Book Review: Lessons from History: Leading Historians Tackle Australia’s Greatest Challenges Reviewed by Dr Francine McKenzie — Reading room 02 March 2023This book recenters the role of historians in the debate on foreign policy and political significance. To address the challenges the nation faces, historical context matters. Read More
Book Review: On Killing Remotely: The Psychology of Killing with Drones Reviewed by Andrew Maher — Reading room 02 March 2023It is easy to think and talk about drones and warfare in terms of distances and lives saved. This volume demonstrates that for those in command of remotely piloted aircraft, the outcomes are as real and life-threatening as they are for soldiers on the ground. Read More
Book Review: Transnational, Feminist Politics, Education, and Social Justice: Post Democracy and Post Truth Reviewed by Sian Perry — Reading room 21 February 2023This volume offers a compelling analysis of how neoliberalism has impacted conservative, nationalistic movements and the gendered and racialised violence that these movements impose. The authors argue for a transnational feminist response that is emancipatory, an important project considering the attacks on democratic institutions and the targeting of educational systems in local and global contexts. Read More
Book Review: Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China Reviewed by John West — Reading room 15 February 2023In their book, Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China, Hal Brands and Michael Beckley argue that China is passing its economic peak. It is this factor that may be more dangerous than a rising China, and that conflict may happen sooner than most believe. Read More
Book Review: Six Faces of Globalization Reviewed by Melissa Conley Tyler FAIIA — Reading room 14 February 2023This important book returns the rich and contextually valuable perspectives of different peoples to the policy forefront. The broad divisiveness witnessed globally, but with specific emphasis on democratic nations, could be better managed if we were all willing to be a little foxier. Read More
Book Review: Public Choice Theory and the Illusion of Grand Strategy Reviewed by Chelene Reyes Yardumian — Reading room 03 February 2023The latest book by Richard Hanania examines American historic and contemporary foreign policy decisions through the lens of public choice theory. When it comes to decisions about national security, often the outsized role of foreign actors, weapons manufacturers, and bureaucrats is the deciding factor. Read More
Book Review: Overreach: How China Derailed Its Peaceful Rise Reviewed by Dr Bryce Wakefield — Reading room 24 January 2023It has recently become fashionable in Washington and other defence and foreign policy establishments to view China as eternally devious. Susan Shirk rejects this as historical revisionism, emphasising how domestic politics have pushed China towards overreach. Read More
Book Review: High-Risk Feminism in Colombia Women's Mobilization in Violent Contexts Reviewed by Dr Kristina Mani — Reading room 24 January 2023Julia Margaret Zulver’s High-Risk Feminism in Colombia comes at just the right moment. Over the last decade, Latin America’s bottom-up feminist movements have begun again to rise to the forefront of advancing gender justice in the world. Read More
Book Review: Transforming Nuclear Safeguards Culture: The IAEA, Iraq, and the Future of Non-Proliferation Reviewed by John Carlson — Reading room 19 January 2023The IAEA’s safeguards system defends human civilisation. Trevor Findlay’s book casts new light on one of humanity's greatest achievements, enabling a non-specialist reader to better understand some of the issues and influences affecting how the safeguards system has developed Read More
Book Review: The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy Reviewed by John West — Reading room 19 January 2023Michael Mandelbaum’s latest book takes readers through America’s rise from weak settler nation to hyper-power hegemon over the past 250 years. While it leaves us speculating about the present fifth age currently taking shape, it is clear that the fourth has been demonstrably troubling. Read More