Volume 7 Spring 2007
Ruth S. Adams Essay Winner
Environmentalism as Catalyst for the Development of Civil Society in China
By Joshua Wickerham
University of California, San Diego
The goal of this paper is to determine how willing the principal actors in China's economy are to bear the potential social and economic costs of sustainable development as a proxy for understanding the depth of the development of civil response to China's environmental threats. The conclusions are based on trends, opinions, and actions of three main groups: the government, consumers, and corporate managers.
Addressing the Social Impacts of Large Hydropower Dams
By Sophie Namy
University of Washington
While recognizing that hydropower dams can be of great benefit to poor economies, this paper outlines a number problems that dams can impose on society and the environment. The author then evaluates a number of policy alternatives that the World Bank, as one of the primary lenders for hydropower projects, can impose on its borrowers to minimize the negative consequences of dams.
Preventing, Demobilizing, Rehabilitating, and Reintegrating Child Soldiers in African Conflicts
By Aaron Young
Duke University
As many as 300,000 children serve as soldiers in conflicts in 33 countries. In many cases, these children are forced into service. This article recommends strategies the international community, including state actors, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations can implement to reduce the number of child soldiers participating in armed conflicts and reintegrate former child soldiers into their societies.
The Israeli-Syrian Conflict: Prospects for a Resolution
By Elliot M. Repko
George Washington University
The conflict between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights began with the 1967 War, when Israel first occupied this land, which Syria believes is an illegal acquisition of its territory according to the UN Charter. The Golan Heights' strategic position as a buffer zone with valuable water resources makes this conflict particularly difficult to resolve. However, the author argues it is possible for Syria and Israel to realize a peace accord in conjunction with the United States and the international community.
Features
International Policy Towards Fragile States and the Fate of the Nation State
An Interview with IR/PS Professor Miles Kahler
By Paul Schuler
Miles Kahler, Rohr Professor of Pacific International Relations at the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, will take leave next year to continue research on how international institutions affect the rehabilitation of fragile states. He is also working on a book considering alternatives to the nation state. In the following interview with the Journal of International Policy Solutions, Professor Kahler discusses some of his research on fragile states and, more broadly, the fate of the nation state in the era of globalization.
Book Review: Charm Offensive by Joshua Kurlantzick
By Dylan Mann
University of California, San Diego
In Charm Offensive, author Joshua Kurlantzick sounds the alarm, warning American stakeholders to pay attention to the rise of China's "soft power." He describes a return to the polarized world of the Cold War ear, but instead of competing for nuclear superiority, the U.S. and China are battling over trade, natural resources, and most importantly, cooperation from other countries.
