November_2010_SAIS_Observer

Few students know thatSAIS used to have a vividcooperation with theUniversity of Rangoon(now Yangon University)in Kamayut, Burma. Beforethe military coup in 1962,the institution was amongthe most prestigious univer-sities in Southeast Asia,attracting bright minds farbeyond the region. A hubfor the anti-colonial move-ment and a hatchery of fer-vent nationalism, RangoonUniversity was the stagingground for several civildemonstrations in Burma’shistory. The universityserved as a breeding groundfor strikes against Britishoccupants and studentprotests. However, in thecourse of the BurmeseRoad to Socialism,Rangoon University wasput under state authority,and international academicexchange came to a halt.Along with SAIS students,the military regime of NeWin also dismissed civilian

rule. Burma has been in thegridlock for almost fiftyyears. Floundering at thebottom of internationalrankings on economicstanding and governance,the country is now amongthe poorest in the world,governed by a militaryjunta that has consistentlydisplayed indifference to itspeople’s well-being. Thepublic was reminded of thebrutality of the junta asrecently as 2007, when itcracked down on peaceful-ly protesting Buddhistmonks in Yangon. Theannouncement of the firstelections in decades hasraised hopes for a morecivilian-led government aswell as critique on the lead-ership’s intentions. Manybelieve that the elections,however flawed, will heralda new political area, leavinga history of war crimesbehind. Others disregardthe election as a sham elec-tion orchestrated by theregime in order solidify its

power. On October 20, Human

Rights Watch, an interna-tional NGO dedicated to theresearch of and advocacy ofhuman rights, and theSoutheast Asia Studies pro-gram at SAIS held a confer-ence on the prospective

results and implications ofthe November elections inBurma. The conference wasentitled “A Return toCivilian Rule? TheProspects for Democracyand Rights in Burma afterthe Election.”

Kenneth Roth, executive

director at Human RightsWatch, commented on themajor public debates cen-tering on Burma at themoment. The mere natureand meaning of the elec-toral exercise in Burmadeserved attention, as didhuman rights endeavors

and efforts at accountabili-ty. Finally, the electionsopened the discussionabout the possibility ofengagement with theBurmese government. Inthis context, the regionalcountries’ potential role and

Street Art is a primaryoutlet for clandestine, sub-cultural movements.Whether through bomb-ing, piecing, stenciling, orputting together muralsstreet art is the stage bywhich the ordinary personcan project a voice acrossboth spatial and temporallandscapes. It is graffiti;it is often unauthorized;and it is King of the sub-cultural. I am not a graffiti artist.I’ll admit I tried, and Ihave a tag I’ve paintedsince I was in junior high;however for every bomb Ithrew up I spent restlesshours in bed, paranoid,and often time remorseful.(I have come to believethat this stems from ourdominating institutionalvalue in private property,that’s another article). Atheart I am an artist, a trav-eler, and an intriguedlover of all things cultural.Growing up along thisbeat has led me into someinteresting corridors;walking into some albeit

frightening spaces; andintroducing me to some ofthe most beautiful peopleon the planet. First let me say this: theculture that is hip-hopbegan from a socio-politi-cal message voiced by aminority. This minorityfound itself standing onthe outside of a bolteddoor. Tired from rappingon the windows throughwhich they observed sal-vation, that minoritybegan a movement, andthey expelled a life force.Through beats and cre-ative language those peo-ple colored a future out-side of their lines, blend-ing styles and demarca-tions they built the housein which we stand today.That culture, in the UnitedStates, has become avibrant, dynamic dialoguebetween complex charac-ters. However, in the eraof globalization, whereonce a minority stoodthere is now a majority ofthe human population,forced again to socio-

political exile. The mes-sage and the movementsare still here, articulatedbeautifully; however, thehouse, the collective feel,is yet to be established.I’ve been around theworld, but I’d like to sharesome of the street art that Ihave seen in three cities inparticular, and then try toput these pieces into somecontext. Granted Ihaven’t gotten a chance toknow the artists personal-ly, I spent much time inthese communities andfeel the pieces speak loud-ly for themselves and fortheir peoples.

Mamelodi, South Africa

Mamelodi, South Africa,2005. I was teaching in asquatter camp lying out-side the South Africancapital of Pretoria (nowTshwane). I had heardThabo Mbeki speak, orrather not speak aboutSTD’s and HIV in SouthAfrica during the days ofmy own sexual awaken-

All aboard! On a coolSaturday morning onSeptember 25, 44 SAISstudents and 3 professorsgathered in the Nitze court-yard to grab some donutsand coffee, and board thebus for the StrategicStudies’ fall staff ride.Bleary-eyed sleepinesssoon gave way to excite-ment as the bus headed toPhiladelphia, where thestaff riders would begintheir examination of the1777 PhiladelphiaCampaign of theRevolutionary War.

For the second-year MAstudents, theRevolutionary War wouldbe a new conflict to study,having studied the CivilWar and War of 1812 lastyear. Quartermasters KittyHarvey and Eric Schroederpicked the PhiladelphiaCampaign just for that rea-son.

“We thought it would beinteresting to learn moreabout it. We mentioned itto the faculty, and they

were very enthusiasticabout it,” Harvey said.

Preparations for the staffride started last May, andincluded 3 scouting trips, asummer of research, and 6weeks of detailed logisticalplanning. By the timeschool started this fall, theresearch team (comprisedof Steve Seabrook, CaraJones, Rob Cowden, andEmilee Deutchman) haddeveloped all 35 characterroles.

“This year's fall staff rideunderscored the impor-

tance of strategic planning,and the problems one faceswithout having a coherenttheory of victory. KittyHarvey and Eric Schoederdid a fantastic job organiz-ing an intriguing tripfocusing on an oft over-looked episode in theRevolutionary War thathas a striking relevance tothe security situationAmerica now faces,” saidSeabrook.The logistics team ofDaniel Schneiderman and

November 2010 Volume 10 No. 1 The Student Newspaper of the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

Graffiti for Conflict ResolutionStrategic Studies Students Relive Revolutionary War in Philadelphia

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 4 Continued on page 5

Tent City in D.C. Page 7

Running for Cara Page 4

Bologna Remembers Julia Page 6

By Susie TaylorStaff Writer

Cour

tesy

: Sa

rah

Lern

er

Cour

tesy

: Co

nor H

allo

ran

By Elisabeth ReschObserver Staff

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen Speaks at SAISSen Discusses Burmese Elections at Southeast Asia Studies and Human Rights Watch Conference

Amartya Sen addresses the future of civilian rule in Burma.

Conor Halloran speaks as General Cornwallis at the

site of the Battle of Brandywine.

By Lori HammerStaff Writer

2 The SAIS Observer November 2010

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

The SAIS Observer

Editors-in-Chief

Maysam AliSuraj MungaraRyan Pallathra

Elisabeth Resch

Contributors

Daniel BalsonOdette Boya Resta

Andre CastilloRichard DawsonGeorge Fleeson

Peter Gruskin

Lori HammerSean HealeyDavid MartinSusie TaylorCara Yar Khan

On Tuesday, September 14, 2010 our community suf-fered a tragic loss, when Julia Bachleitner, an Austrian sec-ond-year M.A. student, passed away. Julia succumbed toinjuries she had suffered in a car accident that involved herand fellow SAIS student Melissa Basque in Adams Morgan.

Julia spent the first year of her studies at the BolognaCenter where she made countless friends and was loved forher sense of humor, her compassion for others, and her self-less engagement. I learned to appreciate her talents and per-sonality when – along with other Bologna students – weorganized a trip to the IAEA Ball in Vienna. Naturally, thisdescription is superficial to those who knew her well, lovedher, and got to know all sides of her personality – like herfamily and closest friends. Our thoughts are with them.

In the aftermath of Julia’s passing, the John HopkinsSAIS community has experienced an amazing wave ofcompassion and support by her fellow students reflectingthe loss we suffered in Julia’s passing. It has been touchingto see students volunteer to support anyone in need of sol-ace. Following an initiative of a student, the StudentGovernment Association organized a blood drive in mem-ory of Julia that will save the lives of other car accident vic-tims. The Bologna Center faculty planted an olive tree inthe library yard as a way of commemorating Julia’s life.Finally, a number of students organized a photo collectionresulting in an album for Julia’s family.

The SAIS Observer editorial team would like to fur-ther express their appreciation for the efforts of SAIS facul-ty and staff, who have been supportive of students, Julia’sfamily and her friends and everybody who has been suffer-ing in the aftermath of this tragedy. Their immediate assis-tance of Julia’s family gave them comfort. Students in needwere able to make use of the Johns Hopkins StudentAssistance Program (JHSAP) helping them to handle theirreactions to this tragic event and discover coping strategies.Crisis counselors were available to assist those grieving.Finally, the organization of a service at St. Matthew’sCathedral helped through the difficult process of mourn-ing.

These initiatives have been most helpful and inspiringand there is little to add on our behalf. In honor of her lifeand in commemoration of the person she was, we wouldlike to dedicate this issue to her.

We are proud of presenting you with the first issue of2010/11. Thanks to our wonderful writers, we have a broadcollection of stories from both the Bologna and theWashington Campus. Aware of the intensity with whichSAIS studies begin, we are particularly excited to welcomethe new first-year writers. We appreciate your early con-tributing to the school’s community life despite yournumerous obligations. For those readers who have neverwritten for the paper: we always welcome new ideas andstories. If you enjoy what you read in the following pages,consider coming to our next meeting to find out how youcan have your stories published! You may also visit the SAISObserver office, located on the 8th floor of Rome, if youhave feedback or would like to discuss a contribution.Finally, feel free to write to us at [email protected].

In the past months, mem-bers of America’s upperpolitical echelon have fier-cly agitated against the con-struction of the CordobaHouse, a proposed mosqueand Muslim cultural centerto be built in lowerManhattan. Articulatinghis opposition to the proj-ect, former speaker NewtGingrich had this to say:“Those Islamists and theirapologists who argue for"religious toleration" arearrogantly dishonest. Theyignore the fact that morethan 100 mosques alreadyexist in New York City.Meanwhile, there are nochurches or synagogues inall of Saudi Arabia. In factno Christian or Jew caneven enter Mecca” Sadly, Speaker Gingrich is

not alone in his race to therhetorical bottom. In thepast weeks, protestors havewaved signs reading,““You Can Build a Mosqueat Ground Zero When WeCan Build a Synagogue inMecca”, and asking thoseconcerned about toleranceto “Build Churches inSaudi Arabia.”

It is true. Churches andsynagogues are not presentin the Saudi Kingdom andnon-Muslims are barredfrom entering the city ofMecca. Many commenta-tors have already pointedout the obvious fact that, inAmerica, freedom of reli-gion is not a relative con-cept. We respect religiousminority rights independentof Saudi Arabia for thesame reason that we abstain

from stoning adulterersirrespective of Iran’s judi-cial practices.

Republican mandarinslike Newt Gingrich andSarah Palin hope to con-vince supporters of theCordoba House that theirsis some act of unprecedent-ed naiveté. After all, whatforeign Muslim organiza-tion would countenance theconstruction of a Jewishhouse of worship in theirbackyard? It seems theanswer is Hezbollah.Wandering the streets of

Beirut four years ago, Istumbled upon a dilapidat-ed structure in the center ofwhat was once the JewishQuarter. Beirut was in themidst of a constructionspree and this shatteredbuilding looked oddly outof place amidst its newlypainted French colonialneighbors. A bored police-man paced back and forthnearby and, from the street,one could barely make outa Hebrew sign reading“Magen AvrahamSynagogue”. Like much ofBeirut, the building hadsustained heavy damageduring the Lebanese CivilWar. Trees pierced thefloor of the interior andpaint had chipped fromwalls that supported acrumbling roof. The ironfence that guarded itsperimeter was bent out ofshape and rusted. Most ofthe windows were knockedout.

Recently, however, thesynagogue has been under-going a restoration. With

funds raised from expatri-ates, the Lebanese JewishCommunity Council andthe Lebanese constructiongiant Solidere, the house ofworship is rising from thedead. The project has aflashy website and itsFacebook page proudly dis-plays a video of womenpainting a large golden Starof David on the ceiling. The Shi’a terrorist group

Hezbollah issued no objec-tions to the project. Theorganization’s spokesper-son said, “"We respectJudaism, just as we respectChristianity. Our onlyproblem is with Israel." Despite its media-savyprotestations of tolerance,Hezbollah’s claim is a vileand cynical one. Duringthe Lebanese Civil War, theterrorist organization kid-napped foreigners withimpunity and killed 241American servicemen inthe 1983 Beirut BarracksBombing. It blew up anArgentine JewishCommunity Center in 1994and continues to wage awar of destruction againstIsrael.

The organization’s cam-paign of brutality, intimida-tion, and death has greatlycontributed to the decima-tion of Lebanon’s Jewishcommunity. By some esti-mates, there are less than100 Jews in the country;their co-religionists forcedout by war, persecution anda deeply coarse politicalculture.

It is hard not to notice theair of necrophilia around

Hezbollah's support for theBeirut synagogue. Thereconstruction project'swebsite goes through greatlengths to dispel the notionthat the building will beturned into a museum, writ-ing "the synagogue was andwill remain at the heart ofthe Lebanese-Jewish com-munity's religious practicesand social-communal activ-ities". One finds that hardto believe. With Lebanon'sJewish community nearingextinction, the building canbe little more than a ceme-tery of memories. YetAmerica's Muslim commu-nity has fared quite differ-ently. Today, Muslims inAmerica number in the mil-lions. Among their ranksthey count athletes, diplo-mats, soldiers, journalists,doctors and a congressman.Building a mosque in lowerManhattan will create a liv-ing testimony to a commu-nity’s vibrancy and activi-ty. It will say as muchabout America as it willabout Islam in America.Refurbishing a synagoguein Beirut may be an archi-tectural mea culpa, but itcan never undo a painfulpast.

Speaker Gingrich may beright when he complainsabout religious intolerancein foreign lands. That,however, is the exact rea-son why we must practicetolerance in ours.

Daniel Balson is an M.A.

candidate concentrating in

Middle East Studies.

The Intolerant Right and the Hezbollah StandardBy Daniel BalsonContributing Writer

By Peter GruskinStaff Writer

The SAIS Observer is a news monthly written, edited, and pro-

duced by the students of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced

International Studies (SAIS) of The Johns Hopkins University.

SAIS students, faculty and members of the administration at the

Washington, D.C. campus, Bologna campus, and the Hopkins-

Nanjing Center are encouraged to submit articles, letters to the

editor, photographs, cartoons, and other items for consideration.

Material for consideration, comments or inquiries may be sent to

us at: [email protected].

The SAIS Observer is an approved SAIS student organization.

Opinions expressed in the SAIS Observer are not necessarily the

views of the editors, SAIS, or the University.

It may be pragmatic to waitto express my thoughts ongrad school in a publicforum, being a first year stu-dent and all. But I must say,I’ve noticed an interestingtheme here so far. Despitethe school’s reputation tooutsiders as “stodgy” (ok, Isurrender, that’s a euphe-mism for conservative), themajority of my professorshave so far shown a willing-ness to go against the grainand analyze a quite con-tentious topic. And by topic,I mean discipline, existentialobsession, galaxy. That isthe one perhaps closest to theheart of SAIS: Economics.

While this perception maybe partly reflective of theprofessors I have chosen, Ihave a sense it’s also part ofa wider phenomenon ofdeconstructing old institu-tions that is becomingacceptable to mainstreamacademics. Or perhaps oldinstitutions lay so visibly inruin that even the conserva-tive SAIS team must pay

heed. I’ll leave the ultimateconclusion up to the readerbut let me first explain whatprompts this methodologicalanalysis.

The first day of fall, Ishowed up to trade theorybright and early. During thecourse of his introductorylecture, the professor pro-ceeded to remind us thatalthough trade is guaranteedto bring gains to both part-ners under model circum-stances, increased interna-tional trade (“globalization”)can also increase inequalitywithin a country. In short: letus not forget there is a down-side to grand economicvisions. Class dismissed.

The next day, a course onAfghanistan, in which ourprofessor spoke of the “pro-duction of knowledge” in thewar on terror. There’s noth-ing political about quotingFoucault, but it is a bit criti-cal, you don’t say? (That’s ajoke, Foucault was a criticaltheorist.) In subsequent classthe professor reminded us

that the “marketization” of acountry (i.e., Afghanistan)doesn’t always birth moreindividual freedoms, butactually the process can havedeleterious effects and eventake away freedoms andmake people worse offsocially and psychology.More karate contra-MiltonFriedman. Next up, “Politicsand Literature”. Now whatwould literature be withoutpolitics? And what wouldpolitics be without criticism?Hey, at least this was stipu-lated in the syllabus! To besure, the first week’s readingwas a University of Chicagolaw professor’s account ofwhy she thinks obsessiveeconomic categorization andcalculation need to be tran-scended by policy makers.The argument was that theyneeded to supplement rigideconomic-only analysiswith…reading literature. Butthat’s a hemisphere of thebrain off-limits to policymakers, the old guard cries!

And if you think this is not

a laundry list already, howcan I forget Preterm? Itended with a really goofyoversized navy blue tee-shirtand my micro professorhanding out a poetic articleby Joseph Stiglitz, formerWorld Bank chief econo-mist, on the perils of believ-ing in old ideas as a matrixfor solving all problemsunder the sun. And thenthere was macro. The profes-sor indirectly encouragedthinking critically aboutglobal economic systems.Well let’s just say he did itby staying conspicuouslyapolitical the whole semes-ter. So I have run out of pro-fessors and that brings me tothe obvious conclusion: Allthe instructors except for themacroeconomists said orassigned something that saidsomething dismissing thefetishization of economics inpublic policy. A simplesocial science observationby a budding social scientist. Peter Gruskin is a first-year

M.A. candidate

Crack in Economy Opens Space for Debate

November 2010 The SAIS Observer 3

The first part of the marathon is over. Did you have time to catch yourbreath? I, like many of you, cannot believe that we already need to start think-ing about finals, papers and what we are doing over the winter holiday.

But at the same time, I also have some regrets. I am worried that I spenttoo many weekends in the library and not enough time enjoying the beautifulfall weather. While obsessing over work and job applications, I forgot to getout of DC for a day to eat fresh crabs in Annapolis. I busily rushed past toomany friends in an effort to get to my next class, meeting or lecture. I have notread a “fun book” for my own intellectual pleasure since August. In short, I gotso caught up with work that I forgot to enjoy all those relationships and expe-riences that make me a well-rounded person.

Collectively, the SAIS family has experienced a lot of tragedy this semes-ter. But with all these losses, it’s forced me to step back and evaluate my timehere. Even though graduation is still seven months away, I am already think-ing about all my great experiences and how much I will miss everyone. In astrange way, these tragedies have inspired me to make the most the time I haveleft at SAIS. And most importantly they made me realize that I need to refo-cus on that which matter most – the amazing people that surround me everyday.

As a representative of the SGA, I hope that some of our past events havehelped deepen your relationships with people at SAIS. Although we have hadsome hiccups with happy hour, the new format has increased attendance and Ihave seen more recent alumni stopping by for a drink. Our Welcome Backparty was a big success and I am sure many of you will have some amazingcostumes at this week’s Halloween Party. Additionally, we have the upcomingInternational Dinner in November that will allow you to learn more about ourdiverse student body. In short, it is the people who make these events a suc-cess and we cannot pull them off without your enthusiastic participation.

As you begin to move into the second half of this semester, keep work-ing hard but also take the time to savor the opportunities that come your wayto engage with everyone in the SAIS community. They are the ones that willbe with you as you write your future.

SGA Monthly ReportThe student government chimes in with

announcements and reminders

Upcoming first years! Areyou looking for a littleSAIS love that can’t beconfined to a utility func-tion? Need a little uptick inyour indifference levels?Autarkic relations got youdown? Well, while I can’tpromise to find your per-fect complement, I wouldlike to offer my help.While I do like to moon-light as a dating columnistconcentrating in NerdStudies and InternationalDating Economics, I admitthat I don’t know every-thing (gasp!). But fortu-nately my SAIS friends do.So I went ahead and sur-veyed some of them abouttheir experiences in datingat SAIS to give you theheads up that we never had.

Wither the SAISer?

First of all, you have to askyourself whether you’regoing to even risk datingwithin the workplace –which make no mistakeabout it, dating at SAIS isdefinitely dating within theworkplace. Just like datingin your office, there is a lotto be said on both side, andmuch of it depends on thepersonalities and circum-stances involved. A femalefriend here broke it downfor me:

“There are lots of prosand cons to dating a fellowSAISer. Your partner will

understand the amount oftime you will have todevote to your work andyou probably share a lot ofthe same interests – liketraveling, exotic food,learning new languages, etc– but any relationship isdifficult to maintain whileone is in graduate school.SAIS has become my mis-tress. I cheat on my family,my friends, and my signifi-cant other with her fre-quently. So, it takes a spe-cial person to deal withthat. I found it easier todate a SAISer because heunderstood that I couldn'talways be devoted to him.”Ultimately, she decided itwas worth it and took theplunge: “I dated a SAISerwhile I was at SAIS andwhile I don't regret it for aminute, it has been verychallenging. First, peoplework in very differentways. If your styles ofstudying at SAIS don'tmesh, you probably won'teither as a couple, at leastwhile you both are study-ing at SAIS. It's importantto make time for each otherand some people are betterat managing their time thanothers. Some people writepapers far in advance andsome people wait until thenight before to start writ-ing. This can make one per-son feel like he or she isdoing most of the work in

the relationship.“Secondly, it may be

stressful to date someone atSAIS because of the com-petition. I never really feltthat way because I thoughtof myself and myboyfriend as a team. Therewas no zero-sum game in

our relationship. But I canunderstand why some peo-ple might feel that way in acouple. The upside is thatyour partner will definitelypush you intellectually,which most of us I assumerequire in a partner.

“Thirdly, to be in a rela-tionship with someone inour field requires immensepatience and flexibility.Often you may not sharethe same country forextended periods of time,whether because they aretaking the summer toimmerse themselves in alanguage or because theyget a fancy job overseaswhen they graduate. Itrequires a lot of dedicationto maintain a long distance

relationship with someone,especially when it'sstretched over multipletime zones.

Her final assessmenthowever remains opti-mistic: “While it isexhausting to cope with allof that, from what I've seenat SAIS, the guys and galshere are worth the effort. Inthe end, these are some ofthe best people I've met.They are friendly, interest-ing, and totally datable. Itjust requires a lot of effortfor two incredibly nerdyforeign policy people tomaintain a relationship.”

For balance, I made sureto get the perspective of amale friend of mine with asimilar experience: “Iwould say proceed withcaution because you neverknow where the two of youare going to end up aftergraduation, especially ifone of you has a visa expir-ing soon.

“Plus, SAIS women seemto have a wild streak inthem.”

Fall for love or Spring

later?

As in life, with regards todating at SAIS, timing is –if not everything – some-thing certainly not to betaken lightly. Anotherfemale friend gave me hertwo cents on the subject:

“The optimal time to get

into a relationship with aSAISer is when you bothare in your second semester(so first years, if you'rethinking about pursuingsomething – get on it!).

During your secondsemester, you've had a fewmonths to acclimate toSAIS and to calculatingelasticities and you've sort-ed the loves and hates ofthe District, and you're notyet a job-search crazed sec-ond year who is alreadymentally and emotionallyonto the next greatest thing(or who, by contrast is indenial and living in thenear-past!). The summerbetween your two years,and even the third semes-

ter, are also fine times forromance but you maximizeyour (relatively) low-stress, low-transition, get-ting-to-know-you time ifyou make a move in theSpring semester of yourfirst year.

While it is difficult to putthese things on a schedule,there are important pitfallsthat can follow getting into

The Game too soon or toolate that one should keep inmind: “The main point is:people make poor relation-ship choices when they arein transition, so avoidbeginning relationships inyour first and fourth semes-ters. When you see yourfriends (or yourself!) pair-ing off right as your arriveor right before graduation,this should give you pause.People seek the comfort ofa relationship when they'regoing through transition inlife. It is classic humanbehavior, but this oftenleads to more confusionrather than less – both inyour relationship and inyour life decisions.”

Or, as a guy friend put it:“I would say to an incom-ing first-year not even tobother with The Game thefirst semester. Why? Sure,you might get a couple nicedates in October orNovember. But you mightjust be dead before thespring. First semester ishard; just keep your headafloat. Wait until spring toplay The Game. It's the sea-son of romance anyway.”

Andre Castillo is a 2010

SAIS M.A. graduate con-

centrating in Middle East

Studies with a specializa-

tion in Emerging Markets.

He is also a former Editor

of the SAIS Observer.

By Sean HealeyStudent Government Association President

Dating for Nerds: A First-Year’s Survival Guide

Give Up

By Andre Joaquin CastilloContributing Writer

What we all have in com-

mon at SAIS is our work.

Each day we are a bit more

worn down for it. We are

also proud of it. So we do

it again all the while hear-

ing, “You are not as you

should be. Work harder.

Get satisfaction.” There is

another principle at work,

too, which says, “Give up!

Be free! Do not fear!”

We see the first principle

at work when we ask our

friends “have you done the

assignment yet?” “Where

did you work before

SAIS?” These conversa-

tions produce feelings of

either competence or insuf-

ficiency and help us figure

out where we stack up. It

makes us tremble at the

idea that, having spent our

money or our parent’s

money, we will fail.

I fear the same things. I

also fear the selfishness

that a dean at our school

spoke to when she said, in

light of a student’s death,

that we should not worry

about our problem sets. I

fear to think that some of us

(me included) were. What

should we fear in those sit-

uations?

Fear the tendency that

makes you keeping think-

ing about you.

I am a Christian. I

believe in human fragility

and I hate death as the most

unnatural, abnormal and

lamentable fact in the

world. I also believe in a

perfect, loving God, self-

existent, perfectly happy,

lacking nothing, totally

generous and eternally self-

giving. He formed us in his

image, gave us life and

breath, and allows each

millisecond of the time that

passes from one heartbeat

to the next. This God is

worthy of fear because, in

light of his awesome char-

acter, we are in revolt.

We’ve oriented our lives

around ourselves, seeking

our own name in every-

thing and deserving death.

But as befits a God who

loves, he gives himself as a

ransom for us, so bound to

ourselves, by binding his

own son to a horrible cross.

Rather than delivering jus-

tice to us, Christians

believe judgment has fallen

on Christ on the cross.

Christ was raised, and so

will Christians also be,

because God exhausted our

punishment upon him.

Jesus who never sinned

became sin, that on behalf

of God’s love we might be

given grace. Several things

follow for the Christian at

SAIS:

1.Respecting perfection:

give up!

2.Respecting men’s opin-

ion: be free!

3.Respecting the future:

do not fear!

Because of God’s grace to

us, Christians are enabled

to look at a world that falls

apart as soon as it’s been

put together again and get

to work. As God has

served us by laying down

the life of his son, so we are

to serve people wherever

they are found, extending

grace received. Our ulti-

mate confidence rests in

the fact that, as Dutch

Prime Minister Abraham

Kuyper put it, “There is not

a square inch in the whole

domain of our human exis-

tence over which Christ,

who is Sovereign over all,

does not cry, ‘Mine!’”

George Fleeson is a sec-

ond-year M.A. candidate

concentrating in Strategic

Studies.

“I found it easier

to date a SAISer

because he knew

that I couldn’t

always be

devoted to him”

“Plus, SAIS

women seem to

have a wild

streak in them”

By George FleesonContributing Writer

Miho Matsubaru, whoworked furiously from themiddle of August throughSeptember. On the actualtrip, Gunnery SergeantEmily McLeod supervisedthe squads of riders, relent-lessly checking that nomembers got lost.

The first day includedstops at the Head of Elk,Cooch’s Bridge, the battle-field of the Battle ofBrandywine, and the site ofthe Paoli Massacre, fol-lowed by a hamburger din-ner and camping out. Thesecond day, after a 6:30 amwake up call, includedstops at Pennsylvania’sGermantown, Fort Mifflinon the Delaware River,Valley Forge, and a nicedinner. Between the longbus rides and close quarterscamping, the staff ridemembers had fun getting toknow each other, especiallythe new first-year students.

“The trip was helpful tobreak down the first-year/second-year barrier,”said first-year MA studentMarco Calderon.At each location, it was the

students and the charactersthey portrayed that reallybrought the history to life.Often, participants gavetheir presentations in cos-tume, helping to set thescene. Mikela Trigilio whowas playing General

William Howe set the toneon the first day by present-ing in a tricorner hat, redcoat, boots, and a sword.Other great costumesincluded Conor Halloran asGeneral Cornwallis in a redcoat with gold yarnepaulettes, BrittanyAndrews as Lord North in apillow-stuffed blouse andwhite wig, and Dan Katz asBaron von Steuben in astuffed jacket and wearing apaper version of the Star ofthe Order of Fidelity.

The line-up of charactersincluded some tough rolesto play, like loyalists andtraitors. Nate Shestak asloyalist Joseph Gallowaywithstood a fierce attackfrom the character of LeviHollingsworth, who wasplayed by Joan Kato.Likewise, Tom Rickers asBenedict Arnold had a verydifficult line of questioningas he tried to defend hischaracter’s decision. One ofthe liveliest discussions onthe trip was prompted byCalderon’s in-characterdefense of British GeneralCharles Grey whoAmericans remember asbeing responsible for themidnight bayoneting of 150sleeping American soldiers.He posed a challengingquestion: were the general’sactions an example of sav-age brutality or was it a fair

wartime attack?Three of this trip’s pre-

sentations were consideredto be so outstanding thatthey won an award for bestperformance. RavenBukowski won for her ener-getic portrayal of theMarquis de Lafayette,replete with one of the bestcostumes of the weekendand an outrageous Frenchaccent. Laura Shen alsowon for her knowledgeableportrayal of the British Lt.Colonel Musgrave, whosecostume included a fakedhole through her cheek, andCalderon won for his per-suasive portrayal ofGeneral Grey.

This year all of the char-acters were played by stu-dents. In the past, profes-sors have also portrayedcharacters on the staff rides,but there were so manyapplicants this fall thatProfessors Eliot Cohen,Thomas Keaney, JohnMcLaughlin, and ThomasMahnken decided to act asobservers and ask ques-tions, instead.

And ask questions theydid. “Did the averageContinental Army soldierunderstand and relate towhat he was fighting for?Did Benjamin Franklinspend his time effectivelyin France? WouldAmericans have won the

war without GeneralGeorge Washington if hehad died from pneumonia atValley Forge?” These ques-tions are really what thestaff ride is all about – get-ting students to analyze thepast and think about eventscritically. The staff ride isone of the more fun ways to

analyze these questions.“I was impressed with the

other students’ presenta-tions. They were so well-researched and lively, andreally furthered the learningprocess. Military historycan be dry but with the funpresentations it was any-thing but,” said Bukowski.

Phillip Lohaus agreed,“Everyone had a part toplay, and it makes youthink about how everyonefits together and you getmany perspectives of thesame event.”Lori Hammer is a first-year

M.A. candidate concentrat-

ing in Strategic Studies.

When I first met Cara, in the coffee

shop at the SAIS Bologna Center, I

did not ask her why she walked

with a cane and a limp.

Hereditary Inclusion Body

Myopathy (HIBM) is a rare genet-

ic disorder that strikes healthy

adults in their 20s. Muscles pro-

gressively weaken, leading to

severe disability within 10-15

years. Most patients are eventually

confined to a wheelchair. As Cara

and I became friends, I noticed that

she never left her apartment with-

out a leg brace. There is much mis-

understanding surrounding HIBM:

Cara was unaware of her condition

until she began falling unexpected-

ly while dancing. Years of misdiag-

nosis followed until she finally

learned that she suffered from the

disease in 2007.

By the time classes ended, she

had adopted a second brace in

order to provide her the stability

needed to walk. Witnessing the

rapid progression, my reaction

was marked by fear that her condi-

tion would worsen further and

worry for my new friend’s future. It

was terrifying to see a vibrant,

young woman affected by this

dreadful disorder in the prime of

her life.

Talk about redefining one’s per-

spective. A childhood of sports, six

years in the military, and a recent

obsession with Crossfit have made

me exceptionally fit. Like most of

us, I took this for grant-

ed. I had a few experi-

ences in my life that I

considered painful: a

couple knee surgeries;

associated experiences

with heavy packs, body

armor and Iraqi sum-

mers; and stress frac-

tures while running a

marathon. You can

imagine how insignifi-

cant these felt after

meeting someone that

not only lives with pain

in every step, but also still treas-

ures each, knowing that there

might be a time when walking will

no longer be possible. Cara and I

traveled together several times.

Having learned to book hotels with

elevators, plan taxi rides ahead,

and carry painkillers at all times, I

no longer take every step for grant-

ed.

To that end, I decided to do some-

thing I swore to never do again.

Josh Nickell, Vincent Schoeck and

I will run the Marine Corps

Marathon in order to raise money

for HIBM research. Perhaps my

dear friend, and others with HIBM,

can one day run one with us.

Afterwards, we will laugh and

complain about the pain in our feet

together knowing that we are

blessed to have it.

To contribute, visit Running forCara at crowdrise.com.

A dear friend once told methat, allowing ourselves to bevulnerable and ask for help,is in fact a strength ratherthan a weakness; it allows usto love more honestly and beloved in return. These wordsof wisdom describe my lifesince realizing that some-thing was happening to me,that something was wrong.

My story is similar to thatof other patients, a tale ofconfusion, uncertainty anddisbelief. My diagnosis camethree and a half years ago,over the phone. Doctorscould not tell me what wasgoing to happen. And I neverimagined it to be like this.How do I, living with HIBM,put into just a few words,what I feel and think aboutthis condition when it affectseverything, everyone in andevery day of my life? Thestruggle is exhausting; thechallenge is never ending;and the pain is frustrating.

Since I was young I alwaysloved babies and dreamed ofgrowing up to be a mother offive children; five mouths tofeed (I love cooking); fiveadorable faces to cherish.Without a cure for HIBM, Iam not sure that I will everhave even one child. When Iwas in grade school, I started

dancing. By the time I was inuniversity, Latin dance wasmy most special passion, away to express myself, share,teach, exercise, and feel total-ly alive! Because of HIBM, Icannot dance anymore, atleast not the way I used to.My heart aches when I hearsalsa music and see dancerstwirl around but cannot jointhem. The movements andsteps and turns are all insideme. I feel them still and Iwant to move. But I cannot. Iremain to one side, at theedge of the dance floor, bal-ancing on my cane, wishing Iwould not need the hiddenleg braces, without which, Icannot walk straight any-more.

I would be lying if I said Ihave never moments when Iweep with frustration,because the simplest move-ment has become so difficult.When you grow up with afull and active life, running,playing sports, hiking, skiing,skating, climbing and danc-ing, what are you left withwhen these joys are no longerpossible? I will tell you.

You are left with a newfound appreciation for thesmallest pleasures in life; thecourage to ask a total strangerto lend a hand; unimaginable

compassion and loving kind-ness that comes with sharingthis journey with others. Wefigure it out, day by day. Andby “we” I mean my devotedparents, extended family,friends and supporters. Wetalk, and plan. We research,and inquire. We reach out,and learn. And most impor-tant we remain hopeful.Hopeful because we knowthat thanks to the enduringdedication and hard work ofDr. Daniel Darvish and Dr.Babak Darvish, otherpatients’ involvement, andARM’s generous volunteersand donors a cure IS withinreach. They discovered it.Now we, together, are tryingto realize its development.

One way to measure theprogress of HIBM is to gaugewhat the body cannot do any-more. My first noticeablechange was not being able topush up onto the tips of mytoes. That was five years ago.So, I ask you today, from thebottom of my heart, to standup on your tippy toes for me,reach for the stars and make awish; A wish that the cure forHIBM will be here for all ofus very soon. Thank you!Cara Yar Khan is a former

MIPP student and UNICEF

private sector specialist.


Strategic Studies Students Relive Revolutionary War

Running for Cara My Life with HIBMBy Richard Dawson By Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan

Christine Vargas speaks as General Gates at Valley Forge.

Participants standing under the Memorial Arch at Valley Forge.

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ing. The United Nationsfigures estimated that 1 in4 South Africans wereinfected with HIV, how-ever Mbeki didn’t maketesting mandatory or evena matter of public policyduring his administration.Leaving social circum-stance unaddressed, HIVcarries with it deep andirreconcilable stigmas thatalienate populations andmake some – certainlymore than others – morevulnerable to further dep-ravation and abuse. In thissquatter camp, teachersestimated that 8 out of 10children were exposedsolely because they wereliving in Mamelodi.When the apartheidregime fell in 1991, andNelson Mandela becamethe first Black President,“Blacks” and “Coloreds”who had been segregatedinto ‘their respective com-munities’ migrated tomajor cities looking forwork, looking for opportu-nity. South Africa hasstruggled against the emo-tional revenge that hasplagued its’ neighbor,Zimbabwe, and has slowlyintegrated tens of thou-sands of people into theformal economy.

In the meantime, squat-ter camps like Mamelodihave metastasized acrosssquare miles with manymore thousands of immi-grants speaking a majorityof the nations’ elevennational languages.Without roads, infrastruc-ture, secure electricity, orsanitation, they are hometo the many ills of theglobal black market: ille-gal trafficking of the mostnefarious sorts. Parentsand Educators work tire-lessly to keep the youth inschool and out of thealleys. Alas, with short-ages of resources, schoolsare forced to close mid-day. In 2005, it was a dis-turbingly common prac-tice for men infected with“disease” to rape girls asyoung as 7 in order to“clean” themselves. Oftentimes little girls wouldeither not show up toschool, or would complainabout the notorious“snake” that bites them.

I am not implying thatanyone is criminal, or evil.

These practices are super-stitious and in a knowl-edge vacuum they mightas well be truth, as optionsdo not seem to exist inMamelodi. It is oneexample in which the poormajority suffers fromunequal access to educa-tion and social supportnetworks. However, theyconvey progressive mes-sages to their social stratathrough murals and otheracts of artistic expression.There is a movement ofeducators and parentsfrom this camp who aredeeply invested in protect-ing their children, andtheir future hopes, byinfiltrating the social sta-tus quo. This mural reads,“A friend with HIV/ Aidsis still a friend.” Due toappreciable fears stem-ming from infection, pri-marily in its physical man-ifestation, there is strengthand hope in solidarity.“Together we may stand,but divided we will fall.”

Mitrovice, Kosovo

Slobadon Milosevic, aspresident of Yugoslavia,authorized ethnic cleans-ing campaigns againstAlbanian populationthroughout much of the1990s. Obama’s SpecialAdvisor to Afghanistanand Pakistan, RichardHolbrooke, served as theU.S. ambassador to theUnited Nations during thisperiod, and was pivotal in‘resolving’ the conflictssurrounding the genocide.

The Security CouncilResolution 1244 estab-lished the United NationsMission in Kosovo(UNMIK) in June of 1999,and the EU instituted theEU Rule of Law Mission(EULEX) to assist andsupport authorities inKosovo during recon-struction, post-Milosevic.This, of course, is a tem-pestuous situation asSerbia does not recognizeand independent Kosovoand its predominantlyAlbanian population.Moreover, the continua-tion of foreign presence inthe region has been some-what problematic. Thesecommunities have postedtheir experiences and theirfeelings all over theirwalls.

Mitrovice is a city in theNorthern region and it ishome to the last parti-tioned bridge in Europe.Troops patrol this bridge,nobody drives across it,and few can walk. I start-ed from the Albanian sideof this bridge and walkedacross (with KFORescort). Immediately onthe other side, posted onthe balconies of buildings,were men with guns.Most of us were spared thetraumas of Sarajevo butthose ghosts still hauntthose living in the region.

Those men were waitingto shoot any Albaniansthat crossed into their“Serbian territory.” (Ilearned all this sitting in acoffee shop in theAlbanian quarter, from ayoung man who wasenlisted to fight in opposi-tion of Milosevic when hewas just 19. He is oldernow and works relentless-ly to rebuild the lives ofthose around him. Hewould not walk me nearthat bridge). This is lifein Mitrovice. The street iscutely coined, Le petiteChamps-Elysees, possiblyin reference to Hitler’soccupation of Paris, orperhaps it’s merely theirversion of materialism.

Villa El Salvador, Peru

Started in May of 1971 by200 families displacedfrom sand dunes in Lima,the capital city, Villa isnow home to nearly half a

million people. Thefounding members of thiscommunity were dis-placed in order for themunicipal government tobuild Peru’s largest shop-ping mall - an atrociousstructure built on top ofpeasant lives. Thoseinternally displaced per-sons left on the sand dunesof Villa did not have readyaccess to water, shelter,food, or transportation.

In the late 1980s, theMaoist guerilla group, TheShining Path, wreakedhavoc throughout Peru.Large populations fled thehighlands in search ofrefuge and found Villa.Now a municipal part ofLima, Villa El Salvador ishome to nearly half a mil-lion people. In the shad-ow of tremendous adversi-ty and in the light of stun-ning population growth,Villa has become a havenfor pluralism and grass

roots organizations. Willing to do anything

but hold their breath, theyhave pro-actively engageda notoriously corrupt gov-ernment to; first recognizetheir right to exist; andthen provide equal accessto life sustainingresources. The Citymantra, if you will, is“Porque no tenemos nada,hacemos todo.” (Becausewe have nothing, we doeverything).

These situations aredirectly linked to the vari-ety of isolation espousedthrough social discrimina-tion and growing econom-ic inequalities. Not sur-prisingly, artistic expres-sion is a crucial if not vitalavenue for channeling andarticulating the traumas ofthis life. In the face ofinconceivable adversityart is often the only medi-um by which people cancommunicate and influ-

ence their own peergroups, introduce alterna-tive ideas, and change thedirection of their collec-tive future. The Culturethat constitutes Hip-hop,again, was a socio-politi-cal message conveyed bya minority; however incontemporary society, weare talking about socialmajorities forced to thefringes of economicregimes, and further mar-ginalized through a denialto the vehicles for inde-pendently driven socialmobility. These peoplespeak clearly and oftentimes proudly, throughself-determination, withart.

Susie Taylor is a first-year

M.A. candidate concen-

trating in International

Law and Organizations.


Graffiti for Conflict Resolution

Susie and her team helped build this house in Peru.

Students at Mamelodi, South Africa.Mural on “Self Determination” in Kosovo.

Following up on last year's successful run, the newly-formed SAIS Investment Club will be launching the secondinstallment of its Portfolio Management Competition, in partnership with Kapitall.com. The first competitionwas a resounding success, in which 20 students competed to get the best possible return on a $100,000 dollarvirtual portfolio over a period of two months. The winner of last year's competition managed to generate a 20% net return, earning the grand prize - an iPod 32GB. This year, the com-petition will run for twice as long, and the prizes will be bigger, too. Stay tuned for more details! The contest isopen to all SAIS students. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].


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The tragic accident in

September that claimed the

life of Julia Bachleitner, an

Austrian student from the

Bologna Class of 2010, still

weighs heavy on our hearts.

Our thoughts are also with

the other students who were

involved, their family mem-

bers, and all of our SAIS col-

leagues who lived this painful

experience with the class. As

a way of celebrating Julia's

life, the Bologna Center has

planted an olive tree in the

library garden. While no for-

mal commemoration has yet

been planned in Bologna, we

welcome each of you to visit

this special spot to reflect on

the spirited and warm person

Julia was.

This year’s Bologna Center

Class of 2011 is as com-

pelling and dynamic as ever

with just under 200 students

from 35 different countries,

including two Ph.D. students.

The Summer/Fall 2010 issue

of Rivista magazine has been

published and has a new

online version

www.jhubc.it/rivista where

students can comment on

articles.

Last spring a new seminar

series was kicked off focus-

ing on the way the presence

of Islam in Europe has affect-

ed European politics. The

contributions cover both the-

matic and country-specific

topics, ranging from the

impact on domestic institu-

tions and voting behavior to

the consequences for national

and European foreign poli-

cies towards the Mashreq and

the Maghreb. The contribu-

tors come from across

Europe and from countries

with an Islamic background,

and represent a mix of well-

established and rising schol-

ars specialized in the subject.

Already this academic

year…

Kenneth N. Waltz, renowned

neorealist and Ford Professor

of Political Science Emeritus

at the University of

California, Berkeley and

adjunct senior research schol-

ar at Columbia University

delivered a two-part lecture

series at the Center in

September.

Luca Cordero di

Montezemolo, President of

Ferrari S.p.A. and former

president of FIAT S.p.A.

inaugurated the 2010-2011

Academic Year in October

with the lecture “Italy and the

Economic Crisis: Can

Competitiveness Be

Restored?”

On October 14, Lloyd B.

Minor, provost and senior

vice president of Academic

Affairs at Johns Hopkins

University, delivered a lec-

ture at the Center titled

“Bismarck to Beveridge to

the Blues.” Minor is the 13th

provost and senior vice presi-

dent for academic affairs.

Gary Sick, a well known

expert on Iranian affairs,

adjunct professor of

International and Public

Affairs, and senior research

scholar at SIPA Columbia

University, kicked off a four-

part lecture series titled, “The

United States in the Persian

Gulf.”

The Seminar Series also

included Ambassador

Thomas Stelzer (B’83), assis-

tant secretary-general for

Policy Coordination and

Inter-Agency Affairs at the

United Nations spoke at the

Center on “The UN after

Copenhagen: Challenges and

Opportunities.”

Coming up are Ambassador

Wolfgang Ischinger, chair-

man of the Munich Security

Conference, head of

Government Relations at

Allianz SE and former

German Ambassador to the

United States, Fawaz A.

Gerges, professor of Middle

Eastern Politics and

International Relations at the

London School of

Economics and Political

Science. The Center will also

host the author’s workshop

for Italian Politics, an annual

review of political life in Italy

organized by the Istituto

Cattaneo. The Bologna

Center will also join the

Istituto per Affari

Internazionale (IAI) in host-

ing an international confer-

ence on “European Security

and the Future of the

Transatlantic Relationship”

in Rome.

In November, the Robert &

Maria Evans Lecture Series

in Italian Studies will host

Ambassador Roberto

Toscano (B’67, DC’68) who

spoke on Iran and

Democracy. Coming up on

February 21 The Enzo Grilli

Memorial Lecture will be

delivered by Mario Draghi,

governor of the Bank of Italy,

chairman of the Financial

Stability Board and former

vice chairman and managing

director of Goldman Sachs

International. On March 14

and 15, and on the SAIS

theme of ‘Year of

Demography,’ a two-day

conference, “Islam and

Europe: Religion, Law,

Identity. An International

Conference,” jointly organ-

ized by the Protection Project

SAIS and the Center for

Constitutional Studies and

Democratic Development

(CCSDD) will be held at the

Center.

Odette is the

Communications Officer at

the SAIS Bologna Center.


Bologna Center Remembers Julia with Olive TreeBy Odette BoyaResta

Olive tree at SAIS-BC to commemorate Julia.

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen Speaks at SAIS

responsibilities were dis-cussed. The highlight of theconference was the keynoteaddress by Nobel LaureateAmartya Sen, who beganhis address by recallingchildhood memories ofBurmese kindness as wellas restraints of British colo-nialism. The HarvardUniversity Professorengaged the audiencerecounting Burma’s dread-ful decline over almost halfa century and pointing outthat the Burmese case isstriking for the leadership’sutter disregard for people’swelfare.

As the date of the firstelection in more than 20years in Burma, November7, 2010 is a remarkabledate. Indeed, the electionswill bring about a change inBurma’s formal gover-nance. The constitutionintroduces the installmentof a president, a parliamentand other institutions asso-ciated with a civilian rule.While agreeing on the his-toric importance of thedate, panelists had differentopinions with regard towhether the electionswould prove to be a steptowards more civilian rulein Burma.

David Steinberg fromGeorgetown Universityexpected the military to civ-ilize itself. Pointing at the

historical incidence ofBurmese elections and therepresentation of the oppo-sition in the government, henoticed a slight movementtowards civilian rule as wellas improvement in othercrucial issues. Whileminority rights have beenfacing the society sinceBurmese independence,these groups have not hadrepresentation until now.

On the contrary, DavidWilliams, a panelist repre-senting the Center forConstitutional Democracy,noted that the constitutionitself forestalled veritablecivilian rule. The currentconstitution would entitlethe military to compose itsown portfolio while ensur-ing it is not responsible tocivilians. While theCommander in Chief’spowers as set out in theconstitution are alreadyconsiderable in times whensovereignty and society arenot threatened, declaring astate of emergency willempower the military lead-ership to overtake all mat-ters of state and ban inter-national organizations fromthe country. Most impor-tantly, the constitution doesnot provide for a protectionof Burmese citizens by itsgovernment. “The regime,”he concludes, “does notallow for chance.”

Likewise, Min Zin, aBurmese journalist in exile,stated that ethnic andminority groups were beingrestricted from participat-ing in the upcoming elec-tion. The opposition groupswere at a severe disadvan-tage due to censorship andrepression; making theelections far less conduciveto a genuinely civilian rulethan more optimisticobservers might expect.Neither would the electionsmark the beginning of “aslippery slope to democrati-zation”. On the contrary,recent power shuffles andinter-generational succes-sion struggles were likely toresult in a resort to militaryforce, as successors may beunable to consolidatepower in an alternative

manner.The panelists were joined

in their stance on the elec-tion by Sen. The NobelLaureate emphasized thatan arranged victory by theregime would only serve asan endorsement of the latterand provide false legit-imization. It was for con-cern for the Burmese peo-ple, but for paranoia ofintervention by the interna-tional community, that theregime would allow its peo-ple to go to the polls. “Apropaganda victory for theregime, by muddying thewater for democracy inBurma now, can put thingshugely back,” he warned. On the role and responsibil-ity of the international com-munity in fostering civilianrule in Burma, Roth stated

that the question was not if,but on what terms, the gov-ernment could be engaged.It has been observed thatthe international communi-ty has found it hard to pushthe military leadershiptowards more civilian rule.In this regard, the neighbor-ing countries were givenspecial emphasis in the con-ference. The regional per-spective on the Burma elec-tion suggests a greater levelof engagement by India andChina.

Sen pointed the audienceto the fact that Burmesemilitary leaders wereindeed concerned, evenparanoid of the eye of thepublic and the potentialintervention by the interna-tional community.Therefore, Asian leaders

should not pride themselvesfor merely giving Burmeseleaders an “earful”. “Theear was full, yet, the handremained free,” Sen said. Apriority was to focus theglobal public discussion onthe forthcoming electoralfraud. Public media inneighboring countries, likeThailand and India, did notplay their part in discussingthe issue honestly, despiteprevalent press freedom inthese countries. He extend-ed his critique to Westerncountries for their failing toput pressure on the regime.Moreover, he called for theestablishment of a commis-sion of enquiry for Burma.

Known for his work onwelfare economics, Sensuggested that policiesshould put pressure on theregime without hurting thepopulation. Travel restric-tions and sanctions andembargos on arms werepreferable to those on thegarment industry, the wel-fare changes of whichwould largely be borne byBurma’s poorest. Sen con-cluded his speech by callingon the international com-munity to take action onthis critical issue.

Elisabeth Resch is a sec-


concentrating in General

International Relations.


Sen believes the upcoming Burmese elections will be fraudulent.

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Famed diplomat andReagan advisor CharlesHill on September 22addressed SAIS studentsat a Middle East Studies-sponsored talk on litera-ture, politics, and worldorder.

Hill’s new book Grand

Strategies has the feel of aYale course, insofar as itattempts to link statesman-ship with literary imagina-tion. According to Hill, theformer demands the latter.It is no coincidence thenthat he teaches at Yale,alongside General StanleyMcChrystal, and knows athing or two about theminds of real history-mak-ers.

Charles Hill has livedand breathed Americanforeign relations fordecades, receiving alongthe way various presiden-tial and State Departmentmedals, an honorary doctorof laws degree, and per-haps more importantly,political recognition fromthe very top of the hill. Heserved as chief of staff at

the State Department,speech writer for HenryKissinger and advisor tothe U.N. Secretary Generaland the U.S. Secretary ofState George Shultz,among others.

He opened his presenta-tion with: “We are our ownworst enemy when itcomes to grand strategy.”The “WestphalianSystem,” he told the nextgeneration of policy mak-ers, is in serious trouble. Inmodern universities,including his, this is cou-pled with a phenomenon ofcreeping “social scienciza-tion.” Political scientistsonly study the thingswhich can easily be placedin categories or quantifiedsomehow. Rational choicetheory is the epitome ofthis obsession. The conse-quence is that big ques-tions are ignored sincethere is no text-book guid-ance on how to speakabout them (Hill citedSomalia, Clinton’simpeachment and theDayton Accords). Yet,

these are some of the mostchallenging problemsstatesmen face.

There was talk of MaoZedong and the Iliad. Astudent asked Hill aboutNietzsche and postmod-ernism: What will be theeffect of ueber-critical the-ories on our SAIS genera-tion? If world order isalready under attack fromwithin (our lack of clearthinking) and from outside(Islamists), then what willhappen when those whocame to political maturityreading Foucault,Chomsky, and Derrida(among other, more tradi-tional texts of course)come to power? Will welead with any constitutionof reality in mind or willwe flail under the fist ofconfused deconstruction-ism—the unhinged desireto tear down and dare notbuild up?

Hill’s response was topromote world order:Postmodernism can bedebilitating, he replied.Thus the next generation of

leaders needs to ignorecognitive black-holes thatemanate from France.Students can easy fall intothe trap of thinking that allgovernment and civiliza-tion is “illegitimate, bad.”Some philosophers andcritics seem to want to goback to prehistory—to atime before modernitysoured things so-to-speak.At the international level,procedures can be an anti-dote to anarchy, Hillargued, insofar as theyguide nations with con-flicting identities towardstability. This explainsU.S. military cooperationwith Pakistan, for example.

Another question pivotedthe discussion toward theMiddle East, where thestate system never reallytook hold, according to thefamed diplomat.Regarding terrorism, Hillnoted that he was “there inthe beginning,” in the1980s, before westernsecurity officials learned ofthe real reason behindEgyptian President Sadat’s

assassination. They initial-ly thought it was “justpolitical”; it took manyyears for the religiousunderpinnings of theattackers to emerge.

We ended with a briefdiscussion of the failuresof President Obama andthe modern book. Most“books” today are reallynot books, Hill lamented.“The [real] book” is a sus-tained argument thatrequires one to hold it inmind as you move acrosstime. A real book requiresa sustained attention span,something becoming lessand less prevalent with thepropagation of 21st centuryentertainment culture.Professor Hill noted a“fragmentation of thoughtin college students”—something he has wit-nessed firsthand — thanksto video games, Googleand television. He said thatstudents take researchpapers to be an assignmentof collecting information.

As for Obama, he is notthinking the right way

either, and he does notunderstand the real need touphold world order, wewere told. For example,there is a threat of MiddleEastern nations droppingout of the internationalstate system. As far asAmerican thinking onAfghanistan, there is notalk of upholding worldorder, just the high costs ofU.S. military action—anindication of the superficialthinking of top Americanplanners.

In order to reclaim thelight then, our best chanceis to steep ourselves in lit-erature and as many disci-plines as possible, althoughthis alone by no meansguarantees success. It will,however, at minimummake us feel historicallyweighty, which is the start-ing point for any statesmanwho wishes to rule in linewith Hill’s GrandStrategies and world order. Peter Gruskin is a first-

year M.A. candidate con-

centrating in Middle East

Studies.

Charles Hill Discusses Grand Strategies and World OrderBy Peter GruskinStaff Writer

I ride from the neighbor-hood of Eckington toDupont every day, crossingRhode Island Ave. at theintersection with 7th and Ron the way. There’s a stun-ning post-modern buildingstanding on that corner andin a silver, asymmetricedginess it defines the inter-section as a community inactive transition. It is theShaw Library and allaround it falls a hodge-podge of both strugglingand established enterprises.

There is an “empty lot”just across the street fromthe new library. Whereasthe newer creation alwaysdrew my attention, I hadnever paid attention to thevacancy next door in theinitial weeks of my com-mute. One day I noticedsomething resembling apirate’s flag standing erectin the center of the lot. Itread “Land and Liberty”. Iallowed the scene to res-onate a bit and then startedto really take a look at whatwas there. There were sev-eral bright murals, sometrash, and then a few tents.It was a curious imbalance.

One afternoon I stoppedalong my route and startedto take photos of the vari-ous murals that had gone upalong the fence line. Theyread “This Land has beenLiberated,” “Debt,” and“Property of the ShawCommunity”. There wereeven signs as forceful as

“Fight for Your HumanRight to Property”. I wascompelled, even moved.What were squatters doingin the middle of D.C.?

Although these signsclearly indicated a pres-ence, I had never seen anypeople, no activity. The lotseemed peaceful and lan-guid, even empty. On oneof my commutes I saw aman standing underneathan “A” framed tent. A sim-ple mixture of 2x4 andheavy black plastic, onecould look through theentire space and notice itsrather random economiesof scale. Complete with akitchen, closet, card table,and sitting area, it was anew take on transparency. Istopped at the fence andcalled out. Avatar let me in. He wore

a bright collage of beadsand bracelets on his well-traveled body, and a seriesof pins stating mild protestson his clothing. Articulateand highly experienced, hespoke with me at lengthabout the tent city. It turnsout the area had once beenhome to a medical clinic ofsorts. Following the assas-sination of Martin LutherKing in 1968, and duringthe racial riots that ragedthrough much of DC (mostnotoriously Shaw), the clin-ic was torched and burnedto the ground. The landwas eventually scoped by adevelopment firm who had

asked the district for fund-ing to build a low-incomehousing unit. Ultimatelythe district was unable toprovide any financial assis-tance and the plans weredropped.

After years of layingempty, Adrian Fenty cameout publicly with plans toerect a new building on thelot. Avatar explained thatFenty actually campaignedin Shaw on the promise thatthe lot would be developedwith the less privileged inmind. However, theannounced plans were notfor a low-income develop-ment. In fact, the minimumto qualify for one of thespaces rang out at hefty$53,000 a year - that’s morethan double the poverty linefor a family of four in theUnited States. Members ofthe under-developed com-munity in Shaw were out-raged.

Within days of Fenty’srevocation, several individ-

uals were squatting on theplot as a demonstration oftheir outrage. As Avatarremembers, most of thesepeople were under theimpression that they wouldsquat as a public protest foran afternoon or evening.Therefore, they did not planpast morning because theybelieved the police wouldmost likely force them toleave the premises. Thenmorning came. The policeasked the demonstratorswhat they were doing.There was interaction, butthe police eventually left.The demonstratorsremained standing. Thesquatters were now con-fronted with a new and verydaunting problem - oppor-tunity.

That was a while ago.One DC, a Shaw basedNGO, originally stepped inas the organizing body.One DC is a communitydevelopment body formerlyknown as Manna CDC.

Their mission stems fromthe notion that most oftenthose who are most affectedby issues surroundingpoverty, homelessness, dis-placement, and/ or racismare not actually fully inte-grated into their own libera-tion movements. Theystate on their homepage thatthey focus on “minimizinghierarchy in order to maxi-mize shared power andequity of voice.”

This is an admirable yetcurious endeavor. In theland of taxation withoutrepresentation, one mayfind it nearly impossible toimagine a successful partic-ipatory democracy. Yet,they have three main organ-izing principles: the right tohousing, the right toincome, and the right toland. If you visit their web-site it is clear that they havebeen very successful inmany such movements.

Nevertheless, the plot inShaw was not a successstory for those involved.The idea was that One DCwould help to organize thepeople at the Shaw lot inorder to demonstrate to thecity that it was not onlyimportant to incorporatepoorer populations into thecommunity, but that it wasalso possible for them tomobilize and construct theirown habitats. One DC with-drew from the project soonafter the interaction with thepolice. The land became

home to many homelesssquatters and eventuallycoalesced into a haphazardcollection. The opportunitythat confronted those stand-ing in Tent City, surround-ed by the shadows of thoselooming gentrified bodies,was, in this case, lost.

On October 6, the authori-ties removed tent city. Ispoke with Avatar in theearly morning of the 6.Cold and still hazy, he waspacing the fence. As I rodemy bike up, he stopped andcame over to the fence. “I thought we could demon-strate, and I tried to get peo-ple together, but I think theyare tired. So, we leavepeacefully. The city will behere at noon and they willremove everything and wewill go.”

Avatar has since beenactive in the WTO protestsand several other demon-strations around the nation.He is an activist, but moreprofoundly, I believe, a real-ist. Tent City is a curiouscase about opportunitieslost. It may be too early toknow just how this loss hasaffected the community, butI would like to know howthis under-developed stratacontinues to survive, andwhere they find their nextopportunity.Susie Taylor is a first-year

M.A. candidate concentrat-

ing in International Law

and Organizations.

Tent City in Washington, D.C.By Susie TaylorStaff Writer

Cour

tesy

: Su

sie

Tayl

or

The Czech Republic

President Václav Klaus

spoke at SAIS on "Europe,

the Systemic

Consequences of the

Slowly Abating Crisis and

the Need to Reformulate

the Case for Capitalism"

on Wednesday, September

22, 2010. Presented as

part of the Transatlantic

Leaders Forum, the event

drew students and faculty

from a number of schools

across the U.S.

In her introductory

speech, SAIS Dean

Jessica P. Einhorn wel-

comed Klaus as one of

Europe’s most influential

leaders and recalled the

first days of their acquain-

tanceship when he had

stood out as a as young,

reform-minded finance

minister who impressed

the leadership of the

World Bank. Emphasizing

his reputation for being

outspoken on matters eco-

nomic, she promised the

audience an interesting

speech. The Czech

President delivered.

Opening his note with a

joke, the first of many dur-

ing his discourse,

President Klaus went on

to express his view of cur-

rent European integration

efforts. While integration

started in the 1950s as a

movement of liberaliza-

tion and deregulation of

markets, it turned into uni-

fication in the aftermath of

the Maastricht Treaty.

Klaus opinion of this was

quite clear; he expressed

pride for having con-

tributed to the delay of the

ratification process for the

Lisbon treaty.

Ever a controversial fig-

ure in Czech and

European affairs, the

Eurosceptic was responsi-

ble for the Czech Republic

being the last member

country to ratify the agree-

ment that amended the

constitutional basis of the

European Union.

Receiving wide attention

from media and diplo-

mats, the Czech President

put his seal on the treaty

only after EU leadership

had agreed to his last-

minute request for a Czech

opt-out from the treaty's

charter of fundamental

rights. Since then, the

founder of the country’s

largest center-right politi-

cal party has gained a rep-

utation for taking strong

stances in speeches, espe-

cially reminding his audi-

ences of the dangers of

communism and linking

this to current policy

debates. He proved his

boldness most recently in

an inaugural lecture of the

Global Warming Policy

Foundation when he

denounced climate change

as a part of environmen-

talism, rather than science.

Drawing on his political

past, the President postu-

lated in the same address

that the global warming

agenda had become one of

the most costly and most

undemocratic public poli-

cy mistakes since commu-

nism.

Not quite content, Klaus

then compared current

European integration

efforts to the governance

of the Communist regime.

“Some of us are not happy

to be brought back to the

centrally organized and

controlled world that we

got rid of more than 20

years ago,” he noted. At

the governance level,

Klaus identified a demo-

cratic deficit as well as a

strengthening of European

institutions at the expense

of national ones. As far as

economics were con-

cerned, he sensed a “mas-

sive introduction of regu-

lation and harmonization

from above,” which would

hinder economic efficien-

cy, entrepreneurship and

competitiveness.

As a studied economist,

Klaus naturally shared his

views on the abating

financial crisis. He recog-

nized a failure to tackle

imbalances in the world

economy on the macro-

economic side as well as

partial and imperfect regu-

lation on the microeco-

nomic side. A fervent

adherent to Friedrich

Hayek, the former finance

minister stated,

“Government actions and

interventions caused, pro-

longed, and dramatically

worsened the crisis.” This

lead to his call for a refor-

mulation of capitalism,

which the President

regarded as being under

assault from a growing

collusion between govern-

ment and large corpora-

tions, as well as a tenden-

cy for welfare states to

expand their reach well

beyond the needy.

The speech was fol-

lowed by a brief discus-

sion moderated by Dan

Hamilton, executive direc-

tor of the Center for

Transatlantic Relations.

President Klaus answered

questions on his views on

the EU diplomatic corps,

alternatives to the

EuroZone, and the IMF.

Making eloquent use of

the flip chart, the speaker,

who occasionally teaches

economic courses at the

University of Economics

in Prague, explained the

trade-off between the

degree of integration and

that of expansion of the

European Union. Not sur-

prisingly, he concluded his

presentation expressing

his preference for the lat-

ter.

Elisabeth Resch is a sec-


concentrating in General

International Relations.


President Václav Klaus Calls for a Renewed Commitment to Capitalism By Elisabeth ReschObserver Staff

In the midterm elections

foreign affairs has the abil-

ity to sway votes. At a time

when the United States is

fraught with economic

hardship the last voting of

the 111th Congress

focused on the revaluation

of the Chinese currency,

the Renminbi (RMB).

However, the policy debate

that occurred in Congress

over the appreciation of the

RMB aimed at scoring

points with constituents

rather than addressing the

real concerns that the issue

brings up.

The message

Congressmen wanted to

convey to constituents was

that China was to blame

for the United States’ cur-

rent economic hardship

because they are “stealing

our jobs” by undervaluing

their currency. In fact, in

the U.S., the number of

jobs have fallen in recent

years because the produc-

tivity of American workers

has increased due to the

mass introduction of tech-

nology into the workplace

and computer-automated

manufacturing. By mask-

ing the real issue behind

the policy debate,

Congressmen are doing a

disservice to their con-

stituents and taking a bel-

ligerent stance against the

predominant trader with

America.

The real face of the poli-

cy debate is the trade

deficit America currently

experiences with China.

This trade imbalance is

dervived from the tenden-

cy of the United States to

spend rather than save,

even during a time of eco-

nomic hardship. Some

might argue that this is the

case simply because

Chinese goods are cheap,

thus they should appreciate

their currency to curb this

spending habit and

increase domestic produc-

tion. However, our bad

spending habits cannot be

fixed by China appreciat-

ing the RMB and China

has learned from other

countries not to respond to

international pressure to

revalue their currency. A

recent Op-Ed in the Wall

Street Journal pointed out

that appreciating the RMB

will not reduce the Chinese

trade surplus with the

United States as evidenced

by the Japanese Yen appre-

ciating over 50% against

the dollar from 1982 to

1989 in response to

Western influence which

did not curb spending, but

rather, nearly tripled the

U.S. trade deficit with

Japan.

The principal reason

China does not adjust their

currency is because the

Chinese government

equates economic growth

with political stability.

Thus, they do not want to

appreciate their currency

drastically for fear of

unemployment rates that

could lead to political

instability. In addition,

they have argued that pro-

moting rapid domestic

growth, rather than appre-

ciating the currency, is the

most significant policy

China can undertake to

promote global economic

recovery. Finally, China

will not respond to outside

influences on domestic

matters because they are a

proud people that in the

recent past have had one

hundred years of foreign-

ers telling them what to do.

Currently, the Chinese feel

that they are regaining

their rightful place on the

world stage and will do

anything to continue their

progress.

In our elected officials’

dealings with China they

must pursue a course that

is sensitive to China’s his-

torical hardships while

working toward develop-

ing further our economic

relationship. Congressional

legislation that is antago-

nistic, without having any

real authority, such as the

International Monetary

Fund, has only encouraged

China towards protection-

ism. Constructive engage-

ment with China is para-

mount prior to passing leg-

islation that could blow-

back on Congressmen’s

constituents that further

exacerbates the economic

hardships of the average

American.

David is a 2010 SAIS

International Relations

Certificate Graduate.

The Renminbi and Congress: A Rocky RelationshipBy David MartinContributing Writer

President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus speaks at SAIS.

President Klaus was elected in 2003 and was Prime Minister from 1993 to 1997.

Cour

tesy

: Ka

veh

Sard

ari

Cour

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: Ka

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Documents

November_2010_SAIS_Observer