Editors’ Message

In the period leading up to and following the U.S. presidential election, Americans are reminded of the promises and potential of democracy. But the attention garnered by the Nov. 4 elections places emphasis not only on the candidates but also the processes and lessons of democracy in general. Although the notion of democracy is not new by any means, it still merits research and inquiry, with particular attention paid to global democratic transitions, public participation in the political process and the future of democracy in the global arena. Accordingly, this issue of Perspectives on Global Issues is focused on democracy. With the spirit of Alexis de Tocqueville in mind, we invited contributors to explore the concept of democracy from many different angles.

One aspect of the recent U.S. election that received a lot of attention was the unprecedented involvement of youth. This prompted the editors to explore not only youth participation as candidate supporters, but also youth that are active in politics. This issue opens with an article by PGI editor Tamar Kherlopian, who interviewed John Wilson, a 25-year-old candidate for state representative in Kansas. Although he was ultimately unable to overcome his seven-term incumbent opponent, this interview gives insights into the opportunities for young people involved in the political system, as well as providing a perspective on the future of politics in the U.S.

The concept of democracy is further explored through articles focusing on the Democratic Peace Theory and the role of the press in building democracy in Africa. Ethan Cramer-Flood, in “Good Theory, Bad Policy: A Study of the Democratic Peace Theory and its Implications for the War on Terror,” examines in depth the idea of the Democratic Peace, and analyzes if and how it fits with 21st-century challenges such as international terrorism. And in her piece “African Journalists Struggle to Find their Role in Building Democracies,” Professor Barbara Borst takes a first-hand look at the experiences of journalists in Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa, sharing their reflections on reporting on the political turmoil in their countries as well as their ideas about the role of journalism in building democracy.

The focus of the issue then turns to an exploration of the meaning and practice of democracy in specific nations. In “Throne Becomes Seat of the People: From Hindu Kingdom to Federal Republic,” PGI editor Dan Logue interviews Rabin Subedi, a human rights lawyer from Nepal, about the recent political upheaval in his country. In “Morocco: Challenges to Democracy,” Will Hogan proposes democratic reform in the kingdom modeled on Spain’s parliamentary monarchy. Next, Mikelle Adgate, Scot Dalton and Betsy Fuller Matambanadzo, in “The KwaZulu-Natal Slums Bill: An Illustration of an Institutional Shift in Democracy,” examine the inner workings of provincial government in South Africa and question the extent to which democracy has taken hold at this level of South African politics. And Dr. Robert Rockaway, in “Israel’s Democracy: Where To?,” looks at the current state of the political system in Israel.

We conclude with three book reviews that offer insights on the popular political discourse in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election. Christiaan Mitchell reviews former senator and current university of Oklahoma President David Boren’s “A Letter to America,” which asks the American people to reexamine the nation’s past and rediscover the ideals that the U.S. was built on in order to guide us in the future. Henry Kwong’s review of “The Powers to Lead” by Joseph Nye, the father of the theory of “soft power,” looks at Mr. Nye’s recommendations for the prudent use of both hard and soft power by today’s world leaders. Finally, Justyna Surowiec reviews “Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America’s Reputation and Leadership,” by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, which discusses ways for the new president to mend the U.S.’s image abroad after eight years of foreign policy blunders by the Bush administration.

The editorial board of Perspectives on Global Issues would like to thank the contributing authors for their insights on democratic theory and practice in the U.S. and around the world. We hope this issue ignites a spirited debate about an intriguing and often controversial topic.

Thank you,

Kristy Crabtree
Jennifer Dunham
Lori Sims
Adair Fincher
Brianna Lee
Florence Au
Tamar Kherlopian
Dan Logue
Michal Toiba
Jhelum Bagchi
Karen Duncan