Between Iraq & A Hard Place: Clerical Mobilization in 20th Century Iran & Iraq
by JORDANNA YOCHAI '21 | The twentieth century was a period of upheaval, wherein theorists rushed to predict how modernization would impact states and institutions. One prominent theory held that, as society became increasingly modern, religious authority would diminish and secular states and socio-political institutions would become the norm. In both Iran and Iraq, this was not the case; modernization empowered the Shi’a clergy. This paper argues that, beginning in the early twentieth century, the Shi’a clergy adopted a broader, more active role in political life.
Return of the Dragon: Xi Jinping’s Nationalist Vision & Global Ambitions
by SAM ZENG '21 Since 2012, Xi Jinping has made explicit his desire to accomplish the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” drawing on popular nationalist sentiment that believes China’s rightful place is being the dominant power in Asia.
Reexamining One Country, Two Systems: The Future of Hong Kong
by ZIZUN ZHOU, '23 The recent demonstrations in Hong Kong once again reminded the world that the one country, two systems principle stands as one of the most delicate innovations in the political history of modern China. The principle is based on the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration over Hong Kong, which enabled the peaceful return ...
Democratic Transition & Authoritarian Exceptionalism
by JORDANNA YOCHAI '21 This article uses the case of Egypt, during and after the Arab Spring, to highlight the shortcomings of the popular transition paradigm and challenge theorists who contend that Islam is to blame for the widespread authoritarianism in the region.
CJFP’s Winter 2020 Edition
Our Spring 2019 edition can be viewed on Issuu at this link and downloaded in the “Journals” tab of our site. Thanks to our staff here at UChicago and our contributors from UChicago and around the country for making this possible.
Reactions to Extreme Symbolic Terrorism: the Cases of ISIS and al-Qaeda
by HUGO BARRILLON, '21 All terrorist attacks are not created equal. Some terror attacks bring about global campaigns against terror organizations, while others just bring about localized, national punishment within a judicial system. The 9/11 attacks and the 2014 ISIS beheadings brought about incredibly strong reactions from the victim country whereas events such as the ...
Authoritarianism and Suicide Terrorism
by JORDANNA YOCHAI, '21 All suicide attack data is the intellectual property of the Chicago Project on Security & Threats (CPOST) and was accessed with the permission of Director Robert Pape. Introduction Suicide terrorism is a complex and, unfortunately, global phenomenon, whose incidence has only increased over time. In light of this, both academics and ...
A New Solution to Heal NATO’s Transatlantic Divide
by JAKOB URDA, '19 and ADAM CHAN, '19 NATO is in a crisis moment. Critics from both sides of the Atlantic and all sides of the political debate are doubting NATO’s purpose. The transatlantic relationship is fraying as America and Europe are apparently moving away from each other on policy. Current American demands that European ...
CJFP’s Spring Quarter 2019 Edition
Our Spring 2019 edition can be viewed on Issuu at this link and downloaded in the “Journals” tab of our site. Thanks to our staff here at UChicago and our contributors from UChicago and around the country for making this possible.
Who Decides when Britain Goes to War? The War Prerogative in the United Kingdom
by GWYNETH HOCHHAUSLER, '20 Traditionally, the British Parliament holds far fewer foreign policy powers than the Prime Minister does.[1] One of the most important of these powers, which the executive has controlled for hundreds of years, is the war prerogative – the power “to declare war and deploy the armed forces”.[2] Some academics have asserted ...
