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Begin New Search Political Geography United States of America Content Type Journal Article

1161. The Implications of Leadership Change in the Arab World

Author:
Daniel Byman
Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
DANIEL L. BYMAN addresses how changes in leadership in the Arab world will affect the region’s politics and relationship to the United States. He pays particular attention to identifying which factors hinge upon individual leaders, which are related to particular regimes, and which are inherent to the interests of the state in question.
Topic:
Politics, Leadership, and Regionalism
Political Geography:
Arab Countries and United States of America

1162. What Was the Cold War about? Evidence from Its Ending

Author:
John Mueller
Publication Date:
01-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
JOHN MUELLER assesses the rhetoric and actions of important international actors and concludes that the Cold War essentially ended in the spring of 1989. This suggests that the Cold War was principally about an ideological conflict and not about the military, nuclear, or economic balance or about Communism as a form of government -issues that would be resolved later.
Topic:
Cold War, History, Conflict, and Ideology
Political Geography:
Soviet Union and United States of America

1163. A Case for Government-Sponsored Monitoring of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis in the United States

Author:
Aaron D. Levine
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a modified version of in vitro fertilization in which individual embryos are screened for specific genetic characteristics prior to implantation, provides a powerful way for parents suffering from infertility to increase their chances of having healthy children. In its various forms, PGD allows parents to screen for gender, providing a means for avoiding X-linked diseases, chromosomal abnormalities, such as translocations and aneuploidies, and single-gene disorders. Beyond these standard uses, PGD could potentially be used to select for any genetic trait, and this aspect of the technology has raised concerns that it may be used either intentionally or unintentionally for eugenic purposes. At present, reproductive medicine is only loosely regulated in the United States and new technologies, such as PGD, are almost entirely unregulated. This paper argues that given the lack of consensus regarding the ethical acceptability of PGD and embryo selection techniques, the government has an interest in gathering and reporting data on the use of PGD in the United States. Taking a proactive role now, rather than allowing the use of PGD to continue growing unscrutinized, will give society the chance to make thoughtful and deliberate decisions about its use.
Topic:
Government, Science and Technology, Medicine, Reproductive Health, and Genetics
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1164. Revisiting Goldwarter v. Carter: The Executive’s Right to Rescind Treaties in Light of President Bush’s 2002 Termination of the ABM Treaty

Author:
Howard A. Wachtel
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
This paper examines the constitutional power of the President to terminate treaty obligations. It centers on President Bush’s recent renunciation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union. It focuses on the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches in light of the Goldwater v. Carter and Kucinich v. Bush decisions. The paper is divided into six sections: (1) the international legal ramifications of unilateral executive treaty rescission; (2) the role of standing; (3) the impact of the political question doctrine; (4) arguments for and against permitting the President to terminate treaties; (5) a discussion of the process that should be used to terminate treaties, as between the President and Congress; and, finally, (6) an examination of alternative strategies that Congress may employ when the President chooses to rescind a treaty. The paper concludes that the decision to terminate a treaty should not be one-sided, and that joint action from both branches should be required whenever the United States wishes to relieve itself of treaty obligations.
Topic:
Nuclear Weapons, Treaties and Agreements, and Nonproliferation
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1165. Decision-Making in Endangered Species Management

Author:
Jonathan C. Borck
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
This paper examines decisions made by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, to protect species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to fund their recovery. Using a data set that includes scientific, economic, and political variables on vertebrates from 1989 to 1997, this paper estimates a variety of regression models of the listing and funding decisions. Although required by law to consider only scientific factors such as species’ vulnerability in its decision-making, FWS appears instead to favor visceral characteristics, such as species’ taxonomic class and size. Both criteria are defensible. Nonetheless, the paper recommends that FWS and its partner agencies acknowledge and try to resolve the inconsistencies between their legal obligations and their actual behavior to ensure more effective implementation of this important piece of environmental legislation.
Topic:
Environment, Legislation, Animals, Decision-Making, Biodiversity, and Endangered Species
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1166. Combating Proliferation: Addressing the Russian Nuclear Threat

Author:
Amy M. Seward
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
Fifteen years after the initiation of U.S. threat reduction programs in the former Soviet Union and some four years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, more than half of Russia’s vast stockpile of weapons-usable fissile materials remains to be secured, and is thus vulnerable to diversion by terrorists for use in a nuclear device. This paper assesses the state of fissile material security in Russia today, taking as a case study the security of nuclear materials involved in the operations of the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet. Recommendations are made drawing on the successes and shortcomings of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Material Protection Control and Accounting Program at the Fleet’s naval facilities. This analysis leads into a broader examination of the effectiveness and adequacy of U.S. nonproliferation efforts in keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists.
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, Nuclear Weapons, Nonproliferation, and Threat Assessment
Political Geography:
Russia, Eurasia, North America, and United States of America

1167. Reforming the Cotton Trade Order? An Analysis of Cotton Subsidies and Implications for Sustainable Development

Author:
Christine M. Makori
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
Cotton is the most widely produced cash crop in the developing world. It supports the livelihoods of numerous households in these countries and occupies a significant position both economically and politically. However, in the recent past, this sector has experienced a pricing crisis mainly attributed to subsidies of developed nations. This article analyzes the effects of cotton subsidies (the most controversial agricultural commodity in the ongoing trade negotiations) on sustainable development, focusing on the impacts of U.S. subsidies on four West African countries. Given that these support systems have political motivations, the article briefly surveys political challenges to subsidy reforms. In conclusion, the article makes specific recommendations to the WTO and national governments to promote free trade, enhance economic efficiency, and support the global fight against poverty.
Topic:
Sustainable Development Goals, Trade, WTO, Subsidies, and Cotton
Political Geography:
Africa, West Africa, and United States of America

1168. American Nationalism and U.S. Foreign Policy from September 11 to the Iraq War

Author:
Paul T. McCartney
Publication Date:
09-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
PAUL T. MCCARTNEY examines how the Bush administration drew upon nationalist imagery first to interpret the terrorists attacks of 11 September 2001 and then to frame the war against Iraq. He demonstrates how President Bush drew on both enduring elements of American identity and security concerns following September 11 to provide normative justification for the Iraq invasion. He concludes that the exceptionalist dimension of American nationalism that underpins the Bush doctrine is outdated and dangerous to current foreign policy interests.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Nationalism, 9/11, and Iraq War
Political Geography:
Iraq and United States of America

1169. The Debate over North Korea

Author:
Victor D. Cha and David C. Kang
Publication Date:
07-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
VICTOR D. CHA AND DAVID C. KANG debate the strengths and weaknesses of an engagement policy to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons program. From different perspectives, the two authors analyze common misconceptions about North Korean intentions and strategies as well as debate the merits of a harder-line approach taken by the United States toward the reclusive regime. Whether one views Pyongyang’s intentions with greater skepticism (Cha) or greater flexibility (Kang), the authors argue that some form of engagement, not military preemption, is advisable.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Nuclear Weapons, Weapons, and Engagement
Political Geography:
Asia, North Korea, and United States of America

1170. Presidential Selection: Complex Problems and Simple Solutions

Author:
Judith A. Best
Publication Date:
03-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
JUDITH A. BEST analyzes the electoral vote system in terms of six complex and interdependent goals for presidential elections and concludes that the current system, although not perfect, meets them all. She then examines six alternative plans for presidential selection and concludes that they would deform, rather than reform, our presidential elections.
Topic:
Politics, Domestic Politics, and Presidential Elections
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1171. Presidential Selection: Electoral Fallacies

Author:
Jack N. Rakove
Publication Date:
03-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
JACK N. RAKOVE examines the conventional arguments made on behalf of preserving the state-based system of presidential elections and concludes that the familiar defenses of the electoral college are fallacious. If one person-one vote is the fundamental norm of modern democracy, there is no persuasive rationale that can legitimate the leveraging effect of the “senatorial bump” on the voting weights of differently sized states.
Topic:
Elections, Democracy, Presidential Elections, and Electoral College
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1172. Misperceptions, the Media, and the Iraq War

Author:
Steven Kull, Clay Ramsay, and Evan Lewis
Publication Date:
01-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
STEVEN KULL, CLAY RAMSAY, and EVAN LEWIS examine the prevalence of misperceptions related to the Iraq war among the American public: that weapons of mass destruction and evidence of close links between Iraq and al Qaeda had been found and that world public opinion approved of the United States going to war with Iraq. Such misperceptions were powerful predictors of support for the war, and their prevalence varied dramatically according to respondents’ primary source of news.
Topic:
Weapons of Mass Destruction, Public Opinion, Media, and Iraq War
Political Geography:
Iraq and United States of America

1173. Outsourcing Post-Conflict Operations: Designing a System for Contract Management and Oversight

Author:
Blake W. Mobley
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
Over the past ten years the United States has relied on private contractors to support military forces and rehabilitate national infrastructures in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Though contractors are essential to such post-conflict operations, the U.S. government’s management and oversight of outsourced support remains critically deficient. As the United States builds its institutional capacity for long-term post-conflict reconstruction, it will need to outsource tasks to specialized private firms and non-profit organizations more strategically, efficiently, and transparently. This paper assesses the ramifications of post-conflict outsourcing in four sections. The first section provides a brief history of outsourcing in military and reconstruction operations. The second analyzes the benefits of private contracting arrangements. The third considers pitfalls of the current U.S. outsourcing system, which include inefficiencies as well as more serious security threats. The final section concludes with policy recommendations to improve management systems in the context of post-conflict operations.
Topic:
Security, Management, Outsourcing, Military Contractors, and Post-Conflict
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1174. Too Good to be Legal? Network Centric Warfare and International Law

Author:
Erik Dahl
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
America’s military today faces new challenges that appear resistant to conventional solutions. The concept known as Network Centric Warfare (NCW) promises to use speed, precision, and information technology to win conflicts more quickly with minimal force. But many of the advantages that look beguiling to a commander can create problems for a military that focuses too much on speed and effects, at the expense of deliberation and law. This article argues that both the U.S. military and the American public will lose if new tools and technologies make war seem too easy. It calls for a reassessment of NCW in light of international law and offers recommendations to help guide that effort.
Topic:
International Law, Science and Technology, War, and Military
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1175. Targeting the Leadership of Terrorist and Insurgents Movements: Historical Lessons for Contemporary Policy Makers

Author:
Lisa Langdon, Alexander J. Sarapu, and Matthews Wells
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
In a world where the struggle against terrorism and insurgent movements has become the top priority for many policy makers, there is a growing need for research that examines what happens to militant movements after the death or arrest of a leader. Do groups tend to disband, schism, or become more radical? What characteristics of a group make it more susceptible to certain changes after the loss of a leader? Using thirty-five case studies drawn from more than forty countries, this paper analyzes the effect that the death or arrest of a leader has on social, political, and religious movements. Its conclusions are drawn from an analysis of the groups’ characteristics and an assessment of the effects the loss of a leader had on the survivability and evolution of the movement. The analysis provides some guidance for policy makers focused on incapacitating leadership as part of a broader effort to combat terrorist and insurgent movements.
Topic:
Terrorism, History, Insurgency, and Leadership
Political Geography:
United States of America

1176. Eastward Bound: The Strategy and Politics of Repositioning U.S. Military Bases in Europe

Author:
Todd W. Fields
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
This article examines the strategic rationale and political implications of the U.S. Department of Defense’s proposal to reposition U.S. military bases in Europe. The Pentagon’s plans call for a withdrawal of U.S. bases and personnel from Germany and the creation of various smaller, more flexible bases in Central and Eastern Europe. While the removal of U.S. forces from Germany is appropriate given the absence of an imminent security threat to Europe, revamping the European basing structure in the midst of current trans-Atlantic tensions presents formidable political challenges. Given the impact that base realignment is likely to have on U.S. relations with Germany, Russia, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United States must exercise a deft diplomatic touch—balancing the pursuit of its strategic interests with the preservation of its regional relationships and alliances.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Politics, Military Strategy, and Military Bases
Political Geography:
Europe, North America, and United States of America

1177. Negotiating Survival: The Problem of Commitment in U.S.-North Korean Relations

Author:
Steven Grunau
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
Rational accounts of the causes of conflict provide an important framework to examine the dispute between the United States and North Korea over the latter’s nuclear weapons programs. Because North Korea depends on these weapons to ensure its survival, it is unwilling to irrevocably surrender its nuclear potential—and associated bargaining leverage—in exchange for U.S. security guarantees that could be withdrawn at any time. Arguing that neither confrontation nor engagement is likely to succeed in eliminating the North Korean threat, this paper advocates a longer-term strategy of integration as having the potential to alleviate some of the tensions in the bilateral relationship. By establishing alternative sources of economic and political power while simultaneously exposing Pyongyang to the pacifying influences of international interdependence, integration policies could gradually reduce North Korea’s threat, and perhaps eventually create the necessary conditions to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
Topic:
International Relations, Security, Nuclear Weapons, and Conflict
Political Geography:
Asia, North Korea, North America, and United States of America

1178. Litigation as a Tool for Development: The Environment, Human Rights, and the Case of Texaco in Ecuador.

Author:
Elizabeth C. Black
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
As the process of globalization continues into the twenty-first century, ensuring that transnational corporations are held accountable for their work abroad will be one of the greatest challenges faced by development specialists. In the current context, litigation in U.S. courts is an increasingly important tool in assuring that the people of underdeveloped nations do not suffer from the exploitation, pollution, and cultural degradation that has marked such countries’ “progress” in the past. This paper examines the case of María Aguinda et al. v. Texaco Inc., in which a group of indigenous Ecuadorans have sued the U.S.-based petroleum giant in response to environmental and human health damages resulting from its work in Ecuador in the 1970s and 1980s, in order to provide an example of one way in which litigation can foster development. In the context of the Aguinda case, this paper presents several specific recommendations for developing the legal means by which corporations can be held accountable on an international level beyond the U.S. court system.
Topic:
Development, Environment, Globalization, Human Rights, Business, Accountability, Corporations, and Litigation
Political Geography:
South America, North America, Ecuador, and United States of America

1179. Understanding the Bush Doctrine

Author:
Robert Jervis
Publication Date:
09-2003
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
ROBERT JERVIS argues that the Bush doctrine presents a highly ambitious conception of U.S. foreign policy. Based on the premise that this is a period of great threat and great opportunity, the doctrine calls for the assertion and expansion of American power in service of hegemony. He concludes that this assertion and expansion is not likely to succeed.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Hegemony, Iraq War, and George W. Bush
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

1180. Shoring up the Right to Vote for President: A Modest Proposal [with Panel Discussion]

Author:
Alexander Keyssar
Publication Date:
07-2003
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Political Science Quarterly
Institution:
Academy of Political Science
Abstract:
ALEXANDER KEYSSAR argues that the 2000 presidential election has made clear the desirability of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing to all American citizens the right to vote for president and to have those votes determine each state’s vote in the electoral college. Tracing certain features of the history of suffrage in the United States, he maintains that such an amendment would make the Constitution consistent with the now broadly based consensus (not present at the nation’s founding) that voting is a right that inheres in all citizens. THE PANELISTS (D. Caraley, L. Greenhouse, S. Issacharoff, R. Pildes, G. Pomper, J. Rakove, R. Shapiro, R. Smith) discuss the points raised by the Keyssar article. They end up with consensus on the need for a constitutional right to vote for president, but have some differences on additional aspects of reforming the system.
Topic:
Constitution, Domestic Politics, Voting Rights, Presidential Elections, and Electoral College
Political Geography:
United States of America