Portrait of an Occupier

We have all heard about them, the people who call themselves Occupiers. Some paint them as dirty, lazy, hippies who do not want to work. Others view them as average Americans rightfully upset at the state of America and American society. Are they really all homeless hippies? Or are they average Americans representing the 99 […]

Is One Enough: Implementing a One-State Solution for Israel and Palestine

Mainstream media and American political discourse have continually ignored the one-state solution as a viable option for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The concept has been dismissed as too radical, though its background points to a history older than Israel and is rooted in the basic tenets of democracy and justice. The more prominent […]

Division in Northern Ireland: Protestants, Catholics and ‘Others’

It can be easy to belittle the progress made by the political and social systems in Northern Ireland (NI) since the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998, but let there be no mistake that the headway being made in NI is remarkable. Despite this growth, the society remains segregated. The two principal groups are […]

America in Decline: Can the United States Continue to Compete?

The West enters the twenty-first century at a crossroads. Having long been the model for economic and political success, the aftereffects of the 2008 Great Recession have resulted in a world in which developing countries with emerging markets now have greater economic dynamism than years past, while old economic powerhouses are struggling to secure their […]

Symptoms of Cold Warfare between Saudi Arabia and Iran: Part 1 of 3

This is the first in a three-part series that will examine the historical foundations, current dynamics, and future prospects of the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia in light of the recent allegations that the Iranian government attempted to assassinate a Saudi diplomat in the United States.             This October, the attention of the world […]

Pollution, Prevention, Protection: Throwing Your Money Down the Right Drain

Thirty years ago, an unprecedented number of children in Woburn, a community just north of Boston, were diagnosed with leukemia. This unfortunate incident sparked an environmental revolution of sorts, highlighted in the film A Civil Action. Although decades have passed in the cleanup through efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the site has yet […]

Debt Ceiling Panic: Unnecessary Instability or Crucial Wake-up Call?

During last summer, the economy was teetering on the edge of collapse due in part to the question of whether or not the debt ceiling, a ninety-year-old government policy, would be raised before the United States hit its limit. The main theory propping up the continued use of the debt ceiling has been the belief […]

Book Review: Under the Color of Law

Any American who has watched the news over the past few years has likely heard many of the criticisms of the George W. Bush administration. TV pundits have shouted at us about the atrocities of the Patriot Act. Michael Moore has made several movies criticizing the administration. Scores of books have been written and sold, […]

The Call of Duty: A Case of Compulsory Military Service

Compulsory military service was last utilized by the United States during the Vietnam War, during an era symbolized by passionate protests and stubborn resistance. At no time since has the country been embroiled in such widespread protest against a war. Without this heightened level of public engagement, decisions of war are not treated by public […]

What now: The Palestinian Bid for Statehood

On Friday, September 23rd, 2011, upon commencement of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas presented a historic statehood recognition request before the Security Council. This comes after half a century of conflict, which was supposed to end with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 […]