Current Events Reading: 4/12

Read the following articles in the Economist for Friday:

• Coping with North Korea: Korean Roulette
• North Korean Tensions: Inside the Cult of Kim
• Sudan: Cash, Aid and Diplomacy
• Regulating the Weapons Trade: A Killer Deal

There are fewer articles due this week, so you should consider them more deeply than you normally would. As you read, take notes on how different forms of security management--Balance of Power, Deterrence, Collective Security and Disarmament--do or may apply to the conflicts inherent to each story.

For additional participation credit, share (in the comments) similarities you find between the situations in these stories and the plot lines of Charlie Wilson's War, and discuss what you think that says about either conflict.

Watch "Charlie Wilson's War" for Monday, 4/08

Charlie Wilson’s War is up and running on the class’ Moodle page. Let me know if you need help accessing it.

Note: feel free to skip over the first scene, which is about character development--not plot or politics--and includes gratuitous depictions of the female form that some might find superfluous and/or objectionable. You're all adults, so I'll let you make the call.

Consider the following—and come to class ready to discuss—as you watch:

• What examples of the exercise of power do we witness in Charlie Wilson’s War?
• What types of war take place in the film?
• What types of security management do we see in the film?
• What biases might the story be subject to, or, what might this story be leaving out?
• What questions does the movie raise for you?

Also address these questions in your critical responses. Share your responses to (some of) these questions in the comments for additional participation credit.

Current Events Reading and Exam Review: 3/22

Read the following articles in the Economist for tomorrow:

• Pope Francis: The First Southern Pope
• Israel, Palestine and America: Spell it out, Barack
• The President's Charm Offensive: Let's Do Dinner
• The Falklands Referendum: Loud and Clear
• Saving Sharks: Rays of Hope
• Maritime Security: Dragons Unite
• The War in Syria: Can Jordan Keep out of It?
• Hungary and the European Union: Viktor's Justice
• Charlemagne: A Flawed Temple
• World Trade: The Other Conclave

Identify terms from the review sheet that are relevant in each article. Prepare to come to class with a list of terms that is relevant to each article above. We will discuss the articles as they pertain to the upcoming Closed-book Assessment.

For extra participation points, share some of the terms you found in each article and explain how they are related to the story in the comments.

Review for Second Closed-book Assessment

Your second Closed-book Assessment takes place in class this Monday.

It is similar to the format of the first exam, with the caveat that you need to cite articles from the reader (maroon book) that relate to the identification term by author or title. This test is 10% of your final grade.

You may download the review sheet here. I have also scheduled a review session this Friday from 4-5 PM in Buckman 103. If you review questions but cannot make the review session, feel free to set up an appointment with me, drop by during office hours or send me an email.

Remember to bring blue exam booklets to class. If you require special accommodations, please let me know so we can make arrangements.

Online Discussion for Spring Break

I didn't find anything interesting from the Economist that I wanted to share on the blog, so I'm sharing this article about the latest threats emanating from the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea. From CNN:

A day after the isolated regime in Pyongyang had threatened a possible "preemptive nuclear attack" -- something analysts say they think it is unlikely and currently unable to do -- its official news agency reeled off a number of agreements with South Korea that it said would no longer apply.

One of those agreements is the ceasefire that has kept the Korean War on pause since 1953 (the two states are still technically at war).

Comedienne Margaret Cho plays Kim Jong Il on NBC's 30 Rock

Clearly, Kim Jong Un is writing checks he can't cash--North Korea is far weaker than South Korea, not to mention China and the United States--but that doesn't mean he can't do a whole lot of damage.

Does that mean that Kim is being irrational? What cognitive shortcuts and psychological crutches might be leading Kim to make these threats? Might there be a benefit to such irrationality? Read the article and comment for participation points.

Midterm Course Evaluations

Today, I handed out progress reports assessing your performance in this course to date. Now, I would like you to assess my progress.

Please head to the link below and fill out the midterm course evaluation. Most of the questions are required, excepting the final free response question. It should take you five minutes, at most.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3P6G7TJ

I am looking to get 75% saturation on this survey, and I won't stop bugging you until I get it.

Unlike end-of-course evaluations, these will actually help me make this class better, rather than the next one I teach. Thus, if you think you can benefit from some changes (or strongly believe things should stay the same), here is your chance to let me know--anonymously.

Current Events Reading: 3/01

Please read and come prepared to discuss the articles in the latest edition of the Economist.

Note: Friday's class will be a bit different than previous current event discussions. It will be closer to our usual lecture-cum-discussion style, and it will incorporate the readings you were assigned on Wednesday.

Be prepared to discuss how the following stories relate to the challenges to sovereignty and the "wars of globalization" discussed in the previous class' readings:

• Syria
• The Death of a Country
• The Country Formerly Known as Syria
• China and Corporate Espionage
• China's Cyber-hacking: Getting Ugly
• Cybercrime: Smoking Gun
• Who Needs Cyber-spying?
• Narcotics Decriminalization
• Illegal Drugs: The Great Experiment
• Towards a Ceasefire
• Harm Reduction: Shoots up and Leaves
• Europe's Financial Transactions Tax: Bin It
• Jamaica: Lenten Diet
• Canada's Inuit: Polar Bear Politics
• Malaysia Invaded: The Sultan's Sabah Swing
• Jordan's Election: Calming Down
• Bulgarian Politics: Power Protests
• Charlemagne: Johnnie Don't Walk Out
• Bankers' Pay: Cap and Flayed