Noted recall: The goal is to describe, in just a few words, what the article is about. Additionally, if I think the article is particularly note-worthy (good or bad), I will comment on that. Compare this to a small sticky note, something to jog your memory about the contents of an article. Of course, if I miss the point of an article, or fail to find anything remarkable, that is entirely the fault of the reviewer.
Available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/issues/2019/98/2
A New Americanism - Jill Lepore
(read 3/30/2019)
Short history of nationalism in the United States.
The Importance of Elsewhere - Kwame Anthony Appiah
(read 3/30/2019)
Short philosophical article on political membership at the local level and in larger groups. Some discussion on positive aspects of nationalism (exclusive identity) and a welcoming (inclusive) cosmopolitan philosophy; and how these work together.
Why Nationalism Works - Andreas Wimmer
(read 2019/04/01)
Short article on the positive aspects of nationalism; the key concept is that members of a nation should govern it.
False Flags - Jan-Werner Müller
(read 2019/04/01)
This article is worth reading. Discusses the difference between nationalism (national identity) and populism (cultural identity). Examples from USA, Hungary, Brazil.
This Is Your Brain on Nationalism - Robert Sapolsky
(read 2019/04/01)
Short article on biological reasons for tribal identity, what is subconscious and what is conscious. Manifestations in modern culture. Seems more fluid than in some other species (e.g., rodents).
Blood for Soil - Lars-Erik Cederman
(read 2019/04/01)
Short article discussing global trends in nationalism. Decline of ethnic nationalism violence since the 1990's. Increased representation of minorities in government (minorities working in government) and increased recognition of minority rights are probably partly responsible.
Who's Afraid of Budget Deficits? - Jason Furman and Lawrence H. Summers
(read 2019/04/01)
This article is worth reading. Discusses the budget in the United States. Bush and Trump tax cuts are responsible for the largest deficit increases with no real gain. Falling birthrates, not aging population, mostly explain why entitlement costs have risen. The current deficit situation isn't that bad, but will need to be addressed in the coming years.
No Country for Strongmen - Ruchir Sharma
(read 2019/04/02)
This is a good article on politics in India. Discusses the multiple states and the difficulty of forming a last coalition. Role that caste, religious, ethnic identity play; that some of the same caste groups come from different subgroups, and thus are completely different in different states.
Less Than Zero - Fred Krupp, Nathaniel Keohane, and Eric Pooley
(read 2019/04/02)
Short article on climate change, need for negative emission capture technology. Some possible technical approaches.