In the Current Issue

Volume 139 - Number 1 - Spring 2024

Articles

Civil-Military Relations in the Age of Populist Nationalism: The Case of Israel
Guy Ziv argues that when it comes to the politicization of the military—a common feature of populist leadership—Israel represents a deviant case. He notes that in contrast to the typical pattern of populist leaders enhancing the military’s influence to bolster their own power, in Israel populist politicians have sought to restrain the military top brass from the decision-making process. In the era of Benjamin Netanyahu, they have often been sidelined and attacked by Netanyahu loyalists for voicing assessments that clash with the ideology of the political right.

Human Rights Pragmatism: Problems of Structure and Agency
Jack Snyder revisits the arguments made in his recent book Human Rights for Pragmatists and reflects upon comments that he has received from discussants and other audiences. He argues that the human rights enterprise is now facing fierce pushback from illiberal strongmen and populists who counter-shame the liberal order as decadent, degenerate, and threatening to deeply rooted values. He reflects on how rights-based societies can recover a more accurate narrative of their past pragmatic successes, repair their tactical flaws, and withstand illiberal challenges.

Who Asked You? The (Dis)Use of Questions Presented at the U.S. Supreme Court
Claire Wofford AND Matthew Reid Krell analyze the United States Supreme Court’s policymaking efforts and its exercise of agenda-setting power. They argue that when the Court agrees to hear a case it also determines what legal questions it will answer in that case. They assess the argument by investigating the variation in the Court’s acceptance, alteration, and addition of questions presented (QPs) in petitions for the writ of certiorari.

Frederik W. de Klerk: Presidential Years in the International Arena
Riaan Eksteen reflects upon the contributions of Frederik W. de Klerk on the history of South Africa. He argues that de Klerk’s presidency was most notable for his handling of foreign affairs. He summarizes de Klerk’s contribution in this area and argues that up to now this legacy in the realm of international relations has not been properly explored.

Classical Realism and the Rise of Sino-American Antagonism: A Review Essay
Athanasios Platias AND Vasilis Trigkas review Jonathan Kirshner’s book, An Unwritten Future: Realism and Uncertainty in World Politics and discuss the relationship between American foreign policy and classical realism.

The Democratic Mission of Higher Education: A Review Essay
PETER LEVINE reviews three recent books that address controversies about free speech on college campuses: The Channels of Student Activism by Amy J. Binder and Jeffrey L. Kidder, Cancel Wars by Sigal-Ben Porath, and What Universities Owe Democracy by Ronald J. Daniels. Levine finds valuable arguments and recommendations in all three books but argues that democratic education must be available to all and that prestigious universities have limited potential for strengthening democracy.

Active Living and the Politics of Implementation: A Review Article
Ann Forsyth reviews Lawrence D. Brown’s Political Exercise: Active Living, Public Policy, and the Built Environment. She argues that the book explains what it takes to implement active living or similar complicated policy approaches and notes that implementation of these approaches requires a thick understanding of the locale.

How Do Humans Create and Sustain Viable Communities? A Review Essay
George E. Marcus reviews Voicing Politics: How Language Shapes Public Opinion by Efrén Pérez and Margit Tavits. He places the works in a broader context and argues that the human species has achieved evolutionary fitness by having the capacity to create different forms of sociability wherein circumstances punish those that ill-suit and reward those that do.

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