International
Torturing America: Securing the American Interest
Originally Published in The Cornell International Affairs Review, vol. III, no. 2, Spring 2010 Even before his inauguration, President Barack Obama made it clear that he believed torture was morally reprehensible and promised that under his administration the U.S. would no longer practice torture.1 Accordingly, on April 16th, 2009 Mr. Obama and the U.S. Department [...]
Chile vs. Haiti: Political Economy and Earthquake Preparedness
In the first two months of this year the world experienced two devastating earthquakes: one in Haiti and one in Chile, begging a comparison between the two incidents. Haiti, of course, was a worldwide sensation. In the month or two following the earthquake nearly every fundraiser and charity seemed to be providing relief to Haiti [...]
The Case Against Global Zero
“So to day, I state clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” -President Barack Obama, April 2009 During an address in Prague on April 2009, President Obama reiterated Ronald Reagan’s vision of a nuclear free world by committing to do everything in his power [...]
Applied Mathematics in Political Science: A Complement to Tradition
Cornell government majors are bound by a slew of requirements: introductory classes on International Relations (IR), American politics and political philosophy; intermediate courses on comparative government, political theory and American government; advanced seminars on topics ranging from normative issues in IR to the philosophies of Kant and Adorno. These classes train us to philosophize, to [...]
…With a Grain of Salt
“Whoever first said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ likely wasn’t thinking of salt.”[i] However, in a current pilot program through the World Health Organization, salt is just that, a preventative measure against lymphatic filariasis (LF), a parasitic disease of tropical and subtropical areas commonly known as elephantiasis, which causes disfigurement [...]
Live Blog: Stephen Walt at Cornell University
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER IN NEW YORK Stephen Walt Lecture at Cornell University, February 25th, 2010 About Stephen Walt: Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Co-Author of “The Israel Lobby” with John Mearsheimer. Learn more about Stephen Walt on his blog at Foreign Policy
How Do You Say “Dot Com” in Chinese?
Here you see two URLs, or internet addresses: <http://www.dhs.gov> and <http://www.dhs.gοv>. One of them is the homepage for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and one of them is not. Can you tell which one? Squint hard. Confused? You should be. But should you be worried? The first web address is the correct URL for [...]
Guns, Germs, Steel, and An Alternative Explanation for Eurasian Hegemony
After 1492, Europeans were able to conquer and subjugate the people of the New World because of their access to gun technology, germs to which Native Americans were not immune, and steel manufacturing, a fact that few students of history question. But why wasn’t it the Native Americans with access to these fateful resources? Why [...]
Swine Flu: Apocalypse Deterred for Now
It is about time we face reality and realize that H1N1, more commonly called swine flu, is not a big deal. So, before we smear ourselves with hand sanitizers, don our surgical masks, and detain ourselves in our rooms, let’s go over a few things. In the midst of this chaos, we are in dire need of nothing other than a little perspective.
The Utility (or Irrelevance) of Social Media in Autocratic Middle Eastern Regimes
In our contemporary era of social media technology and global networking websites, observers of the Middle East widely agree on one point: unless autocratic regimes obstruct or heavily restrict Internet access, they will be subverted by technologically shrewd activists.
Robots Invade America
Three hundred million Americans and growing. An unceasing flow of immigrants, both legal and illegal.
Unemployment nearing ten percent. If anything, it seems as though there’s a shortage of work to go around in the United States.
RV144 Breathes Life Into HIV Vaccine Research
September 24th, 2009, marked the first major breakthrough in the search for the HIV vaccine in nearly a decade, as a study conducted by the United States Army demonstrated a 31.2% positive vaccination efficacy rate
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