSITO analyzes the future of Islam and Muslim–West relations. He argues that the mindset among policymakers and the narrative in U.S.–Muslim world relations is shifting away from a policy of “democratic exceptionalism” and support for authoritarian regimes. Now the United States is committed to democratic institution-building and civil society and is responsive to the aspirations and expectations of their peoples, political parties (Islamist and secular), and civil society organizations.
DARRELL M. WEST seeks to reframe the public debate over immigration policy by arguing that the benefits of immigration are much broader than popularly imagined and the costs more confined. He contends that in spite of legitimate fear and anxiety over illegal immigration, immigrants bring a “brain gain” of innovation and creativity that outweighs real or imagined costs.
Very few countiesmanage to avoid corruption scandals for extended periods. In 1999, Germany was rocked by a party financing scandal involving the former chancellor, and in 2005, an accumulation of accusations regarding kickbacks for construction and waste processing contracts culminated in the revelation that top-ranking politicians were on the payroll of major corporations. In the same year, 2005, a vast kickback scheme centering on the French president when he was the mayor of Paris, resulted in the trial of 47 of his political associates. Britons were treated to drip-drip revelations in May 2009 as the Daily Telegraph released expense account claims of Members of Parliament (MPs) that included refunds for garden work, home renovations, chocolate bars, and pornographic movies.
JEFFREY H. MICHAELS examines several of the analytical and practical problems of U.S. presidential foreign policy doctrines by looking specifically at the Eisenhower and Carter doctrines. He concludes that presidential doctrines are usually overrated as new statements of principle, and that the elevation of a presidential statement into doctrine can have unintended consequences.
DREW WESTEN analyses the leadership style of President Barack Obama. He argues that the President's aversion to conflict and his failure to understand “bully” dynamics led him to miss a historic opportunity to change the dynamics of a political and economic system dominated by corruption and inequality not seen since the eve of the Great Depression. This is an article of opinion and the Editors welcome submissions from those with a different point of view.
It is always a surprising revelation for political scientists when historians show them that what they view as new is often only a link in a long chain of historical developments. Putting current events and thoughts in historical context is therefore very humbling and sobering, facilitating a much more nuanced political analysis and debate. If only the partisans and sensationalists would agree to listen. The conclusion from Richard Immerman's Empire for Liberty is that they should.
This book offers a highly accessible, engagingly written account of the political struggles behind the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The authors—two prominent experts on health care politics—provide a concise yet thorough overview of the roles played by the president, congressional leaders, voters, interest groups (ranging from the health care industry to grassroots organizations to Tea Partiers), and other key players in shaping this landmark piece of legislation. Noting that “it ainʼt over ʼtil itʼs over” (p. 147), the authors then look ahead to the many political and legal challenges still facing the Affordable Care Act, tying in the crucial roles of the courts, the federal bureaucracy, and state government officials. The book also offers an elucidating overview of the Actʼs distributive effects—trumpeting lower- and middle-class Americans as the big winners—as well as its (mostly positive) economic and budgetary implications.
David C. Kang seeks to use history to understand the present, a laudable objective, and to predict the future, a risky venture. After a study of five centuries of commerce and diplomacy in East Asia, he concludes that "Although China may already be.the largest economic and military power in East Asia, it has virtually no cultural or political legitimacy as a leading state" (p. 169) and "there is almost no chance that China will become the unquestioned hegemon in East Asia" (p. 171). Such astonishing speculation is, at the very least, uncertain. Who could have predicted that China in its chaotic 1930s and 1940s or even in the more-stable 1980s would be in such a dominant position in 2010? Even the most astute experts on China cannot ascertain whether the so-called Middle Kingdom will not become the "unquestioned hegemon in East Asia." Speculation about the future is tricky.
Eric T. Kasper examines the use of Magna Carta by U.S. federal courts in enemy combatant cases. He traces the history of due process, jury trial, and habeas corpus rights within Magna Carta as well as subsequent legal documents and rulings in England and America. He concludes that Magna Carta is properly used by the federal courts as persuasive authority to limit executive power in the war on terror.