Police secure an intersection during a third night of unrest in Richmond, Virginia. Photo Credit: Associated Press Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policingby Stuart SchraderUniversity of California Press, 393 pp., $29.95 Stuart Schrader, author of the intellectually and empirically towering Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing, knows that his … Continue reading Security Comes First: The Link Between Global Counterinsurgency and American Policing
Category: Race & Security
The Dangers of Militarizing Racist Facial Recognition Technology
A US soldier takes biometric information. Photo Credit: Defense Systems Information Analysis Center, Cpl. Alejandro Pena In recent months, US politicians and activists have called for a nationwide ban of facial recognition systems for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.[i] The ban comes after years of activism from researchers detailing the tendency of facial … Continue reading The Dangers of Militarizing Racist Facial Recognition Technology
“This Storm is What We Call Progress:” The End of the Frontier and American Empire
Armed militia member patrols US-Mexico Border. Photo Credit: Johnny Milano, Al Jazeera America. The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of Americaby Greg GrandinMetropolitan Books, 369 pp., $30.00 How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United Statesby Daniel ImmerwahrPicador, 515 pp., $30.00 In his … Continue reading “This Storm is What We Call Progress:” The End of the Frontier and American Empire
Environmental Racism and Climate Justice: The Racialized Climate Catastrophe
A child navigates flooding in the Kurigram District of Bangladesh. Photo Credit: The United Nations Children's Fund/Akash In policymaking circles at home and abroad, there is a growing consensus that climate change represents a grave threat to both national and global security. From Southeast Asia to the Arctic Circle, disparate regions will contend with rising … Continue reading Environmental Racism and Climate Justice: The Racialized Climate Catastrophe
Police Violence in the U.S. and Israel Warrants a Closer Look
Protests in Tel Aviv Outside the US Embassy Branch Office, June 2, 2020. Photo Credit: Ariel Schalit, AP Photo Israel was one of many countries experiencing waves of protests decrying the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In early June, protestors surrounded the US Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv to join in solidarity with … Continue reading Police Violence in the U.S. and Israel Warrants a Closer Look
The FBI Has a Racism Problem and it Hurts Our National Security
Photo Credit: The Federal Bureau of Investigation As stories of ISIS brutality in the Middle East began filling news cycles in 2014, there was an uptick in coverage describing foiled ISIS plots in the United States. The FBI seemed to be finding young men about to fly to Syria, blow up parades, or take hostages … Continue reading The FBI Has a Racism Problem and it Hurts Our National Security
Police and the People: Perspective on Police Reform
The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police in early 2020 sparked protests across the world, drawing critical attention to how Americans relate to the police officers sworn to protect and serve them. To understand this relationship, this paper reviews the historical background on policing and police reform in the United States, outlines the current environment and obstacles to reform, and looks at actions being taken in the wake of public outcry in America to forge a new path forward. The historical record shows that policing practices in the United States have largely been influenced by political considerations rather than genuine efforts to curb or control crime. Whereas recent protests and calls for action seem directed at the United States federal government, control of around 18,000 municipal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies stems from the local level. To address the number of issues that plague police relations, such as the strength of police unions, qualified immunity, and the militarization of law enforcement, meaningful changes must be made at the state and local levels. Action being taken at the federal level in the wake of public outcry, although not insignificant, may only be symbolic in nature, as the November Presidential election looms and Congress remains divided.
Who’s in the Room? Part I: The Case for a More Diverse State Department
Photo Credit: US Department of State Careers International relations and security have long been acknowledged as “good old boys’ clubs” fields, particularly mired by white privilege and sexism, as well as lacking in religious, geographic, age, and educational diversity, among other factors. The present political climate in the United States has drawn attention to this … Continue reading Who’s in the Room? Part I: The Case for a More Diverse State Department
Racial Justice Requires Domestic Terrorism Laws
Attorney General William P. Barr defended federal response to protests at an oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla via The New York Times. The Argument As protests over police violence against Black people and systemic racism continue across the U.S., many still wonder how and when justice will be served. While … Continue reading Racial Justice Requires Domestic Terrorism Laws
Security for Whom? The Case for a Decolonial IR
Photo Credit: London School of Economics Department of Government Blogpost The United States is coming to a crossroads today. With COVID-19 killing more people every day and Black Lives Matter protests happening all around the U.S., the conversation about systemic racism is more relevant than ever. Academics highlight the need to address the diversity of … Continue reading Security for Whom? The Case for a Decolonial IR