CARIBBEAN
AP Photo
Summer 2008
"Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict"
Journal Article, International Security, issue 1, volume 33
By Maria Stephan, Former Research Fellow, Intrastate Conflict Program/International Security Program, 2003-2005 and Erica Chenoweth, Associate, International Security Program
The historical record indicates that nonviolent campaigns have been more successful than armed campaigns in achieving ultimate goals in political struggles, even when used against similar opponents and in the face of repression. Nonviolent campaigns are more likely to win legitimacy, attract widespread domestic and international support, neutralize the opponent's security forces, and compel loyalty shifts among erstwhile opponent supporters than are armed campaigns, which enjoin the active support of a relatively small number of people, offer the opponent a justification for violent counterattacks, and are less likely to prompt loyalty shifts and defections. An original, aggregate data set of all known major nonviolent and violent resistance campaigns from 1900 to 2006 is used to test these claims. These dynamics are further explored in case studies of resistance campaigns in Southeast Asia that have featured periods of both violent and nonviolent resistance.
Summer 2008
"Divining Nuclear Intentions: A Review Essay"
Journal Article, International Security, issue 1, volume 33
By William C. Potter and Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova
Although projections of nuclear proliferation abound, they rarely are founded on empirical research or guided by theory. Even fewer studies are informed by a comparative perspective. The two books under review—The Psychology of Nuclear Proliferation: Identity, Emotions, and Foreign Policy, by Jacques Hymans, and Nuclear Logics: Alternative Paths in East Asia and the Middle East, by Etel Solingen, are welcome exceptions to this general state of affairs, and represent the cutting edge of nonproliferation research. Both works challenge conventional conceptions of the sources of nuclear weapons decisions and offer new insights into why past predictions of rapid proliferation failed to materialize and why current prognoses about rampant proliferation are similarly flawed. While sharing a number of common features, including a focus on subsystemic determinants of national behavior, the books differ in their methodology, level of analysis, receptivity to multicausal explanations, and assumptions about decisionmaker rationality and the revolutionary nature of the decision. Where one author emphasizes the importance of the individual leader’s national identity conception in determining a state’s nuclear path, the other explains nuclear decisions primarily with regard to the political-economic orientation of the ruling coalition. Notwithstanding a tendency to overinterpret evidence, the books represent the best of contemporary social science research and provide compelling interpretations of nuclear proliferation dynamics of great relevance to scholars and policymakers alike.
June 2008
Terrorism, War, or Disease? Unraveling the Use of Biological Weapons
Book
By Anne L. Clunan, Peter R. Lavoy and Susan B. Martin
The use of biological warfare (BW) agents by states or terrorists is one of the world's most frightening security threats but, thus far, little attention has been devoted to understanding how to improve policies and procedures to identify and attribute BW events. Terrorism, War, or Disease? is the first book to examine the complex political, military, legal, and scientific challenges involved in determining when BW have been used and who has used them.
Winter 2008
"Fuel for Thought"
Magazine or Newspaper Article, John F. Kennedy School of Government Bulletin
By Madeline Drexler, Henry Lee, Director, Environment and Natural Resources Program and William Clark, Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development; Co-director, Sustainability Science Program; Faculty Chair, ENRP;
As the Biofuel industry surges with investments and new entrepreneurial players, Kennedy School scholars are analyzing it working to develop new ways to create carbon-neutral fuels. Madeline Drexler writes on the Kennedy School's input on this emerging new way to lower greenhouse gas emissions and become less dependent on non-renewable energy resources.
November 14, 2007
Global Forecast: The Top Security Challenges of 2008
Report
By Carola McGiffert and Craig Cohen
This volume of essays showcases CSIS's collective wisdom on the most important security issues facing America in 2008—the major political, military, and economic challenges likely to have strategic implications for the nation. Some of these challenges depend on political developments in other countries, while others hinge on U.S. actions. Some are regional in focus; others have transnational or global reach. All have the potential to expand into full-scale crises and must be watched and managed carefully.
September 24, 2007
"Professor Calestous Juma Hosts Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez"
Media Feature
During his visit to Harvard University, President Leonel Fernandez had the opportunity to address a select group of Kennedy School students that applauded the Head of State's vision regarding the construction of a Metro Subway system in the Capital city Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, currently taking place. The visit was organized by Professor Calestous Juma, Director of the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project.
April 2007
Energy Policy Recommendations to the President and the 110th Congress
Report
By John P. Holdren, Former Director and Faculty Chair, Science, Technology and Public Policy Program, William K. Reilly, John W. Rowe, Philip Sharp, Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Natural Resources Program, Former Associate, Harvard Electricity Policy Group, 2001-2003; Former Lecturer in Public Policy, 1995-2001; Former Dir., IOP; HKS, 1995-1998, 2004-05 and Jason Grumet
The National Commission on Energy Policy proposes revised policies regarding a cap and trade proposal for addressing global climate change, increases in fuel economy standards, approaches for the storage of nuclear waste, development and deployment of advanced coal technologies, adoption of a national renewable energy standard, and other major energy policy issues.
November 6, 2006
Ashton Carter appointed to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s International Security Advisory Board
Press Release
At a November 6, 2006 swearing-in at the State Department, Preventive Defense Project Co-Director and Kennedy School of Government professor Ashton B. Carter became a member of Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s International Security Advisory Board (ISAB) which is charged with providing advice on a wide range of issues affecting national security.
Spring 2006
Renewing Good Leadership: Overcoming the Scourges of Africa
Journal Article, Africa Policy Journal, volume 1
By Robert Rotberg, Director, Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution
Africa is greatly afflicted by many apocalyptical scourges - HIV/AIDs, tropical diseases like malaria, global warming and frequent bouts of drought, and periodic waves of pestilence, especially locust infestations. It suffers greatly from war: approximately 12 million civilians
have lost their lives in the intrastate battles of the last sixteen years. For all of these reasons,and others, Africa each year lags farther behind Asia and Latin America in economic growth.
attainments; four decades ago Africa was well ahead of Asia.
April 26, 2005
We Have to Have CAFTA
Op-Ed, Wall Street Journal
By Dr. William J. Perry, Former Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project and William Cohen
Perry and Cohen support CAFTA in this Wall Street Journal op-ed
