Article Alert

October 2008

ALERT, a monthly publication of the Information Resource Center at the American Center for Educational Exchange, offers abstracts of current articles in major areas of U.S. domestic or international affairs. Full-text articles are available to you upon request. To request articles, please contact the Information Resource Center by telephone , fax, e-mail ircacee@state.gov, or by mail. To request by mail, please circle the articles you wish to receive, include your name, address, and telephone number and return this list to us.  DISCLAIMER: articles and links to non-U.S. government Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

 

The Rule of Law

1. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC'S VIEW OF CONGRESS
Hibbing, John R.; Larimer, Christopher W.
The Forum, vol. 6, no. 3, July 2008

Hibbing, with the University of Nebraska/Lincoln, and Larimer, at the University of Northern Iowa, assert that Congress has long been unpopular with the American public, with approval numbers above fifty percent serving as the exception rather than the norm. In this essay they argue that such disapproval stems not from calculated reaction to policy outcomes or partisan attachments. Rather, people tend to disapprove of Congress for exactly the thing it was designed to be: an open and deliberative lawmaking body. The more Congress does its job, the more the public tends to disapprove.

2. THE BIGGER TENT
Cooper, Ann
Columbia Journalism Review, Vol. 47, no. 3, September/October 2008, pp. 45-47

The question of "who is a journalist" is a thing of the past, with bloggers, amateur videographers, and others now widely recognized as falling within the "big tent" of mainstream journalism. The author says barriers will continue to erode, and while more traditional journalists are adopting the less formal blogs along with news aggregates, the bloggers are also doing some original reporting, along with disseminating news and opinion. The better question now is "what is journalism"; the author says the best of both worlds can be combined for the good of the public. "Old media will have to let go of some attitudes and assumptions that are no longer relevant, and new media will need to recognize standards that can infuse credibility and trust into this new journalism," she says. The goal of the fourth estate to hold power accountable, inform the citizenry and strengthen democracy still remains intact in this new age of journalism, she argues.

3. HOW OBAMA REALLY DID IT: SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY HELPED BRING HIM TO THE BRINK OF THE PRESIDENCY
Talbot, David
Technology Review, vol. 111, no. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 78-83

Talbot, chief correspondent for Technology Review, writes that Barack Obama "has forever changed electoral politics by making new media platforms and his own social networking site fulcra of his campaign." Jascha Franklin-Hodge, cofounder of Blue State Digital, the high-tech company working for the Obama campaign, states that the key is tightly integrating online activity with tasks people can perform in the real world -- "the core of the software is having those links to taking action." Those actions are donating money, making calls, writing letters and organizing house parties. McCain has an online campaign, but has a lot of catching up to do, according to Talbot; it needs a text messaging strategy to reach voters under age 25. Joe Trippi, who ran John Dean's campaign in 2004, states that "there won't be a campaign in 2012 that doesn't try to build a social network around it."

4. MAKING INTERVENTION WORK: IMPROVING THE UN'S ABILITY TO ACT
Abramowitz, Morton; Pickering, Thomas
Foreign Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 100-109

The United Nations must streamline its decision-making process, if the organization ever hopes to transform its ideals into actions, argue two former U.S. ambassadors. Grave crises in Burma and Sudan show that authoritarian leaders do not respond to international condemnation and that sanctions often have little impact on regime leaders. The authors point to UN reform reports underlining the importance of creating a UN "rapid reaction force," closer coordination with nongovernmental humanitarian organizations, and more robust UN diplomacy. But while institutional change is essential, so too will be the daunting challenges of convincing China and Russia -- as well as skeptical legislators -- in the United States and Europe to take action.

5. MILLIONS UPROOTED: SAVING REFUGEES AND THE DISPLACED
Guterres, Antonio
Foreign Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 90-99

At few times in history have so many people been on the move, says the author, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, blurring the traditional distinctions between refugees, internally displaced people, and international immigrants. Conflict and human rights violations are scattering millions of people who need access and resettlement assistance in other states. At the same time, authoritarian governments should not be allowed use "sovereignty" to shield themselves from international accountability if they abuse their citizens.

6. THE NEXT PRESIDENT: MASTERING A DAUNTING AGENDA
Holbrooke, Richard
Foreign Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 5, September-October 2008, pp. 2-24

Holbrooke, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 1999 to 2001 and chief architect of the 1995 Dayton peace agreement, describes the many daunting challenges facing the next administration. To restore U.S. leadership in the world requires drastic change in the domestic U.S. economy and repair to the U.S. reputation around the world. Long-term economic reform requires different national policy on energy and climate change. Repairing the United States' reputation can begin immediately in the next administration by issuing a clear official ban on torture and closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. He says Obama favors diplomacy as the best way for enhancing U.S. power and influence. Except for climate change, he says, McCain takes harder-line positions on international issues than the Bush administration.

7. THE SEPTEMBER 12 PARADIGM: AMERICA, THE WORLD, AND GEORGE W. BUSH
Kagan, Robert
Foreign Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 25-39

Future presidents should not shy away from using U.S. power to promote American values. September 11 changed a presidential administration once leery of "nation building," into an activist for democracy, achieving minimal results while accelerating growing ambiguity from Europe. The United States and other democratic nations share a common aspiration for a liberal international order, argues the author, which is increasingly coming under pressure from both "great-power autocracies" and "radical Islamic terrorism." In the face of these challenges, "a return to realism" is as important as ever, and all sides must come together to offer both words and actions in democracy's defense.

8. THINK AGAIN: THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS
Ratner, Steven
Law Quadrangle Notes, vol. 50, no. 2, Summer 2008, 95-97

The author, professor at the University of Michigan Law School, expands on points he made in an article in the March/April issue of Foreign Policy magazine. In a discussion of common myths on the subject, Ratner believes that the modern Geneva Conventions were created producing a kind of international "bill of rights" that governs the handling of casualties, prisoners of war, and civilians in war zones. The conventions won't prevent wars, but they are supposed to protect innocent bystanders, shield soldiers from unnecessary harm, limit the physical damage caused by war, and even enhance the chances for cease-fires and peace. The conventions contain one section (Article 3) that protects all persons regardless of their status -- whether spy, mercenary, or terrorist, and regardless of the type of war in which they are fighting. Article 3 also prohibits torture, cruel treatment, and murder of all detainees; requires medical care for the wounded; and obligates trials conducted by regular courts that respect due process. In a landmark 2006 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that, at a minimum, Article 3 applies to detained al-Qaeda suspects even if al-Qaeda ignores them, and it may be that even tougher rules must then be used in such a fight.

9. WHY DEMOCRACIES FAIL: POVERTY, INEQUALITY, AND DEMOCRACY
Kapstein, Ethan; Converse, Nathan
Journal of Democracy, vol. 19, no. 4, October 2008, pp. 57-68

The authors study data from waves of democratization between 1960 and 2004, concluding that certain conditions during the initial phases seem to predict whether the democracy will thrive or fail. Based on the data, Kapstein and Converse recommend that democratic assistance be given to ensure a free press, a tolerant and diverse educational system and an open civil society with a strong private economy. They write that poverty alone doesn't not predict failure, but the level of economic inequality does -- "those left by the wayside may lose confidence in democracy." Finally, the authors state that the international community should encourage trade, international cultural and educational exchanges, and participation in regional and international organizations that can help "lock in" the political and economic reform process.

Economics and Trade

10. BOILER ROOM: THE BUSINESS PRESS IS MISSING THE CROOKED HEART OF THE CREDIT CRISIS
Starkman, Dean
Columbia Journalism Review, September/October 2008, pp. 48-53

The author writes that while there have been many good articles about the subprime mortgage fiasco that has resulted in the widespread crisis in the credit markets, most have treated it as a "kind of natural disaster or nasty turn in the business cycle." There is acknowledgement that abusive practices did occur, but Starkman writes that few have reported about how extensive they were. He says that the most comprehensive and insightful reporting on the system that produced the credit crisis was a story aired in May 2008 on (U.S.) National Public Radio, called "The Giant Pool of Money". This narrative describes the global pool of savings, which had doubled to USD 70 trillion, was searching for higher returns, and the U.S. financial system, from the investment banks at the top, down to the mortgage brokers and salesmen across the country, was under tremendous pressure to create financial "products" for this money to invest in. Traditional underwriting procedures were abandoned in favor of aggressively selling loans to marginal borrowers. Some former loan company agents reported that the movie BOILER ROOM, about unethical stockbrokers, was used as a "training tape". Starkman notes that systemic corruption and fraud has been revealed at lenders across the board. "Yet to be explored fully", he writes, "is the extent of Wall Street's role, and the size of the transfer of wealth from millions of civilians" to the financial professional class.

11. THE DEADLY WORLD OF FAKE DRUGS
Bate, Roger; Nugent, Rachel
Foreign Policy, no. 168, September/October 2008, pp. 57-65

The fake-drug sector has continued to grow in speed and sophistication and, in the past decade, become one of the world's fastest-growing criminal enterprises, says the author, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Knock-offs have expanded, with often fatal consequences for unaware patients, from mostly lifestyle drugs to pharmaceuticals used in treating major diseases. A lack of quality oversight and enforcement makes poorer countries the most lucrative potential markets for counterfeiters. Bate points to China and India as the largest sources of dangerous fakes. The Indian government denies it has a problem, and in China, the military is rumored to be engaged in manufacturing and trade of fake drugs. The international community officially condemns counterfeiters but is too afraid to engage on a politically sensitive issue. NGOs contribute to the problem by purchasing inadequately-tested copy drugs from China and India. The author believes that pursuing major producers of fakes will require far more effective international drug testing and oversight as well as determination and funds. But he fears that it may take large-scale casualties for real action to occur.

12. FARMER IN CHIEF
Pollan, Michael
New York Times Magazine, October 9, 2008

In an article framed as a letter to the President-elect, the author notes that food, an issue barely mentioned during the election campaign, may become a primary issue facing the next administration. While both candidates spent a lot of time talking about health care, energy independence and climate change, Pollan notes that the next President "will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems". Food production, processing and distribution in the U.S. is one of the biggest consumers of fossil fuels, using ten calories of hydrocarbon energy to bring one calorie of food energy from the farm to the supermarket. The goals of food production for most of the last few decades have been to produce large quantities of cheap, subsidized commodity crops, used in heavily processed convenience foods, contributing to the poor diet of most Americans. Pollan notes that the main challenge is to wean U.S. food production off fossil fuels and back onto "incoming sunlight" by relocalizing agriculture.

13. IS THE 'GOOD LIFE' AS AMERICA KNOWS IT OVER?
Fraser, Steve
TomDispatch.com, posted September 19, 2008

Fraser, author of WALL STREET: AMERICA'S DREAM PALACE and a student of the history of relations between Washington and Wall Street, write that the undoing of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal program and its regulatory regime, with the "socialization of risk", beginning with the massive bailout of the savings and loan associations in the 1980s, is what has resulted in the present-day collapse of the U.S. financial system. He notes that, despite the free-market, anti-government rhetoric, the bailing out of the financial industry by Washington is acknowledgment of how dependent the U.S. economy has become on the financial sector. The recent decisions of allowing some firms to survive and others to fail is more a symptom of confusion of how to deal with a spiraling crisis. Fraser notes that the financial system is out of control, and that it is "time for a reversal of course -- reregulation of [the financial system] is not enough anymore ... the government must figure out how to shift the flow of investment capital out of the mine-fields of speculative paper transactions and back into productive channels that will help meet the material needs of American society."

14. OVERTIME
Sass, Steven
Boston College Magazine, vol. 68, no. 3, Summer 2008, pp. 40-46, 48

The author, associate director for research at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, writes that job holders in the soon-to-retire Baby Boom generation, those born between 1946 and 1962, will have to work longer than their parents did. In the 1960s and 1970s, the creation of Medicare and the expansion of Social Security and employer-defined pension plans created the Golden Age of retirement. These programs let the World War II generation exit the labor force at a historically young age with enough income to maintain its standard of living. With cutbacks in Social Security and the general disappearance of traditional pensions, that option is gone. To enjoy a reasonably comfortable old age, the Baby Boom generation has little choice but to stay in the labor force longer. The picture is further complicated by a new instability in employment for older workers, and much more frequent job changes. The entry of China, India and the former Soviet Union into the world economic system has doubled the size of the labor force potentially available to U.S. employers over the last 10 to 15 years.

15. WHY THE BAIL OUT OF FREDDIE MAC AND FANNY MAE IS BAD ECONOMIC POLICY
Hudson, Michael
Counterpunch, posted July 14, 2008

The bailing out of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two semi-public mortgage packaging companies that hold trillions of dollars in U.S. mortgage debt, in effect protects the interest of the commercial banking system, representing the top one-tenth of the U.S. population, writes economist Michael Hudson, a former economic adviser to former Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich. Challenging the "myth" that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac help make homeownership more accessible, Hudson contends that the two companies functioned in quite the opposite direction, making house prices increasingly unaffordable. "They have inflated asset prices with credit that has indebted homeowners to a degree unprecedented in history. That is why the real estate bubble has burst, after all," Hudson writes. He contends that politicians such as Chuck Schumer of New York, Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Barney Frank of Massachusetts are among the leaders of the charge to rescue the mortgage giants because they are giving priority to their main campaign contributors in the financial, insurance and real estate sectors. This "means more debt peonage for new home buyers rather than housing prices falling back to more affordable proportions," Hudson writes.

Global Issues / Environment

16. CABLE'S CLOUT
Farhi, Paul
American Journalism Review, vol. 30, no. 4, August-September 2008

Repetition and prominence, not the ability to break news, give cable news television an enormous amount of clout, says Washington Post reporter Farhi. Using the example of the story of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Barack Obama's responses to stories about his controversial minister, Farhi argues that "few campaign stories have much impact or become an important part of the campaign narrative until they get heavy play on cable." The ability to function as "an engine of reaction and response" is cable television's greatest means for influence. "Cable's intense and often immediate coverage of the day's big controversy forces candidates to fire back, which then compels the rest of the media to cover the response," Farhi says. Whether they like to admit it or not, print media reporters are forced to consider addressing stories of whatever degree of merit if, thanks to cable television, enough people are talking about it.

17. CONTAINING CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR U.S. LEADERSHIP
Bales, Carter F.; Duke, Richard D.
Foreign Affairs, vol. 87, no. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 78-90

Both presidential candidates have expressed willingness to limit carbon emissions. Bales, an energy consultant, and Duke, the Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Center for Market Innovation, have devised a four-part system for decreasing carbon pollution. The "cap-and-invest" strategy would need to be enacted by Congress and would result in increased funding for newer environmental technologies and a system of carbon-trading. A recent study by McKinsey & Company suggests that the cost of reducing US emissions by 2030 will be close to zero with the proposed plan. The authors go on to discuss a larger plan to involve the rest of the world in a system for reducing carbon emissions that requires polluting nations to buy allowances from less-developed nations, injecting cash into the economies of developing countries. The U.S. is the world's leading innovator in environmental technology and the authors contend that it would serve the nation's economic interests to promote innovation and open up new markets to U.S. technology services.

18. FACING THE FRESHWATER CRISIS
Rogers, Peter
Scientific American, August 2008

Global freshwater resources are threatened by rising demands from many quarters. Growing populations need ever more water for drinking, hygiene, sanitation, food production and industry. Climate change, meanwhile, is expected to contribute to droughts. Policymakers need to figure out how to supply water without degrading the natural ecosystems that provide it. Existing low-tech approaches can help prevent scarcity, as can ways to boost supplies, such as improved methods to desalinate water. But governments at all levels need to start setting policies and making investments in infrastructure for water conservation now.

19. FOOD SECURITY: ACHIEVING THE POTENTIAL
Pinstrup-Andersen, Per; Herforth, Anna
Environment, vol. 50, no. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 48-60

The authors evaluate how far world governments have come in meeting global food security since the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) stated two decades ago that more than 730 million people were insufficiently nourished to lead productive lives despite an abundance of food. Presenting figures from the past and present, they discuss the critical role of food distribution. They predict food security problems will worsen unless governments prioritize protection of food supplies in rural communities as well as urban centers, promote sustainable food production, and introduce policies that improve natural resources management and tackle trade distortions to ensure people can obtain the diverse, balanced diet required for good health.

20. NET GAINS
Vander Veen, Chad
Government Technology, vol. 21, no. 8, August 2008, pp. 16-20, 22

According to the author, the World Wide Web is often dubbed "this generation's wild, Wild West," a raucous, freewheeling digital expanse; like the frontier, the Web is a showcase for an emerging society with its own ideas, goals and morals. In the virtual world of the 21st century, the web has emerged as a "pivotal theater" in which candidates for office must battle -- it has blossomed from a campaign novelty to an essential tool to reach voters. The difference during the 2008 election cycle for president is the advent of Web 2.0 applications; chief among these new applications are social networking sites, such as MySpace, Facebook and Flickr. Barack Obama's website, for example, features various links to social networking sites; some of them are broadly known, such as Digg and LinkedIn. Others target specific demographics, such as FaithBase, BlackPlanet and AsianAve; Obama uses each of these sites to deliver a message tailored to a niche audience. John McCain's site, meanwhile, makes heavy use of blogs and video. Both candidates' web site contain a feature that enables online donations, an innovation started by Howard Dean in his unsuccessful 2004 presidential race.

21. THE SHORT LIST: THE MOST EFFECTIVE ACTIONS U.S. HOUSEHOLDS CAN TAKE TO CURB CLIMATE CHANGE
Gardner, Gerald; Stern, Paul
Environment, vol. 50, no. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 12-24

Individual efforts represent a "huge reservoir of potential for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change," according to the authors. About 38 percent of national carbon emissions come from U.S. households. More energy-efficient choices in household and motor vehicle technologies can make a more rapid and direct difference than policy revisions that take time and negotiation. The public needs better and more accurate advice on the most effective conservation measures individuals can take. Efficiency-improving actions save more energy than limiting use of inefficient equipment, studies find, and home upgrades can result in significant savings and reduction of carbon emissions. Government policies can assist by providing simple guides and incentives for "going green".

22. WEB SCIENCE: STUDYING THE INTERNET TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE
Shadbolt, Nigel; Berners-Lee, Tim
Scientific American, September 2008

Studying the Web will reveal better ways to exploit information, prevent identity theft, revolutionize industry and manage our ever-growing online lives. The relentless rise in Web pages and links is creating emergent properties -- from social networking to virtual identity theft -- that are transforming society. A new discipline, Web science, aims to discover how Web traits arise and how they can be harnessed or held in check to benefit society. Important advances are beginning to be made; more work can solve major issues such as securing privacy and conveying trust.

Regional Security

23. CHINA THROUGH ARAB EYES: AMERICAN INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Zambelis, Chris; Gentry, Brandon
Parameters, vol. 38, no. 1, Spring 2008, pp. 60-72

Gentry and Zambelis, both associates with the political and security risk analysis firm Helios Global, Inc., focus on the influence of the U.S. in the Middle East. This influence is currently being challenged by China, as Beijing skillfully exploits Arab dissatisfaction with American policies. Sino-Arab relations are poised to develop and expand across social, political, economic, and cultural sectors. Washington cannot afford to ignore the unavoidable truth of the Arab world's growing interest in China's potential.

24. COMING SOON: A CRISIS IN CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
Kohn, Richard
World Affairs, vol. 170, no. 3, Winter 2008, pp. 69-80

The author, Professor of History and Peace, War, and Defense at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, writes that the next president will face a fallout in relations between the armed forces and the civilian leadership almost as bad as the crisis that nearly sank the Clinton administration in 1993. The military leadership has become deeply suspicious of the civilian political class, for many reasons, including the bungled Iraq occupation, dislike of former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, an overstretched Army and Marine Corps, and the absence of offspring of the elites in military ranks. Unsustainable military budgets, the mismatch between current threats and a Cold-War-era military structure, and social issues, such as gays in the military and the spread of evangelical Christianity in the ranks will add to the tensions facing the next administration. The author urges the next President to appoint a Secretary of Defense who is knowledgeable and politically skilled, insulate the military from partisan politics and make frequent visits to military bases to help mend frayed relations.

25. INSIDE IRAN'S FURY
Kinzer, Stephen
Smithsonian, vol. 39, no. 7, October 2008, pp.60-70

Americans need to understand some Iranian history before they cast the Tehran government as an international renegade in an attempt to acquire nuclear weapons, Kinzer asserts. Iran, one of the world's oldest nations, enjoyed an era of science and culture when Europe was in the Dark Ages. It began to decline in the 18th century, due to domination by foreign powers; in the 19th century, with the help of corrupt and ineffective Persian rulers, Britain gained influence. Iranians also have fresh memory of the 1953 CIA-backed coup, which deposed a democratic government and installed the authoritarian Mohammed Reza as Shah. Kinzer notes that a long history of foreign intrusion is behind Iran's push to build a nuclear program. However, the current regime maintains public support only through nationalist and anti-American propaganda; desire for greater engagement with the outside world is building today among the Iranian public, especially young people, who comprise a majority of the population.

26. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES AND THE U.S. IMAGE
Snow, Nancy
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, no. 616, March 2008, pp.
198-222

Snow, Senior research fellow at the University of Southern California, reviews four special issues of The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science that were devoted to the issue of international exchange programs and the U.S. image. She concludes that methods of public diplomacy that were applicable in the past can still be applied today, including the importance of dialogue in overcoming stereotypes, building relationships, knowing the target culture, and enhancing the national reputation of America during ideological contests. The primacy of one individual in contact with another individual remains one of the most important opportunities to change attitudes and, thereby, improve the image of the United States.

27. LIFTING THE BAMBOO CURTAIN
Kaplan, Robert
Atlantic Monthly, vol. 302, no. 2, September 2008

"Democracy will not deliver Burma from being a cobbled-together mini-empire of nationalities, even if it does open the door to compromise among them," says Kaplan, who notes one-third of Burma's population is composed of ethnic minorities living in the country's borderlands. Both China and India are competing for power and influence in resource-rich Burma. Kaplan interviewed four Americans, who declined to be identified, with deep ties to the country. Among their observations: War fatigue has set in and the ethnic tribes show little propensity to fight each other after the regime unravels; the regime's 400,000-man army is prone to mutiny and could easily be unraveled; and, the U.S. should be building friendly relationships with Burma's ethnic minorities.

28. MANAGING FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES IN PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITIONS
Campbell, Kurt; Steinberg, James
Washington Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 4, Autumn 2008, pp. 7-20

The authors write that presidential transitions are replete with dangers and missteps that blindside even the most experienced practitioners, but they are also times of opportunity. The end of the Cold War has changed the nature of the challenges, but the two-and-a-half-month transition that will take place at the end of this year poses even greater challenges than in the past. Although each transition is unique, the next president and his team need to understand the lessons of the past if he is to take advantage of the great opportunities for new U.S. leadership and avoid the landmines that lie ahead. Grave national security challenges during times of presidential transition are hardly new; selecting key personnel is further complicated by the sheer number of appointments that must be made as a result of the widening scope of national security issues. Although cabinet officials are almost always named and confirmed by the first day in office, cumbersome vetting procedures and congressional overload can cause second- and third-tier appointments to languish for months, producing systemic uncertainty and wedging open a dangerous window of vulnerability.

29. THE NOT-SO-BLACK ART OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Taylor, Humphrey
World Policy Journal, vol. 24, no. 4, Winter 2007/08, pp. 51-59

Chairman of the Harris Poll, Humphrey Taylor, defines public diplomacy as how leaders and countries explain themselves and their policies to the world. Most people around the world do not see themselves as others see them. Children are taught that their country is better than others and the media and politicians reinforce these beliefs. Public diplomacy should work closely with traditional diplomacy and rely upon culture and values to promote goodwill and respect between countries. The media in other nations is a potential tool of influence and America must work toward getting more positive coverage of the U.S. and its policies in the foreign media.

30. ONE POLICY FOR CHINA: AVOIDING CONFLICT WITH THE MAINLAND
Harley, Jeffrey
Harvard International Review, vol. 29, no. 4, Winter 2008, pp. 20-23

Harley, visiting fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses the position of the U.S. on the one-China principle. America has effectively deterred conflict between China and Taiwan by accepting this principle. The U.S. has been opposing Taiwanese independence and dissuading Taiwan from making unilateral declarations, while also deterring China from the use of force against Taiwan. Conflict between the U.S. and China over Taiwan is unlikely because of the high volume of trade between the two nations, growing trade relations between China and Taiwan, as well as a mutual understanding of the danger of military conflict between two nuclear powers. The U.S. must continue to maintain peace along the Taiwan Strait and provide stability in the region.

31. STRATEGIC COLLABORATION: HOW THE UNITED STATES CAN THRIVE AS OTHER POWERS RISE
Hachigian, Nina; Sutphen, Mona
Washington Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 4, Autumn 2008, pp. 43-57

The authors note that calling for a new G-13 forum would be a bold and useful step that the next president could take. The new president will face a radically different world than the one that George W. Bush inherited -- beyond instability in the Middle East, several major new world powers have emerged. This strategic environment is unlike any the United States has ever encountered. The authors argue that, instead of regarding the emergence of China, India and Russia as a threat to American prominence, the next administration must harness the power of these new players, particularly through a new forum that can tackle the greatest threats to contemporary global security. They note that this new world is shaped by technology, rather than ideology, and allows money, goods, and people to cross borders. By the same token, infectious diseases can spread with similar ease, and technology has empowered rogue states and terrorist groups. In this new era, the authors note, the greatest threats to the peace and prosperity that the international community desires does not emanate from other strong powers but from these "technologically empowered forces of chaos -- the rotten fruit of globalization."

U.S. Society and Values

32. CHINA MOVES UP TO FIFTH AS IMPORTER OF STUDENTS
Hvistendahl, Mara
Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 54, No. 4, September 19, 2008, pp. A1, 21-A22

After joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China embarked on an ambitious plan to attract 120,000 international students by 2007 and went on to exceed its goal by 60 percent. While foreign students are a lucrative source of revenue for Chinese universities, China's bid for international students is driven by its diplomatic goal of developing soft power and cultivating a non-threatening image in the world, according to Hvistendahl. As part of the same diplomatic drive, China has been opening Confucius Institutes around the world to form partnerships with foreign universities to promote Chinese language and culture. China also seeks to internationalize its universities and realizes it can't have world-class universities without large numbers of international students, says an expert on Chinese education Hvistendahl interviewed, Gerard Postiglione. Most of China's international students come from other parts of Asia, but the United States ranks third as a source, behind South Korea, the top source, and Japan. The Chinese Scholarship Council awarded more than 10,000 full scholarships to international students in 2007 at a cost of $52 million. A separate scholarship program targets students in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. International students are drawn to study in China more by the country's growing economic and political power than by the quality of the universities, but those universities are improving. Korean students already say that the quality of the English instruction they receive in China is far superior to what they can get at home.

33. FACE THE NATION
Bordewich, Fergus
Smithsonian, vol. 39, no. 6, September 2008, pp. 60-69

In late August 1858, the U.S. senatorial candidates for Illinois, incumbent Stephen Douglas and challenger Abraham Lincoln, squared off in what became the most famous debates in U.S. history. The author notes that these debates transformed the national debate over slavery, turned Lincoln into a contender for the presidency and "set a standard for political discourse that has rarely been equaled." The author writes that, while this was a state-level race, both Douglas and Lincoln realized that they were speaking to the nation -- the introduction of shorthand, the telegraph and the railroad meant that their words were transmitted across the country. Douglas was the favored candidate, and few thought that the underdog Lincoln could best him; it took several debates before Lincoln figured out how to go on the offensive, notes one historian quoted for the article, but soon he was "like Rocky Balboa". Excitement ran high in anticipation of the two larger-than-life political figures coming into town -- tens of thousands of people flocked to hear them. While Lincoln lost the election, the debates transformed him into a national political figure. Douglas, in favor of slavery, was speaking primarily to the status quo, notes tha author, while Lincoln spoke "to the future, to the better angels of our own nature."

34. A LIBERAL SHOCK DOCTRINE
Perlstein, Rick
American Prospect, vol. 19, no. 9, September 2008, pp. 22-24, 26

The author, a senior fellow at the Campaign for America's Future, believes that progressive political change in American history is rarely incremental. History continues to teach us that presidents have to move quickly to enact progressive reforms before the opportunities escape them. With few exceptions, most of the reforms (such as Social Security, Medicare, desegregation) that have advanced our nation's status as a modern, liberalizing social democracy were pushed through in such circumstances. The post-Civil War reconstruction of the South, the Progressive Era remaking of democratic institutions, the New Deal, and the Great Society, were all blunt shocks that required immediate decision-making, a course of action that the White House's most effective occupants have always understood. Franklin D. Roosevelt "hurled down executive orders and legislative proposals like thunderbolts" during his First Hundred Days, hardly slowing down for another four years; Lyndon Johnson, aided by sympathy generated by John F. Kennedy's death and the landslide of 1964, generated legislation at such a breakneck pace that even his aides were awestruck.

35. PROBLEM: FOREIGN STUDENTS. SOLUTION: CORPORATE PARTNER: MORE COLLEGES ARE RECRUITING AND EDUCATING OVERSEAS APPLICANTS WITH THE HELP OF PRIVATE COMPANIES
Fischer, Karin
Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 54, No. 2, September 5, 2008, pp. A41-43

Oregon State University is the first U.S. university to strike a deal with a private company to recruit and educate foreign students in a college preparatory program, something British and Australian universities have been contracting out for years. Before September 11th, U.S. universities could sit back and wait for international students to knock on their doors, but now with increased competition and the widespread perception that the U.S. visa process is onerous, a more active approach is necessary. Private partners can do the hard work of screening and recruiting international students and even provide some additional training if, for example, a better grounding in English is necessary for full-time enrollment. Oregon State, as part of its deal with Into University Partnerships (IUP), a UK firm, has agreed to construct a $52 million classroom and residential facility for the students IUP will provide and hopes to make $25 million annually after five years. While such partnerships have encountered initial criticism and opposition in Australia and the UK, faculty and staff opposition has generally diminished over time, says Fischer. Oregon State's Provost, Sabah Randhawa, saw no other way for his cash-strapped institution to get foreign enrollment numbers up, and was willing to take a chance on a partnership with a private company.

36. PROJECT URBAN RECREATION
Edwards, Michael
Parks & Recreation, Vol. 43, No. 3, March 2008, pp. 39-45

The creation of public parks in close proximity to urban areas is a new trend in urban development. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Spokane, Washington, serve as examples of this trend, which is being spurred by increasing demand for places for outdoor exercise. Cities are opening parks that allow residents to enjoy the outdoors without leaving the city; Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Park is situated along the riverfront, with trails, bridges, green space, water landings, public art, historic artifacts, restaurants, and community events. Spokane is developing the Spokane River Gorge, which has 400 acres of river access, open space located adjacent to downtown, and a wide variety of activities to lure visitors. The author notes that parks like these benefit cities by encouraging growth of urban communities, tourism, future investment and real estate values.

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