Cyber Security Reading List

Cyber Security Reading List

Brandon Valeriano

University of Glasgow

It is that time of the year again, that time when everyone considers updating their syllabus.  So you have an interest in cyber security, but have not taken the time to develop a reading list.  Well here it is, I have, unfortunately, dived into the topic.  The following includes a one day version and then a more detailed list. 

Of course I may have left some things out, this is a developing literature so I will update as time goes on.  I attach many of my own writings here, mainly because I am a glutton like that but also because my book is not out yet. 

(sorry I didn’t hyperlink everything, end of the day, will do that in the future.  Most things can be found by just googling)

Short Version (The Essentials):

Cyber Pearl Harbor

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/world/panetta-warns-of-dire-threat-of-cyberattack.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

War in the Fifth Domain

http://www.economist.com/node/16478792

(The book on cyber hype and fear)

Clarke, Richard A. and Robert K. Knake. 2010. Cyber War: The Next Threat to National

Security and What to Do About It.  New York: Harper Collins.

(A more measured evaluation)

Hersh, Seymour. 2010. “The Online Threat: Should We Be Worried About Cyber War?” New

Yorker. (November 2010).

My Perspective:

Media and Cyber

Valeriano, Brandon. “Cyberwar and Skyfall: Bond Enters the Digital Age” Duck of Minerva, 11.10.2012, http://www.whiteoliphaunt.com/duckofminerva/2012/11/skyfall-and-cyberwar-james-bond-enters-the-digital-era.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Public Opinion and Cyber

Valeriano, Brandon and Ryan Maness. “Perceptions of the Cyber Threat” Duck of Minerva, 1/30/2013, http://www.whiteoliphaunt.com/duckofminerva/2013/01/perceptions-and-opinions-of-the-cyber-threat.html

Countering Hype

Valeriano, Brandon and Ryan Maness.  2012. “The Fog of Cyberwar: Why the Threat Does not Live up to the Hype” Foreign Affairs. (11.21.2012) Snapspot http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/138443/brandon-valeriano-and-ryan-maness/the-fog-of-cyberwar?page=show

Foreign Policy and Cyber

Maness, Ryan and Brandon Valeriano. “Cyber Events Data and Foreign Policy Reactions.” Duck of Minerva, 7/24/2013. http://www.whiteoliphaunt.com/duckofminerva/2013/07/cyber-events-data-and-foreign-policy-reactions.html

Norms and Cyber

Valeriano, Brandon. “The Cyber House Rules: Justice and Ethics in the Fifth Domain” The Conversation, 7/26/2013  https://theconversation.com/the-cyber-house-rules-justice-and-ethics-in-the-fifth-domain-16376

Long Version:

Key Books:

Nye, Joseph. 2011. The Future of Power. New York: Public Affairs.

Schmitt, Michael. 2013. “The Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber

Warfare.” NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center for Excellence. Cambridge University Press

Choucri, Nazli.  2012. Cyberpolitics in International Relations. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press

Reveron, Derek. 2012. Cyberspace and National Security: Threats, Opportunities, and Power in a Virtual World. Editor.  Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press

Rid, Thomas. 2013. Cyber War Will Not Take Place. London, UK: Hurst & Company

First Cyber Article

Arquilla, John and David Ronfeldt. 1993. “Cyberwar is Coming!” Comparative Strategy

12 (2): 141–165.

Cyber Hype

Farwell, James P. and Rafal Rohozinski.  2011.  “Stuxnet and the Future of Cyber War.” Survival. 53 (1): 23-40.

Rothkopf, David. 2013. “The Cool War.” Foreign Policy. 2/20/2013. Accessed Online.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/20/the_cool_war_china_cyberwar?page=full

Types of Cyber Strategies

Andres, Richard. 2012. “The Emerging Structure of Strategic Cyber Offense, Cyber Defense,

and Cyber Deterrence.” In Cyberspace and National Security: Threats, Opportunities, and Power in a Virtual World. Derek Reveron, Editor.  (Washington D.C., Georgetown University Press).

Cyber Weapons

Rid, Thomas and Peter McBurney. 2012. “Cyber Weapons.” The RUSI Journal 157 (1): 6-13.

Best Take on Stuxnet

Sanger, David E. 2012. Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of

            American Power. (New York: Random House).

Cyber War Will not Happen

Rid, Thomas. 2011. “Cyberwar Will Not Take Place.” Journal of Strategic Studies. First Article:

1-28.

Gartzke, Erik. 2013. “The Myth of Cyberwar: Bringing War on the Internet Back Down to

Earth.”  Forthcoming, International Security

Yes it will, but…

Stone, John. 2012. “Cyber War Will Take Place!” Journal of Strategic Studies

McGraw, Gary. 2013. “Cyber War is Inevitable (Unless We Build Security In).” Journal of

Security Studies 36 (1): 109-119.

Government Strategy

White House.  2011. International Strategy for Cyberspace: Prosperity, Security, and Openness

in a Networked World.  May 2011.

Shactman, Noah. 2012. “Darpa Looks to Make Cyberwar Routine with Secret ‘Plan X.’” Wired Accessed Online

            7/2/2013. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/08/plan-x/

Markoff, John and Thom Shanker. 2009. “Halted ’03 Iraq Plan Illustrates U.S. Fear of Cyberwar Risk.” New York Times Online 8/1/2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/us/politics/02cyber.html.

Brenner, Joel. 2013. “Grey Matter: How to Fight Chinese Cyber Attacks without starting a Cold

War.” Foreign Policy.  March 8, 2013.  http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/03/08/gray_matter#.UUOTPw6Wj4g.email

Guitton, Clement. 2013. “Cyber insecurity as a national threat: overreaction from Germany,

            France, and the UK?” European Security DOI:10.1080/09662839.2012.749864.

China

Inkster, Nigel. (2013)  “Chinese Intelligence in the Cyber Age.”  Survival: Global Politics and

            Strategy 55 (1): 45-66.

Case Study- pre data Chapter

Valeriano, Brandon and Ryan Maness. 2012.  “Persistent Enemies and Cybersecurity: The Future of Rivalry in an Age of Information Warfare” in Cyber Challenges and National Security, edited by Derek Reveron, Georgetown University Press.  Pgs. 139-158.

Data chapter will all Cyber Disputes and Incidents Listed

Valeriano, Brandon and Ryan Maness. “The Dynamics of Cyber Conflict between Rival Antagonists, 2001-2011” (Under Review)

Securitization

Hansen, Lene and Helen Nissenbaum. 2009. “Digital Disaster, Cyber Security, and the  Copenhagen School.” International Studies Quarterly. 53(1155-1175). 

Ethics

Dipert, Randall. 2010. “The Ethics of Cyberwarfare.” Journal of Military Ethics. 9(4): 384-410.

Eberle, Christopher. 2013. “Just War and Cyberwar.” Journal of Military Ethics.  Forthcoming. 

Lecture Extra Credit

Details for a talk I am giving at UIC on Oct 25 are here. This is an extra credit opportunity.

Extra Credit Assignment for Fall 2011, POLS 184

184 Extra Credit Assignment:
In the summer of 2011, a columnist at the Atlantic conducted a survey of the best and worst foreign policy Presidents during the 20th century (1900s, so no GW Bush). This list was met with some controversy on the internet. Your task is to evaluate this list and provide a better list of sorts. Nominate one person to be one of the best, worst, and also a wild card (like GW Bush was mentioned in the original article). Justify your selections with original research. If you nominate someone as the best FP President, they cannot already be on Atlantic’s list as the best (but they can be on the worst list and vice versa, hint). Stick to the 20th century. For each nomination, you must include at least two original research sources (books, journal articles, no blog posts, Wikipedia articles, or newspaper articles). Your paper should be at least 7 pages (including 6 original sources) and is worth 20 points applied to any test or assignment. Assignment is due during the Final.

Original article link

Best (cannot repeat in your paper):
1. FDR
2. Eisenhower
3. George HW Bush (the Elder)
4. Reagan
5. JFK

Worst:
1. LBJ
2. Jimmy Carter
3. Woodrow Wilson
4. Truman
5. Nixon

Wild Card: GW Bush

Top 10 Worst Osama Tweets

All these come from the night of Osama Bin Laden's death

1. JimGaffigan Jim Gaffigan
Osama bin Dead!

2. ApocalypseHow Rob Kutner
by hodgman
How sweet would it be if the actual shot was fired by a gay soldier?

3. AlbertBrooks Albert Brooks
Trump demanding to see Bin Laden death certificate. #binladen

4. thebrianposehn Brian Posehn
Anyone else beating off to the song "America, Fuck Yeah!"?
(no, Brian, no one is)

5. me_irl the government man
by hodgman
Beloved character actor Osama bin Laden, star of TV's "Fox News", dies age 54

6. RealLamarOdom LAMAR ODOM
Who's watchin' #khloeandLamar CT?
(sounds desperate, don't you have an NBA playoff game to worry about)

7. JimGaffigan Jim Gaffigan
Does anyone know if Bin Ladin's cave is rent controlled? First dubs! #fourkids
(Cause you know, people really live in caves over there)

8. RobRiggle Rob Riggle
I wonder how bummed Osama was when he got to hell and realized there were no virgins?

9. JuddApatow Judd Apatow
Bin laden is dead. Your welcome.
(Director of Knocked Up takes credit?)

10. Drudge_Report Drudge Report
BIN LADEN ANNOUNCEMENT CAME IN THE MIDDLE OF TRUMP'S 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE'... http://drudge.tw/lo68bu
(Of course it was planned this way)

Extra Credit Fall 2010

Guidelines for Extra Credit for Fall 2010

You may choose to either write a report on a movie or a book (treat an event or lecture as a book) for extra credit. This report is due when you hand in your final paper but the points can be applied to any test or paper. The movie review will be worth up to 7 points; a book/event review will be worth up to 14 points. You can do a lecture/book or lecture/movie, but not movie/book combo.

Details:
Movie: The movie must deal with international security issues including anything we have covered in class. No movies on interpersonal relationships or tenuous connections to international events will be accepted (no Borat). The movie can come from any time period. It would be best to get the movie approved before you watch. You must write at least a 4 page paper that will include one half review of the movie and the issues it covers. The second half will consider how it is relevant to the class and what lessons we can take from it. This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 7 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the movie, I want a review in the style of something the New Yorker would do.

Book/Lecture Event: The book must deal with contemporary international security issues. It should be published after 9/11. The same issues mentioned in the movie option are fair game. It would be best to get the book approved by me before attempting to write a review. Your review must be at least 7 pages. It should be completed like your normal required book report (1/3 review, 1/3 connection to international issues, and 1/3 criticisms or support). This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 14 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the book/event. For events and lectures, student should attach some documentation of attendance.

New Nuclear Defense Posture Review

Here is the document that goes over the new Nuclear Defense strategy

New Start Treaty

On April 8th, the US and Russia will sign a update of the START treaty. Here are the details.

Key Facts about the New START Treaty

Treaty Structure: The New START Treaty is organized in three tiers of increasing level of detail. The first tier is the Treaty text itself. The second tier consists of a Protocol to the Treaty, which contains additional rights and obligations associated with Treaty provisions. The basic rights and obligations are contained in these two documents. The third tier consists of Technical Annexes to the Protocol. All three tiers will be legally binding. The Protocol and Annexes will be integral parts of the Treaty and thus submitted to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification.

Strategic Offensive Reductions: Under the Treaty, the U.S. and Russia will be limited to significantly fewer strategic arms within seven years from the date the Treaty enters into force. Each Party has the flexibility to determine for itself the structure of its strategic forces within the aggregate limits of the Treaty. These limits are based on a rigorous analysis conducted by Department of Defense planners in support of the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review.

Aggregate limits:

* 1,550 warheads. Warheads on deployed ICBMs and deployed SLBMs count toward this limit and each deployed heavy bomber equipped for nuclear armaments counts as one warhead toward this limit.
o This limit is 74% lower than the limit of the 1991 START Treaty and 30% lower than the deployed strategic warhead limit of the 2002 Moscow Treaty.
* A combined limit of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments.
* A separate limit of 700 deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and deployed heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments.
o This limit is less than half the corresponding strategic nuclear delivery vehicle limit of the START Treaty.

Verification and Transparency: The Treaty has a verification regime that combines the appropriate elements of the 1991 START Treaty with new elements tailored to the limitations of the Treaty. Measures under the Treaty include on-site inspections and exhibitions, data exchanges and notifications related to strategic offensive arms and facilities covered by the Treaty, and provisions to facilitate the use of national technical means for treaty monitoring. To increase confidence and transparency, the Treaty also provides for the exchange of telemetry.

Treaty Terms: The Treaty’s duration will be ten years, unless superseded by a subsequent agreement. The Parties may agree to extend the Treaty for a period of no more than five years. The Treaty includes a withdrawal clause that is standard in arms control agreements. The 2002 Moscow Treaty terminates upon entry into force of the New START Treaty. The U.S. Senate and the Russian legislature must approve the Treaty before it can enter into force.

No Constraints on Missile Defense and Conventional Strike: The Treaty does not contain any constraints on testing, development or deployment of current or planned U.S. missile defense programs or current or planned United States long-range conventional strike capabilities.

Extra Credit

Guidelines for Extra Credit for Spring 2010

You may choose to either write a report on a movie or a book (treat an event or lecture as a book) for extra credit. This report is due when you hand in your final paper but the points can be applied to any test or paper. The movie review will be worth up to 7 points; a book/event review will be worth up to 14 points. You can do a lecture/book or lecture/movie, but not movie/book combo.

Details:
Movie: The movie must deal with international relations in general (or international security issues/rivalry depending on your course) including anything we have covered in class. No movies on interpersonal relationships or tenuous connections to international events will be accepted (no Borat). The movie can come from any time period. It would be best to get the movie approved before you watch. You must write at least a 4 page paper that will include one half review of the movie and the issues it covers. The second half will consider how it is relevant to the class and what lessons we can take from it. This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 7 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the movie, I want a review in the style of something the New Yorker would do.

Book/Lecture Event: The book must deal with contemporary international issues (general, security focused or rivalry focused depending on the course). It should be published after 9/11. The same issues mentioned in the movie option are fair game. It would be best to get the book approved by me before attempting to write a review. Your review must be at least 7 pages. It should be completed like your normal required book report (1/3 review, 1/3 connection to international issues, and 1/3 criticisms or support). This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 14 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the book/event. For events and lectures, student should attach some documentation of attendance.

SROP 2009

SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM
2010 SROP at UIC


The Graduate College at UIC is pleased to announce that applications are
now available for the 2010 Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP).
Applications will be accepted until February 26, 2010. The 2010 program
dates are June 2- July 31, 2010.

SROP is the gateway to graduate education at universities throughout the
country. Students underrepresented in graduate study are invited to apply
for a summer program designed to enhance their academic and research
skills by working one-on-one with a faculty mentor from UIC . All SROP
students on the UIC campus meet weekly as a group for educational
enrichment activities and special seminars. Participants from all of the
campuses will come together in July for the annual SROP Conference at
Ohio State University. Students receive special training from senior
level doctoral students and also receive free GRE preparation. SROP
scholars gain experience as an undergraduate to put them at an advantage
as a graduate applicant. At the same time they will earn a $3,500
research award and have most expenses paid during this full time summer
research opportunity. It’s the competitive edge they will need to rank
above the best of the best.

Students wishing to participate in UIC SROP must meet the minimum
eligibility criteria:

* Have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher (4.0 scale)

* Be a citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S.
* Be an undergraduate student enrolled in a degree-granting program at a
college or university in the United States, Puerto Rico, or other U.S.
territory
* Have completed at least two semesters of undergraduate education
* Have at least one semester of undergraduate education remaining after
completing the program
(Graduating seniors are eligible if they have been accepted to a UIC
graduate program for Fall 2010)
* Have a strong interest in pursuing a Ph.D.
Due to the 30-40 hour per week demand of research activities SROP
students are not allowed to take any summer courses or work external
jobs/internships.


If you have any inquiries about the program or the SROP application, feel
free to contact Allen J Bryson SROP Coordinator at the information
below. The application deadline is February 26, 2010.

Take care and please spread the word.


Allen J. Bryson, Coordinator
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
The Graduate College (MC 192)
607 University Hall
601 S. Morgan Street
Chicago IL. 60607-7106
(312) 413-2558 (fax (312) 413-8105

Rivalry and Territory in Asia

Here are a few recent articles that came up in the context of the recent ASEAN meetings. Each deals with rivalry and territory explicitly.

Himalayas (India and China)

Article on each territorial dispute

Main Time article on India and China rivalry

China vs. Nepal

Extra Credit for Fall 09

Guidelines for Extra Credit

You may choose to either write a report on a movie or a book (treat an event or lecture as a book) for extra credit. This report is due when you hand in your final paper. The movie review will be worth up to 7 points; a book/event review will be worth up to 15 points. You can do a lecture/book or lecture/movie, but not movie/book combo.

Details:
Movie: The movie must deal with international Latino issues (or international security issues) including anything we have covered in class. No movies on interpersonal relationships or tenuous connections to international events will be accepted (no Borat). The movie can come from any time period. It would be best to get the movie approved before you watch. You must write at least a 4 page paper that will include one half review of the movie and the issues it covers. The second half will consider how it is relevant to the class and what lessons we can take from it. This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 7 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the movie, I want a review in the style of something the New Yorker would do.

Book/Lecture Event: The book must deal with contemporary international Latino issues (or security). It should be published after 9/11. The same issues mentioned in the movie option are fair game. It would be best to get the book approved by me before attempting to write a review. Your review must be at least 7 pages. It should be completed like your normal required book report (1/3 review, 1/3 connection to international issues, and 1/3 criticisms or support). This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 15 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the book/event.

Star Wars Fails Again

Great article about the demise of the new Star Wars. I only wish they didn't have to use the word Realism.

Afghanistan

The case for staying in Afghanistan as presented by Biddle. In the end, there is much here that is convincing which is sad. Biddle is perhaps one of the best security specialists working today.

"Taking all this into account, advocates for withdrawal from Afghanistan certainly have a case. The stakes are not limitless, the costs of pursuing them are high, and there is no guarantee that even a high-cost counterinsurgency effort in Afghanistan will succeed. But success is possible all the same, given our strengths and our opponents’ limitations. And failure could have potentially serious consequences for U.S. security."

Non-Free Press

New York Times article on the lack of free press in Latin American states.

Russia Fail

The BBC on Russian military failings.

Cultural Rivalry

Who would have thought a dress in a beauty pageant would spark an international dispute? I would have..

Blog is Back

The return of the blog...its back. I have been posting to facebook lately since it is so easy, but will have to transition back to this blog now that classes are starting. Look forward to more posts in the coming months, I know everyone is excited.

Obama's Speech in Egypt

Video
Text

How to Stop Pirates

Apparently, you can learn all you need to learn about Pirates from a video game. And boy did I love that game when I was a kid.

Soccer and Nationalism Conference

Soccer and Nationalism
This event can be used for lecture extra credit, but you must go to the movie and corresponding panel. You also must connect the movie to IR concepts.


An Interdisciplinary Conference

Monday, April 20, 2009, 9:30– 5:00
UIC Institute for the Humanities, Lower Level, Stevenson Hall

Schedule of Events:

9:30: Opening Remarks

9:45-10:45: Film Screening: Who is Deutschland?

Who is Deutschland? focuses on the outpouring of national feeling
expressed in Germany during the 2006 World Cup tournament, and the
reactions and discussions it prompted in German society among people of
various backgrounds. Interviews with German politicians, rock stars, media
executives, museum directors and students highlight the tensions
surrounding the expressions of contemporary German patriotism. While
tracking the progress of the German team in the World Cup, the film
focuses on Markus, a leftist Berlin University student who tells his side
of the “German identity story.”

11:00-12:30: Film Screening: Goal Dreams

Founded in 1928, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) is considered
one of the oldest football associations in the Arab World. Following the
team as they prepare for the 2006 World Cup, Goal Dreams chronicles the
suspension of domestic league games after an Israeli air strike on
Palestine Stadium, while Austrian coach Alfred Riedle makes a heroic
effort to mold players from diverse countries such as the USA, Chile,
Palestine, and Lebanon into a national team like no other.

12:30-1:30: Break for Lunch

1:30-3:00: Panel Discussion with the creators of Who is Deutschland?
Boaz Beeri, Director
Jon Medow, writer/researcher
Abraham Singer, writer/researcher
Mark Webber, York University and the Canadian Center for
German and European Studies

3:00-3:15: Coffee Break

3:15-4:45: Panel Discussion on Soccer and Nationalism:
Jeffrey Saunders, writer and director of Goal Dreams
Laurent DuBois, Professor of French and History, Duke University

4:45: Concluding Remarks

Sponsored by the International Studies Program, the Departments of
Germanic Studies, History and Political Science, and the Institute for the
Humanities

Extra Credit Repost II

To Clear Up: Guidelines for Extra Credit

You may choose to either write a report on a movie or a book (treat an event or lecture as a book) for extra credit. This report is due when you take the final. The movie review will be worth up to 7 points; a book/event review will be worth up to 15 points. You can do a lecture/book or lecture/movie, but not movie/book combo.

Details:
Movie: The movie must deal with international issues (or international security issues) including anything we have covered in class. No movies on interpersonal relationships or tenuous connections to international events will be accepted (no Borat). The movie can come from any time period. It would be best to get the movie approved before you watch. You must write at least a 4 page paper that will include one half review of the movie and the issues it covers. The second half will consider how it is relevant to the class and what lessons we can take from it. This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 7 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the movie, I want a review in the style of something the New Yorker would do.

Book/Lecture Event: The book must deal with contemporary international issues (or security). It should be published after 9/11. The same issues mentioned in the movie option are fair game. It would be best to get the book approved by me before attempting to write a review. Your review must be at least 7 pages. It should be completed like your normal required book report (1/3 review, 1/3 connection to international issues, and 1/3 criticisms or support). This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 15 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the book/event.

Seminar This Week

1st Tuesday -- April 7, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.

The Iraq History Project: Why Documenting Human Rights Violation in Iraq
is Important for the American Public

Did the overthrow of Saddam Hussein have a positive or negative effect
on human rights in Iraq? Has the intervention of American military force
in Iraq and the introduction of a fledgling democracy resulted in a
reduction in human rights abuses? The answers may be surprising and
thought provoking. Our speaker, Daniel Rothenberg, has been studying
these issues for the past six years and will share his insight.

Daniel Rothenberg is the Managing Director of International Projects at
the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI) at DePaul
University College of Law where he designs and runs rule of law and
human rights projects. For the past three and a half years, he has
managed a number of projects in Iraq involving an all-Iraqi staff of as
many as 60 working throughout the country. These projects have gathered
over 8,800 personal narratives of serious human rights violations
committed during the regime of Saddam Hussein and from 2003 through
mid-2008.

Before coming to DePaul, he was a Senior Fellow at the Orville H.
Schell, Jr. Center for International Human Rights at Yale Law School, an
Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University
of Michigan, a Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan Law
School and a Fellow in the Michigan Society of Fellows. His research and
writing focuses on transitional justice issues, particularly truth
commissions, amnesty laws, tribunals and reparations, as well as labor
migration, moral panics, genocide and social responses to
institutionalized violence.

DePaul Club Room
11th Floor of the DePaul Center
1 E. Jackson Blvd.
April 7, 2009
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Attacking Sport

This article discusses what we over in class the other day, the fact that sport seems to be losing is privileged place in states as an untouchable target. The diplomatic externalities produced by sport are important factors in stable interstate relations. Removing this option removes a basic form of exchange between states.

"Last night New Zealand cancelled a tour to Pakistan at the end of the year. “We are not going,” said Justin Vaughan, the chief executive of the country’s cricket body. “I don’t think any international team will be going to Pakistan in the foreseeable future.”

Mexico gets an Army

I just thought this was funny, the might of the Mexican military, stuck in traffic outside of Juarez.

Careers in International Affairs

Careers in International Affairs

Brian Flora
Diplomat in Residence


Come listen to the U.S. State Department’s Diplomat in Residence discuss career opportunities in government service. Internship programs and fellowship opportunities (language programs) will be also be discussed.

March 17th
10:20-11am, BSB 140
Presented by the UIC Political Science Department

Steroids Everywhere

This Sports Illustrated article makes it clear steroids were just about everywhere in the 60s. Why is this relevant to IR? Its not but I never liked the idea that steroids are new or that only a few people ever did them, so we can call this empirical evidence.

SROP

UIC has a Student Research Opportunities program every summer. I am interested in sponsoring students. The deadline is next week so you need to act quickly if interested. Info links are here:

http://tigger.uic.edu/~bvaler/teachinfo.htm

You basically get a stipend and work intensively on a project all summer with the goal of eventual graduate school attendance. The aim is to get students into a Ph.D. program but I am sure the program would help Law Students.

Let me know if you have any questions, I have ongoing projects or you can work on whatever you wish.

Hiliary Marginalized

This article made me very happy.

"Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is finding that her job description is dissolving under her feet, leaving her with only a vestige of the power she must have thought she acquired when she signed on to be President Obama’s chief Cabinet officer."

CSTO versus NATO

The new Russian alliance. I am betting NATO would win the dance off, but you never know...Kazakhstan has Borat.

"President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia, Armenia, Belarus and four Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — had reached the agreement to form a new security force during a summit of the Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization on Wednesday. The force would add a military dimension to the Moscow-dominated alliance, which so far has served mostly as a forum for consultations."

Sri Linka Civil War

Here are a few BBC summaries on the Sri Linkan conflict.

Basic summary and Q&A

Is End Near?

War and Peace

Extra Credit

Extra Credit Repost

Guidelines for Extra Credit

You may choose to either write a report on a movie or a book (treat an event or lecture as a book) for extra credit. This report is due when you take your final. The movie review will be worth up to 7 points; a book/event review will be worth up to 15 points.

You can combine a report on a lecture and book/movie but you cannot do a book and a movie report.

Details:
Movie: The movie must deal with international issues (specifically conflict if you are in the conflict class) including anything we have covered in class. No movies on interpersonal relationships or tenuous connections to international events will be accepted (Borat). The movie can come from any time period. It would be best to get the movie approved before you watch. You must write at least a 4 page paper that will include one half review of the movie and the issues it covers. The second half will consider how it is relevant to the class and what lessons we can take from it. This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 7 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the movie.

Book: The book must deal with contemporary international issues (see above). It should be published after 9/11. The same issues mentioned in the movie option are fair game. It would be best to get the book approved by me before attempting to write a review. Your review must be at least 7 pages. It should be completed as your normal required book report (1/3 review, 1/3 connection to international issues, and 1/3 criticisms or support). This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 15 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the book/event.

UIC Lecture on US-Latin American relations

Extra credit opportunity:

A conversation with Ambassador Charles S. Shapiro: A Look Into U.S. and
Latin American Foreign Relations

February 5, 2009
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Latino Cultural Center
Lecture Center B2

For more information: 312-996-3095 or lcc@uic.edu

Ambassador Charles Shapiro will be discussing challenges in Latin America
with a focus on the economy and trade.

Ambassador Shapiro is leading the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Task Force for the Free Trade Agreements with Peru, Colombia, and Panama.
He joined the Department of State in 1977. In addition to his posting as
Ambassador to Venezuela, he has served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at
the U.S. embassies in Santiago, Chile and Port of Spain, Trinidad and
Tobago.

Territory Granted by God

This article presents an interesting perspective on peace in the Middle East. While I do not agree that the conflict is religious, the follow statement is supported by my own research.

"Across the world, people believe that devotion to sacred or core values that incorporate moral beliefs — like the welfare of family and country, or commitment to religion and honor — are, or ought to be, absolute and inviolable. Our studies, carried out with the support of the National Science Foundation and the Defense Department, suggest that people will reject material compensation for dropping their commitment to sacred values and will defend those values regardless of the costs."

So when a good transcends typical values it defies rational calculations and compensation.

"Indeed, across the political spectrum, almost everyone we surveyed rejected the initial solutions we offered — ideas that are accepted as common sense among most Westerners, like simply trading land for peace or accepting shared sovereignty over Jerusalem. Why the opposition to trade-offs for peace?"

"This strongly implies that using the standard approaches of “business-like negotiations” favored by Western diplomats will only backfire."

So what is the path to peace? Its pretty simple actually. Simply apologize.

"Absolutists who violently rejected offers of money or peace for sacred land were considerably more inclined to accept deals that involved their enemies making symbolic but difficult gestures. For example, Palestinian hard-liners were more willing to consider recognizing the right of Israel to exist if the Israelis simply offered an official apology for Palestinian suffering in the 1948 war. Similarly, Israeli respondents said they could live with a partition of Jerusalem and borders very close to those that existed before the 1967 war if Hamas and the other major Palestinian groups explicitly recognized Israel’s right to exist."

Territorial Dispute between India and Pakistan

This article outlines the Sir Creek territorial dispute that has flared up between India and Pakistan.
"The narrow, 60-mile-long estuary has been a bone of contention between the two nations for decades. But the dispute has been given new urgency -- and stoked new controversy -- because it featured in the buildup to the Mumbai terrorist attacks that left 171 people dead in late November. It was in the Sir Creek area where the 10 hijackers who set sail from Karachi, Pakistan, hijacked an Indian fishing boat that provided them with the cover to reach Mumbai undetected."

Battlestar

I heard a bit of snickering when I said I watch Battlestar Galactica. I snickered too when I first heard about it and avoided the show until three months ago. Yes, I do feel like a huge dork admitting I watch this show, but its really good and probably the best study of politics and warfare on TV in recent memory. Variety backs me up here.

USC and Sanchez

Great article on Mark Sanchez of USC and his role in the Latino community.

Slumdog

Here is an interesting article that calls Slumdog Millionaire the first movie of the Obama era. I would not go so far as to say that, but it was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. As the article points out, its shows the growing city of Mumbai in all its positive and negative lights. As global cities expand, there is the good: the tech industry, expanding business, but also the bad, the pimps, gangsters, and mafia of old preying on the unsuspecting poor. It is true though that Slumdog is an example of diversity in movies. The book was changed to make the main character a Muslim which adds a few interesting wrinkles to the portrayal of modern Indian life. It also does not utilize a common white face to sanitize the film. It is all around a great movie and something I encourage everyone who wants to have a global perspective to see and enjoy.

The first striking thing about this British-made film is its even-handed, generous spirit of universality. It is set in India and it's about Indians. There is no hint of Merchant Ivory decorum, the predicaments of rich westerners far from home, nor any notion that Boyle and his team were engaged in a David Lean-style imperial adventure in what was once one of the pink regions on the globe. Refreshingly, there is also no white character to "explain" the story (which needs no explanation) to western audiences.

Gaza, Gaza, Gaza

Here is an interesting NYTimes article on the war in Gaza and the tricks of urban combat. This conflict is hard to cover since both sides are using the media to cover up their activities. While I don’t support war at all, this article at least explains why Israel would attack civilian neighborhoods and schools.
“Hamas, with training from Iran and Hezbollah, has used the last two years to turn Gaza into a deadly maze of tunnels, booby traps and sophisticated roadside bombs. Weapons are hidden in mosques, schoolyards and civilian houses, and the leadership’s war room is a bunker beneath Gaza’s largest hospital, Israeli intelligence officials say.”

Military Weary of Obama

A good percentage of those who have served in the military are pessimistic about Obama as President. They are wary of having a leader who has never served in the military, but consider that only 10 percent of the entire American population has served in the first place, and a good percetage of that number includes WWII/Korea/Vietnam vets who were drafted.

Careers in Political Science, Foreign Service Officer

I have decided to start a blog series about jobs in political science (and international relations specifically) to help out those looking for future opportunities. One option is to work for the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. Dept of State is hiring now and will be for the foreseeable future. To be competitive, you should have language aptitude and also have some experience aboard (intern, Peace Corps, military).

“So, in the last several months — with a new president on the horizon and new funding from Congress — both the State Department and Usaid, are ramping back up. A supplemental war funding bill has provided money for Foreign Service hiring. And President-elect Barack Obama “has talked explicitly about the need to increase the Foreign Service and we hope he will make that a priority,” said John Naland. The State Department has asked for funding for 1,500 new positions for the current fiscal year.”

UIC maintains an Office of International Affairs (OIA) with a career Foreign Service Officer stationed on campus. Consult him at if you wish to setup a meeting to find out about more opportunities.