UNIT: Why Comparative Politics? David Cameron''s Dangerous Game: The Folly of Flirting with an EU Exit, Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 2013 A British exit from the European Union is considered disastrous for the United Kingdom, as well as for the rest of Europe and the United States. Within the United Kingdom there is a dislike for Brussels, Belgium, on many fronts. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has not been successful in calculating and neutralizing the "restless Europeskeptic backbenchers." Cameron''s actions differ from Margaret Thatcher, who was a driving force in the establishment of a European common market in the 1980s. Ironically, Churchill was one of the first European leaders to call for a United States of Europe. But it was DeGaulle who vetoed the United Kingdom''s application to join the European Economic Community. DeGaulle had a grudge against Churchill, and thus is history made. Today many believe that real danger would be generated if the United Kingdom chooses to end its relationship with Europe.

Ukraine Declares One-Week Cease-Fire in Fight With Pro-Russia Rebels, Lucas I. Alpert and William Maudlin, Wall Street Journal, 2014 As this has gone to press, the cease-fire to put down a pro-Russia rebellion in the Ukraine has not held. There have been several planes that have been shot down over Ukraine, including the MH17 plane flying only civilians. Investigators had not been able to get to the crash site for over three weeks due to fighting and some mines placed in the ground. Leaders Sound Alarm in General Assembly Debate on Unprecedented Mix of Challenges in Middle East, Taking ''Terror to a New Era and a New Level'', United Nations Department of Public Information, 2014 The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policy making and representative organ of the United Nations. Heads of State and ministerial levels of country representatives gathered in New York City for the Sixty Ninth General Assembly meeting of the United Nations. The General Assembly debates included a mix of global challenges, including terrorism and "pockets" of world hate, the Ebola crisis, climate change, the benefits of European integration, as well as recognizing the positive elements of the United Nations Charter and the importance of all coming together. Many delegates voiced concerns that were similar to each other.

The 2014 General Assembly meeting was also to set the agenda for the General Assembly meeting of 2015. The Millennium Development Goals will expire in 2015, and a new global agenda will be implemented. It''s critical that this new, post-2015 agenda include concrete steps to eradicate extreme poverty from the face of the earth by 2030, and to deliver on the promise of sustainable development. A Korea Whole and Free, Sue Mi Terry, Foreign Affairs, 2014 Despite extreme poverty, North Korea is very much alive, and a major threat to its southern neighbor. China''s leaders may not like the current regime, but like the alternative far less. Contrary to popular belief, the author maintains a merger of North Korea and South Korea would not be a disaster. Despite the challenges a transition will entail, it is felt that all would benefit from the rise of a new Korea, whole and free. UNIT: Studying Comparative Politics: Evaluating Theories, Learning from Cases, Generalizing Trends German Spy Agency Searches for More Moles after U.

S. Breach, Philip Oltermann, The Guardian, 2014 German''s intelligence agency has reacted ti the continuing row over U.S. spying in Germany. The discovery of two suspected United States'' spies on the German government''s payroll triggered an official request for the CIA''s station chief to leave. Q & A: What Is This Iron Dome That Is Protecting Israel from Hamas Rockets? Michaela Dodge, The Daily Signal, 2014 The use of Iron Dome System is comprised of interceptors (Tamir) radars, and command and control systems. The system shoots down incoming rockets mid-air before they hit the target. Such saves lives, for many people are not hit by the Hamas rockets.

In Canada, a Fishing Town Faces Its End, Alistair MacDonald, The Wall Street Journal, 2014 Dwindling and aging population has resulted in small towns in the Western world resulting in resettlement options. The global fishing industry no longer exists, and many residents have been "forced" to leave, because they cannot find work. As one villager stated all that is left on the "island''s rugged southern coast are gravestones." Why Middle East Studies Missed the Arab Spring: The Myth of Authoritarian Stability, F. Gregory Gause III, Foreign Affairs, 2011 In the vein of "theory" meets "reality," the author uses the onset of the Arab Spring to flesh out Schmitter''s first of fifteen points: It is difficult to predict democratization. As the author reminds us, few anticipated the Arab Spring. Yet, this is exactly why theory-building remains a fruitful exercise: Theory is not "dead," and theory-building demands the oversight be acknowledged, examined, and reconciled. Foremost among the oversight is the willingness to believe that the military will side with rulers; second is the underestimation of the role of economic development; third is the downplay of citizens'' mobilization.

Alongside these oversights, the author also notes the progress in Middle East studies that must be congratulated, including no longer explaining Arab in cultural terms, no longer using "old saws about how Islam is inimical to democracy," and acknowledging the popularity of democracy as a concept in the Arab world. Few Good Choices for U.S. in Mideast, Gerald F. Seib, The Wall Street Journal, 2013 This region is much closer in a broad conflagration than most Americans realize. Sunnis are facing off against Shiites; secularists are acting out against Islamist, and it appears that Obama has limited leverage across a wide swath of lands in the Middle East. It continues to be a bloody turmoil that has been growing worse by the day. The president of the United States is being faced with hard questions that would have been unimaginable in decades past.

Making Modernity Work: The Reconciliation of Capitalism and Democracy, Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 2012 In this historical account the author provides an overview of competing political economies. While protests within modern democratic states may seem to call into question support for capitalism or democracy, they also frequently bolster these institutions by attracting alienated groups to participate. Such participation and activism, may petition for policy change in economic redistribution within the existing political and economic regimes and not always revolutionary institutional change. UNIT: Participating in Politics: Acting Within and Out of Institutional Frameworks After The Scottish Referendum: A Constitutional Chain Reaction Unfolds, Charlie Jeffery, Discover Society, 2014 On September 18, 2014 Scotland held a referendum, as to whether or not it should be an independent country. There was great concern throughout the world that the projected vote was "too close to call." However, Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence. With the results in from all 32 council areas, the "No" side won with 2,001,926 votes over 1,617,989 for "Yes." What does the future hold for all involved? Recalibrating American Grand Strategy: Softening U.

S. Policies Toward Iran in Order to Contain China, Samir Tata, Parameters, 2013 China''s economic and military security is intertwined with its energy security. China became the world''s largest energy consumer in 2009 and surpassed the United States as the largest importer of Persian Gulf oil in 2011. The United States has to rethink its strategy as it addresses the challenge of maintaining its primacy as a global power. It is recognized that as the world becomes increasingly multipolar the center of gravity has shifted to Asia. The national security objective of the United States is to counterbalance and contain a rising China that is determined to be the dominant economic, political, and military power in Asia. China, as the economic engine, is displacing Japan and the United States. In relation to purchasing power parity China is expected to be the world''s largest economy by 2019.

This Fracking Zeal Overshadows the Perfect Energy Solution--Solar, Leonie Greene, The Guardian, 2014 Public support for fracking seems to be falling. The government''s enthusiasm for fracking sits in stark contrast to the actions on solar energy. Many emerging solar companies invested in good faith and are now set for a financial hit. At the present time, in England, the Department of Energy and Climate Change''s own opinion poll tracker shows solar enjoys its highest approval ratings ever at 85%. It has been researched that if the government can provide a steady framework, the solar industry can definitely be the cheapest low-carbon technology plus/minus by 2018. Today, there is a soaring international solar market. In the long run, government subsidies would not be needed. Saudi Arabia''s Family Feud, Simon Henderson, Foreign Policy, 2014 With threats building throughout the Middle East, and challenges to Saudi Arabia''s self-appointed role as leader of the Islamic world, the Iraq battles, the nuclear issue with Iran, the Saudi leadership is being undermined.

King Abdullah''s action in promoting Prince Bandar and Prince Khalid may counter some of these Middle East threats, though the King will always be the key player. The Protesters and the Public, Denis Volkov, Journal of Democracy, 2012 What is the effect of participation? Consider Russia, where Putin''s political career appeared invulnerable. In Russia, protests in late 2011 and ea.