Volume 124 - Number 1 - Spring 2009

The Rise and Fall of Colin Powell and the Powell Doctrine
Walter LaFeber discusses the rise of the Weinberger/Powell Doctrine by tracing Colin Powell’s career to 2001. He emphasizes how the George W. Bush administration not only overthrew the doctrine after 2001, but how Powell, notably in his February 2003 speech at the UN, helped in the overthrow by placing his then-highly respected reputation behind misleading and false evidence to justify war against Iraq.

Volume 123 - Number 4 - Winter 2008-09

Saddam Hussein and the Sunni Insurgency: Findings from Values Surveys
Mansoor Moaddel, Mark Tessler, and Ronald Inglehart use findings from two national values surveys that were carried out in Iraq in 2004 and 2006 to determine the attitudes of the Sunni Arabs toward Saddam Hussein, which they use as a proxy measure of their attitudes toward the Sunni insurgency and American-led coalition forces.

Volume 123 - Number 1 - Spring 2008

Ideological Change and Israel’s Disengagement from Gaza
JONATHAN RYNHOLD and DOV WAXMAN posit that ideological change within the right-wing Likud party generated support for the partition of Israel that was a vital prerequisite to the Sharon government’s adoption of the Gaza disengagement plan in 2005. Although international and domestic pressures were important in determining certain elements of the withdrawal, they did not dictate the policy of disengagement.

Volume 122 - Number 2 - Summer 2007

Iran’s Nuclear Challenge
COLIN DUECK and RAY TAKEYH describe the political, ideological and security motivations behind Iran’s nuclear program and examine various strategic alternatives available to the United States. They conclude that the United States should pursue comprehensive, direct negotiations with Tehran on the nuclear issue, within an overarching framework of containment.

Volume 120 - Number 3 - Fall 2005

Complications of American Democracy: Elections Are Not Enough
Demetrios James Caraley discusses the major features critical to the working of our democratic institutions: free elections, separation of powers with checks and balances, and government limited by constitutional guarantees. He looks at some evidence that suggests our democracy may be shifting to an “elective despotism” of the majority—something that Jefferson declared “was not the government we fought for.”

The late Demetrios James Caraley was a specialist on city government and on congressional policies toward cities. He also published books and articles in the fields of national security policy and democratic political theory.  Caraley was the longstanding and esteemed Editor of Political Science Quarterly from 1973 to 2020 and concurrent President of the Academy from 1992 to 2018. Click here for more about Professor Caraley. 

Volume 120 - Number 2 - Summer 2005

What Political Institutions Does Large-Scale Democracy Require?
Robert A. Dahl examines the political institutions necessary for a democratic country. He argues that a large-scale democracy requires the following political institutions: elected officials; free, fair, and frequent elections; freedom of expression; alternative sources of information; associational autonomy; and inclusive citizenship.

Volume 119 - Number 2 - Summer 2004

The Debate over North Korea
VICTOR D. CHA AND DAVID C. KANG debate the strengths and weaknesses of an engagement policy to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons program. From different perspectives, the two authors analyze common misconceptions about North Korean intentions and strategies as well as debate the merits of a harder-line approach taken by the United States toward the reclusive regime. Whether one views Pyongyang’s intentions with greater skepticism (Cha) or greater flexibility (Kang), the authors argue that some form of engagement, not military preemption, is advisable.

Volume 118 - Number 1 - Spring 2003

Engagement, Containment, and the International Politics of Eurasia
DAVID W. RIVERA analyzes whether post-Soviet Russia has pursued a hostile, imperialist course toward the other former republics of the Soviet Union and whether the West should adopt a policy of containing Russian expansionism. He concludes by assessing whether previous trends have continued into the Putin years and draws out the implications of its findings for the “Who Lost Russia?” debate and whether Russia should be invited to join NATO.

Volume 118 - Number 2 - Summer 2003

Shoring up the Right to Vote for President: A Modest Proposal [with Panel Discussion]
ALEXANDER KEYSSAR argues that the 2000 presidential election has made clear the desirability of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing to all American citizens the right to vote for president and to have those votes determine each state’s vote in the electoral college. Tracing certain features of the history of suffrage in the United States, he maintains that such an amendment would make the Constitution consistent with the now broadly based consensus (not present at the nation’s founding) that voting is a right that inheres in all citizens.

THE PANELISTS (D. Caraley, L. Greenhouse, S. Issacharoff, R. Pildes, G. Pomper, J. Rakove, R. Shapiro, R. Smith) discuss the points raised by the Keyssar article. They end up with consensus on the need for a constitutional right to vote for president, but have some differences on additional aspects of reforming the system.

Volume 117 - Number 2 - Summer 2002

North Korea's Weapons of Mass Destruction: Badges, Shields, or Swords?
Victor D. Cha examines the question about relative merits of engaging or containing North Korea that has resurfaced after President Bush's "axis of evil" statements. The author argues that this policy question cannot be answered without an understanding of the strategic doctrine behind North Korea's alleged nuclear weapons capabilities.