Reference Update

MARCH 2006

ECONOMICS AND TRADE

1. "ON LEADERSHIP"
Maurice R. Greenberg
National Interest, Winter2005/06, 5 pages.
For the U.S. to secure its national interests, the country needs to conduct a foreign policy that is consistent and understands the importance of managing economic relations as a way to build shared interests with other states. Greenberg comments on the leadership and national interests of the United States, stating that legacies of mistrust and hostility need to be overcome for the benefit of closer economic and trading ties to be realized.

2. VIETNAM: COUNTRY OUTLOOK
Economist Intelligence Unit – ViewsWire, 10 March 2006
The article provides brief and updated information on Vietnam's development including economic growth, international relations, domestic politics and policy trends.

3. "U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE: DATA AND FORECASTS"
Dick K. Nanto and Thomas Lum
CRS Report for Congress, January 31, 2006, 19 pages.
U.S. trade balances are macroeconomic variables that may or may not indicate underlying problems with the competitiveness of particular industries or what some refer to as the competitiveness of a nation. Based on 2004 data, the report presents background and analysis of the U.S. international trade status, as well as most recent developments. Details of data, forecasts, and statistical information are provided.

4. "THE MORAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH"
Benjamin M. Friedman
 Society, January/February 2006, 8 pages.
Although morality enjoins people and nations not to place undue emphasis on material concerns, it is clear that economic growth more often than not fosters greater opportunity, tolerance of diversity and dedication to democracy.

5. "THE PROBLEM WITH GROWTH AS A SOLUTION"
Richard Anderson-Connolly
Challenge, January/February 2006, 29 pages.
Many observers have looked favorably on the ability of the U.S. economy to record high rates of economic growth. But does economic growth mean economic progress? The author argues emphatically that on purely economic grounds, growth should not be taken to mean progress. Progress, he says, must be measured in other ways.

6. "POVERTY AND GLOBALIZATION"
Shanker Singham and Donna Hrinak
National Interest, Winter 2005/06, 6 pages.
Trade "liberalization" has not lived up to its promise to relieve poverty, primarily because the liberalization reforms have not been accompanied by the domestic economic reforms required to create a true competitive market, the authors explain. Additionally, trade negotiations are conducted with a strong bias toward producers rather than consumers. They propose that trade negotiators should adopt a stronger stance in favor of consumer welfare by finding ways to link the level of competition in markets to the liberalization processes.

7. "AID AND GROWTH: THE POLICY CHALLENGE"
Raghuram Rajan
Finance & Development, December 2005, 4 pages.
Rajan, Director of the International Monetary Fund's Research Department, notes that there is little evidence of an unconditional effect of aid on growth. There are clearly some things that seem important such as good governance, sensible macroeconomic management, laws and policies that support a positive business environment, and an economy open to international trade. He recommends rich countries should make policies that meet these requirements an essential condition for aid, but cautions against micromanaging or being too prescriptive.

8. "RETHINKING COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT"
Ron Shaffer, Steve Deller and Dave Marcouiller
Economic Development Quarterly, February 2006, 16 pages.
Presenting arguments for a more interdisciplinary approach to community economic development, the authors propose an alternative paradigm that includes six elements—resources, markets, institutions, society, decision making, and space. They focus on the framework that links economic theory to practice, especially the integration of economic and noneconomic factors.

REGIONAL SECURITY

9. "STRATEGIC CULTURE AND AMERICAN EMPIRE"
Theo Farrell
The SAIS Review, Summer-Fall 2005, 16 pages.
Regardless of whether it sees itself as possessing an empire, many throughout the world view the United States as an imperial power. The author finds links between predominating U.S. foreign policy thinking and its strategic culture in perpetuating this situation.

10. "HOW TO THINK ABOUT TERRORISM?"
Richard K. Betts
Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2006, 6 pages.
Why is it always hard to anticipate every terrorist threat--and virtually impossible to prevent even those expected to happen? Even with better intelligence and technology, there is not much reason for optimism, the author says. However, there are steps we can take now.

11. "AFTER THE BUSH DOCTRINE: THE FIGHT FOR REPUBLICAN FOREIGN POLICY"
Joshua Kurlantzick
New Republic, February 13, 2006, 5 pages.
Kurlantzick notes that the Republican Party overwhelmingly supported the foreign policy goals of the Bush Administration for the four years following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but perceived problems with the conduct of the war on terror and the Iraq war have caused a split in the party on foreign policy matters. He describes the three foreign policy camps and the key players from both the executive and legislative branches who hold these varying views.

12. "THINK AGAIN: SOFT POWER"
Joseph S. Nye Jr.
Foreign Policy Web Exclusive, February 2006, 3 pages.
What exactly is soft power and how useful is it in dealing with today’s challenges? The author, who coined the word in his 1990 article, thinks that as it has moved into common usage, the term has been stretched and twisted, sometimes beyond recognition. Here is a clearer picture of what it really means.

GLOBAL ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENT

13. "DRUG CONTROL: INTERNATIONAL POLICY AND APPROACHES"
Rafael Perl
CRS report for Congress, February 2, 2006, 19 pages.
The report discusses the Bush administration's current international narcotics control policy. It provides a brief background and analysis of the illicit drugs problem and examines policy approaches. A summary of the George W. Bush administration’s anti-drug strategy is also provided.

14. "THE NEW WORLD OF GLOBAL HEALTH"
Jon Cohen
Science, January 13, 2006, 6 pages.
Support and funding for improving public health in developing countries has increased sharply in recent years with the realization that improved health of a population can be a key factor in speeding development and sustainability of a nation as a whole.

MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

15. "EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SECURITY AND PRIVACY"
Alicia Anderson
EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Volume 29, Number 1, 2006, 4 pages.
A series of information system hack-ins in several major American universities have served as wake-up calls to develop a comprehensive information security and privacy strategy. This is no simple task, however. It involves balancing a culture of openness with a need for security and privacy. The author points out that security and privacy are not IT issues—they demand a comprehensive, strategic, team approach to find effective solutions. Recommendations for action are provided.

16. "THE RISE OF BLOGS"
K. Daniel Glover
National Journal, January 21, 2006, 6 pages.
After gaining prominence in the media and the political arena, blogs, or Weblogs, are having a growing impact in policy-making circles. Activists have used blogs to influence debates on various issues. The author takes a look at the trend. He also profiles 17 House and Senate members who created blogs in 2005, and 11 bloggers who have had the most impact in Washington.

U.S. POLITICS, SOCIETY AND CULTURE

17. "STATE OF OUR DISUNION"
Carl M. Cannon
National Journal, January 21, 2006, 8 pages.
Partisanship has long been a part of the American political scene, but too much partisanship can obscure issues, instead of clarifying them, and leave little room for compromise. The author examines the state of partisanship in the U.S., compared to when George W. Bush took office in 2001.

18. "TRIBAL RELATIONS"
Steven Waldman and John C. Green
The Atlantic Monthly, January/February 2006, 5 pages.
Analyzing the impact of religion and values on American politics, the authors move away from the simplistic "right versus left" stereotype, and categorize the U.S. public into what they call "the twelve tribes". They explain how Americans sort out on cultural and religious issues, and what it means for the U.S. politics.

19. "WHY THE CULTURE WAR IS THE WRONG WAR"
E. J. Dionne, Jr.
The Atlantic Monthly, January/February 2006, 6 pages.
There always has been a culture war in United States, Dionne confirms. Citing election exit polls, Dionne claims the country is not as polarized on important issues as journalists and political activists might contend. The real division in the nation is between those who want to have a culture war and those who don't.

20. "WHAT IF?"
David Baumann, Kirk Victor, and Richard E. Cohen
National Journal, January 28, 2006, 9 pages.
As the 2006 election is approaching, the authors take a look at what might happen if Democrats took control of the House or Senate in 2007. They provide a rundown of prospective party leaders and committee chairmen in the House and Senate, followed by a discussion on how ex-Presidents Reagan and Clinton fared under divided government.

21. "BUILDING CREATIVE COMMUNITIES: THE ROLE OF ART AND CULTURE"
John M. Eger
The Futurist, March/April 2006, 5 pages.
The author, a leading authority on information technology, argues that cities must nurture the creative potential and community engagement of their citizens.

22. "THE DYNAMICS OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION: RE-EXAMINING THE INFLUENCE OF DEMOCRACY"
Charles Blake and Christopher Martin
Democratization, February 2006, 14 pages.
The authors use the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) to study democracy's influence on the probability of corruption. They argue that there is little to support the prevailing wisdom that democratic regimes hold governing officials more accountable than autocratic ones. Economic and cultural variables are a more predictable check on corruption than the role of democracy. However, the authors make a strong case that it is the consolidation of a "vital democratic process over time that has a robust, negative relationship with corruption."

23. "INTERNATIONAL LAW V. UNITED STATES"
Andrew C. McCarthy
Commentary, February 2006, 8 pages.
The article offers insights on the authority of international law in the United States. The Constitution established a system of enumerated powers sufficient enough to secure the nation and promote commerce but respectful of individual choice and local sovereignty. The law of nations and treaties are the sources of authority governing the country's international relationships. The challenges posed by treaties to constitutional order and national security are also discussed.

TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS

24. 2006 SEEN AS POSSIBLE "WATERSHED YEAR" FOR U.S.-VIETNAM RELATIONS
Eric G. John
Vietnam is in the midst of an extraordinary transformation from an inward-looking command economy to a much more open society that seeks to engage with the wider world, says Eric John, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

25. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
Ellen Hume
Independent media serve the democratic process by holding government leaders accountable, by calling attention to issues of national concern, by educating citizens, and by connecting people with each other.

26. THE CENTRAL ROLE OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM IN DEMOCRACY
Ian Vásquez
Economic freedom-the power of individuals to engage in free enterprise and to secure private property-is proven to sustain economic growth and to encourage political pluralism.

27. CITIZENSHIP AND GOOD DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
Ralph Ketcham
Democracy requires citizens who look beyond their own self-interest and demonstrate concern for the public good.

28.  SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY: THE U.S. RECORD 2005 - 2006