In the 1830s, Alexis de Tocqueville spent nine months in the United States, observing American democracy.
His own home country, France, had experienced several failed attempts at democracy, and he was looking to
explore the notion of democratic government for lessons applicable to France. After more than 175 years,
this topic remains critically relevant to the global community.
As the presidential election nears, Americans are reminded of the promises and potential of democracy.
But the attention garnered by our upcoming 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 deserves research and inquiry with particular attention paid to global democratic transitions,
such as: the transfer of power from Vladimir Putin to Dmitri Medvecev, the ongoing democratic transitions
in Iraq and Afghanistan, the recent democratic elections in Zimbabwe and Kenya, or the recent decision of
Bhutan’s absolute monarch to impose democracy on a skeptical population.
Accordingly, the upcoming issue of Perspectives on Global Issues is focused on Democracy. With the
spirit of Tocqueville in mind, we invite readers to explore broad concepts of democracy, considering
foreign examples of democratic governments and institutions, and examining key questions such as: What does
democracy mean now? How does it translate in different countries and cultures? Are the lessons of
democracy in one country transferable to other countries? Is democracy appropriate for all societies?
Why does democracy thrive in some societies and not in others? What roles do race, gender, ethnicity,
class and religion play in the democratic process? Is the proliferation of democracy a good idea?
What is the connection between freedom and democracy? What is the impact of globalization on democracy?
How have actions in the U.S. affected the perception and promotion of democracy?
With these questions as a starting point, the editorial board of Perspectives on Global Issues would
like to issue an invitation to contribute to our Fall 2008 issue. Contributors are encouraged to
examine this topic from a variety of angles, with the goal of igniting a spirited debate about an
intriguing and often controversial topic.
Structure of Each Issue
Each publication of PGI will incorporate five categories: Research and Analysis Essays, Book Reviews,
Interviews, Letters to the Editor and Opinions. Published works in all five categories cover a wide range
of topics relating to global affairs, such as international law, human rights, international finance and
trade, national security, and the environment.
Within the research and analysis category, a particular theme will set the tone for each publication,
although the approach taken to the theme is for the author to decide. Policy analysis and recommendation,
country research, or comparative case studies are just some examples of the approach that can be taken.
For the book review section of PGI, we are seeking reviews of recently published works of nonfiction that
are pertinent to the field of global affairs and contribute to the ongoing dialogue within the global arena.
An opinion piece is the reader’s response to an essay within the Research and Analysis section.
Opinion pieces relating to a particular issue of PGI will be published in the subsequent issue.
In an effort to diversify viewpoints and content, we encourage submissions for all categories from
a variety of sources—including scholars, practitioners and students who are active in the area of Global Affairs.
Please submit all papers by Nov. 1, 2008. Please see the Submission Guidelines below for further information and file
format requirements.
The following guidelines should be adhered to for all submissions to PGI.
Please contact the PGI editorial staff at pgi.editorial@gmail.com
should you have any questions regarding these guidelines.
Please provide the following information with all submissions:
Full name of author(s)
Mailing address
Email address of author(s)
Telephone numbers of author(s)
Fax number of author(s)
Degree(s) received or in progress
Affiliations
Brief author profile(s), maximum 150 words
Research and Analysis Essay submissions:
Submit in electronic format, preferably MS Word
Maximum length: 3000 words
Citation of sources should follow the “MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly
Publishing” in both endnotes,footnotes and bibliography.
For more information on MLA style please visit:
http://library.nyu.edu/tools/styleguide/index.html.
Please include a brief abstract of your article.
Book Review Submissions
Submit in electronic format, preferably MS Word
Maximum length: 1000 words
Reviews should be limited to works published within the last twelve months
Citation of sources where applicable
Editing Submissions
The PGI editing team reserves the right to edit submissions to the journal, but will
refrain from editing the structure or content of the submission without first notifying the author.
Submitting your manuscript
Please send all submissions as an attachment to an email message to
the attention of the PGI editorial staff at pgi.editorial@gmail.com.
