Fall 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
5:00 p.m.
Is the United States a Revisionist State?:
Executive Power, Nationalism, and Public Support for the Iraq War
Dr. Carlos Yordan, Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, Drew University
This paper is divided into three sections. The first presents the analytic framework. It explains that to make sense of the Bush administration’s foreign policy we need to take into account both international and domestic variables. Thus, it argues that the theory of neo-classical realism and the constructivist approach to the study of nationalism are good tools investigate the factors that shaped post-September 11 foreign policy. Section two explores the connection between American nationalism and foreign policy. It argues that American nationalism is multifaceted and that shifts from one foreign policy approach to another are usually a consequence of changes in the nationalist discourse. Section three explores how the White House and political entrepreneurs in and outside government manipulated collective emotions to gain support for the President George W. Bush’s decision to oust the Iraqi regime from power.
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Wednesday, September 19, 2007
12:00-2:00 p.m.
"Short Stories, Long Work: The Politics of Women's Rights in Afghanistan"
Dr. Janet Larson, Associate Professor, English Department, Rutgers-Newark
Timed for the 6th anniversary of "Operation Enduring Freedom," Dr. Larson's lecture is based on ongoing research and her experiences last summer as part of a Global Exchange delegation to Afghanistan, where she met leaders of humanitarian, development, and rights organizations, activists, artists, ministry officials, and everyday Afghans in and around Kabul. The talk is accompanied by images from archival photographs, vintage post cards, geographic and geopolitical maps, US government web sites, and her own photos of Afghan landscapes, streetscapes, and people.
Please note that we are in the process of posting our past occasional seminars on our new website.