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The Relevance Of Fr. John A. Kaiser For Human Rights And Peace Advocacy Today, Otieno Ombok

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay explores the relationship of the work of Fr. John Anthony Kaiser to Kenya’s 2010 Constitution. His life, work, and death embody the very principles and struggles that the new constitution was designed to address. The author also discusses how to continue the work for peace and justice in the spirit of Fr. Kaiser.

Dating Among University Undergraduates Living With Disability In South-Western Nigeria, Usman A. Ojedokun, Bukunmi I. Oluborode, Lateef J. Adeyemo

The Journal of Social Encounters

In many university campuses in Nigeria, undergraduates living with disability are visible and functionally involved in academic, political, social, and religious activities. However, the social life of these students is hardly the focus of scholarly research. Therefore, this study explored dating behaviours among undergraduates of selected public universities in south-western Nigeria living with disability. The social disability model was employed as the conceptual framework. Data were elicited through in-depth interview and focus group discussion methods.  Findings showed that the choice of partners among undergraduates living with disability was guided by trust, communication, emotional safety, shared values, and acceptance of disability …

Where Are The Women Memorialized? Commemoration Of Women In The U.S. Congress, Deborah Saki, Alexander Leasure

The Journal of Social Encounters

In the United States, a study of the memorialization of political actors through monuments reveals the disgracefully small number of women memorialized. We find little effort to preserve the memory of trailblazing women in the U.S. Congress. By 2021, as the National Monument Audit indicates, only two congresswomen were memorialized in public spaces across the country: Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-T.X.) and Rep. Millicent Fenwick (R-N.J.). Drawing on frameworks of historical memory and theories of reputational politics, we examine the public conversations that led to the memorialization of these women. We find motive, institutional power, and clarity of narrative in …

Emergency Response Rooms In Sudan: From Revolutionary Grassroots Organization To The Management Of Life In A Context Of Political Collapse, Salih Mustafa

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Shia Islam And Politics: Iran, Iraq, And Lebanon, Christopher Anzalone

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: The Islamic Moses And Muslim-Jewish Relations, Kareem Rosshandler

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Festival Diplomacy (Ceremony Diplomacy) As A Lesser-Known Form Of Cultural Diplomacy By Emerging Non-State Actors: The Newroz Legacy Of The Kurdish Regional Resistance In Iraq And Syria, Khaled Sheykholeslami

The Journal of Social Encounters

Kurds as the second largest ethnic groups in Iraq and Syria are the only nation in these two major-Arab countries that celebrate Newroz every year. However, as a minority community divided among different Middle Eastern countries, the arrival of the new year and the celebration of Newroz seem to have taken on a political significance beyond merely celebrating spring and the end of winter. This essay argues that Newroz has evolved from a cultural celebration into a strategic instrument of non-state cultural diplomacy used by Kurdish actors in Iraq and Syria to resist centralizing state power and project transnational identity. …

United States Middle East Policy In The Age Of Donald Trump, Gary Prevost

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay on the foreign policy of the United States in the Middle East in the middle of the second Trump administration and the continuing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank makes the case for decades of consistency in US policy but also some nuances from the current US administration. The author makes the case that there have been three constants in US policy since the era of the Second World War. First, is the guarantee the flow of reasonably priced oil to the United States and its allies.  Second, the maintenance of the state of Israel as a …

Gender Justice Lessons From North-East Syria Amidst Patriarchal Perpetuation In The New Syrian Arab Republic?, Theresa Wagner

The Journal of Social Encounters

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, whose family had ruled Syria for over sixty years, and his government by Hai’at Tahrir asch-Scham (HTS) signified for many the beginning of a new era of democracy and freedom after thirteen years of civil war. People in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), a self-governing region that had not been ruled by the Syrian state since 2012, joined in with the celebrating crowds. However, they remained skeptical of HTS, which originated as a branch of al-Qaeda, known back then as Jabhat al-Nusra. Since taking on government responsibilities in the new …

Introduction: The Arab World And Middle East In An Age Of Dynamism And Change, Eslam Elbahlawan, Mawa Mohamed, Ron Pagnucco

The Journal of Social Encounters

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel began a massive joint military attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran to which Iran has responded. At the time of the publication of this issue, the fighting continues and could become more widespread; the ultimate outcome of the conflict is unknown.  This conflict highlights the importance of a deeper understanding of the region.

In the shadow of these events, people of the Middle East once again find their lives reordered by decisions taken far above their heads and far beyond their borders. The current war not only devastates cities, infrastructure, …

Book Review: The Impossible Mission: The Office Of Security Cooperation And The U.S. Forces Drawdown In Iraq, Kate Tietzen-Wisdom

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Robert L. Caslen Jr.

Reviewed by: Dr. Kate Tietzen-Wisdom, US Army Center of Military History

A gripping look at the chaotic final chapter of the Iraq War, revealing how bureaucracy, urgency, and geopolitical pressure collided at the moment the US mission needed clarity most.

Book Review: Tradecraft, Tactics, And Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence And Putin’S Secret War, Thomas W. Spahr

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Sean M. Wiswesser

Reviewed by: Dr. Thomas W. Spahr, Francis De Serio Chair of Strategic and Theater Intelligence, US Army War College

A veteran intelligence practitioner exposes the vulnerabilities, contradictions, and hidden conflicts shaping modern Russian espionage—and what they mean for Western security.

Book Review: Reflections On The Russia-Ukraine War, Tor Bukkvoll

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Edited by Maarten Rothman, Lonneke Peperkamp, and Sebastiaan Rietjens

Reviewed by: Dr. Tor Bukkvoll, senior research fellow, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment

Reflections on the Russia-Ukraine War offers a timely and multifaceted exploration of Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War II. Drawing on diverse theoretical frameworks, this volume brings together 28 concise, stand-alone chapters that illuminate the war’s political, military, legal, and ethical dimensions. Ideal for scholars, students, and policymakers alike, it provides both analytical depth and practical insight into the evolving nature of modern warfare.

©2026 Tor Bukkvoll

Book Review: How Drones Fight: How Small Drones Are Revolutionizing Warfare, Chase Metcalf

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Lars Celander

Reviewed by: Colonel Chase Metcalf, assistant professor, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations

Celander’s book discusses the new technologies at the forefront of military transformation and offers recommendations for countering them. He also argues that the introduction of drones into warfare has shifted the approach to air superiority. The reviewer critiques How Drones Fight’s lack of depth and narrow focus yet still sees it as an accessible introduction to drones and the future of warfare.

Book Review: Economic War: Ukraine And The Global Conflict Between Russia And The West, Joel R. Hillison

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Maximilian Hess

Reviewed by: Dr. Joel R. Hillison, director, National Security Policy and Strategy, Department of Distance Education, US Army War College

This book examines the economic war between Russia and the United States from 2012 to 2023 and assesses each country’s strengths and weaknesses. The conversation on economic warfare also expands to discuss other countries’ involvement, the effects of geoeconomics on the Russia-Ukraine War, and how an economic war would look between the United States and China. The reviewer sees this book as thoroughly researched and well written, despite the drawback of not including charts and maps.

Book Review: Winning Without Fighting: Irregular Warfare And Strategic Competition In The 21st Century, John A. Nagl

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Authors: Rebecca Patterson, Susan Bryant, Ken Gleiman, and Mark Troutman

Reviewed by: John A. Nagl, General John J. Pershing Professor of Warfighting Studies, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College

Winning Without Fighting offers recommendations for the United States’ response to attacks on the rules-based international order. The four authors propose “nothing less than a new grand strategy for America.” The reviewer agrees with some of the authors’ recommendations, while he strongly disagrees with their suggestions on investments.

©2026 John A. Nagl

Book Review: The Spy And The State: The History Of American Intelligence, Thomas W. Spahr

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Jeffrey P. Rogg

Reviewed by: Dr. Thomas W. Spahr, Francis W. De Serio Chair of Strategic and Theater Intelligence, US Army War College

From the Revolutionary War to the digital age, The Spy and the State by Jeffrey P. Rogg traces the evolution of American intelligence as a central force in shaping national security and foreign policy. With rich historical detail and sharp analysis, Rogg reveals how espionage has empowered and challenged democratic governance. This compelling narrative offers a fresh lens on the hidden machinery behind America’s global influence.

Book Review: Securing Space: A Plan For U.S. Action, David C. Zesinger

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Nina M. Armagno and Jane Harman, chairs, and Esther D. Brimmer, project director

Reviewed by: USSF Lieutenant Colonel David C. Zesinger, aerospace operations director, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College

Securing Space presents an argument for the importance of US advances in the space domain and offers recommendations for achieving them. The reviewer sees this report “as a critical waypoint in identifying the threats in space and reiterating the importance of this domain to our collective way of life.”

Book Review: The Army: A Primer To Our Profession Of Arms – Field Manual 1, Darren Buss, John A. Nagl

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Headquarters, Department of the Army

Reviewed by Colonel Darren Buss, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College and Dr. John A. Nagl, General John J. Pershing Professor of Warfighting Studies, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College

Field Manual 1 lays the foundation for understanding the Army’s core values, mission, and enduring role in defending the nation. It offers a clear and compelling guide to what it means to be a professional soldier, emphasizing duty, discipline, and the moral commitment to service. This essential primer inspires new recruits and seasoned leaders …

Spies, Lies, And Algorithms, Nalonie J.M. Tyrell

Joint Force Quarterly

In Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, Amy B. Zegart challenges popular “spytainment” myths while offering a clear-eyed assessment of the past, present, and future of American intelligence. Reviewed by Nalonie J.M. Tyrrell, the book serves as both an accessible primer and a strategic warning. Zegart surveys the evolution of the U.S. intelligence community, covering covert action, counterintelligence, oversight, and the growing importance of open-source intelligence. She argues that intelligence agencies are ill-prepared for twenty-first-century challenges posed by empowered adversaries, data overload, technological diffusion, and weak ties to innovation ecosystems such as Silicon Valley. …

The State And The Soldier, Lindsay L. Rodman

Joint Force Quarterly

In The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relation in the United States, Kori Schake offers a concise, historically grounded examination of U.S. civil-military relations from the Founding to the present. Reviewed by Lindsay L. Rodman, the book challenges alarmist narratives by demonstrating that the U.S. military has consistently upheld civilian control, meeting two core tests of democratic stability: presidential authority over senior officers and military compliance with contested policies. Schake moves beyond Huntington’s model of strict civilian–military separation, weaving insights from civil-military scholarship and historical case studies to argue for a more pragmatic understanding rooted in …

Collisions, Peter R. Carkhuff

Joint Force Quarterly

This book review assesses Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability by Michael Kimmage, a contemporary history that interprets the war in Ukraine as the product of overlapping geopolitical collisions among Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and the United States. The reviewer, Peter R. Carkhuff, highlights Kimmage’s central argument that the conflict emerged from Russia’s drive to control Ukraine, Ukraine’s strategic vulnerability, Western ambivalence toward Ukrainian sovereignty, and Vladimir Putin’s perception of American decline. The review emphasizes the book’s strength in contextualizing leadership decisionmaking through multiple perspectives and its use of historical, political, and personal sources …

U.S. Arctic Sea Lines Of Communication (Sloc): The Imperative For A Maritime Complex And Corridor In The Bering Region, Samuel A. Krakower, Troy J. Bouffard

Joint Force Quarterly

This paper examines the current American capacity to defend its newfound Sea Lines of Communication in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans. The history, and importance, of Sea Lines of Communication trace back to great naval strategists such as Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan and Sir Julian Corbett, and consistent protection of these maritime corridors in times of war and peace led to the success of the United States. As the Arctic Region emerges as a new theater of geopolitical importance, the United States finds itself significantly disadvantaged or "strategically handicapped” in terms of presence, capability, and proximity to defend …

The Cyber Deterrence Dilemma: Parallels Between Cyber And Intelligence Special Operations, Jorge R. Kravetz Msc

Joint Force Quarterly

The dilemma of cyber deterrence, alongside its potential failures, has gained increasing academic attention, though its parallels with traditional special operations remain less examined. Cyber and special operations—often covert activities involving espionage, sabotage, and subversion, generally linked to strategic or military intelligence—typically evade standard deterrence mechanisms. Drawing on a theoretical framework of deterrence, academic literature, historical cases, and qualitative analyses, this article argues that deterrence tends to fail when deterrers manage to destabilize an adversary without causing significant strategic impacts on the target’s power, economic, or social dynamics, as well as on international relations. Retaliation, shaped by implicit agreements or …

Breadth Or Depth: The Ongoing Battle In Professional Military Education, Ryan Wadle, Heather Venable

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the ongoing and oftentimes heated debates on the curricula in Professional Military Education institutions and the guidance provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. By studying the "breadth" of conflict and the national security environment, PME graduates can best apply their knowledge and skills at the intersection of military strategy and political objectives where they can be the most effective.

Ukraine, The U.S. Defense Industrial Base, And The Elusive Crisis-Era Munitions Production Surge, Bryce Loidolt

Joint Force Quarterly

“Ukraine, the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, and the Elusive Crisis-Era Munitions Production Surge” by Bryce Loidolt examines why U.S. efforts to rapidly increase munitions production during Russia’s war in Ukraine produced uneven results. While crisis-era authorities, funding, and contracting flexibility allowed the Department of War to move quickly after 2022, this article argues that post-crisis actions alone did not determine surge success. Instead, variation in production increases across key munitions - Stinger, Javelin, GMLRS, and PAC-3 MSE, was largely driven by pre-crisis procurement decisions and associated investments in capacity, supply chains, and obsolescence management. Drawing on historical analysis and case …

Influence By Design: A Network Strategy For Integrated Deterrence, Robert S. Hinck

Joint Force Quarterly

Confronting the complexity of the future security environment requires new concepts to coordinate efforts for maximum effect. The 2022 National Defense Strategy appropriately identifies integrated deterrence as the centerpiece of these efforts but criticisms regarding its strategic application remain. While integrated deterrence is associated with one set of national security strategies, its points of emphasis will endure. This essay addresses current limitations of the concept by offering a tangible and theoretically grounded approach connecting the ends, ways, and means by which the Joint Force and interagency, in combination with US allies and partners, can enact integrated deterrence across the spectrum …

Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 119, 4th Quarter 2025, National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly

Joint Force Quarterly (JFQ) 119 examines the evolving challenges and innovations shaping the U.S. joint force and professional military education. Key themes include tactical-level manufacturing (“Fabrication at the Tactical Edge”), the ongoing debate over curriculum focus in professional military education (“Breadth or Depth in PME”), and the transformative role of artificial intelligence in decisionmaking for military operations. Together, these articles and others highlight the dynamic intersection of technology, strategy, and education in modern defense. This issue highlights how digital transformation, industrial capability, and intellectual agility are vital to maintaining strategic advantage across domains of competition and conflict.

Turning Point: Usa, 2020 Election Denialism And Its Consequences, Zack George

University Honors Theses

Current President of the United States, Donald Trump interrupted the peaceful transfer for power for the first time in 250 years. In the typical study of the events surrounding this interruption, much focus is made on the events of the January 6th Capitol Riot. Firstly, this thesis examines the 2 months in the leadup to the 2020 election and how the Trump administration acquired and attempted to execute their plans to commit a self-coup, keeping the administration in power in the face of the election victory and transition to the Presidency of election-winner, Joe Biden. Secondarily, it will contextualize and …

The Appropriation Of Indigenous Land In HawaiʻI, Julie Loo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the transition from a monarchical to a democratic governance system in Hawaiʻi, Indigenous perspectives have not been fully integrated into land-use decision-making, resulting in mistrust, cultural marginalization, and inequitable policy outcomes. While prior researchers have examined colonization in Hawaiʻi, there is limited understanding of how Hawaiian cultural protocols may impact modern state-level decisions regarding Indigenous land use. The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic case study was to explore perceptions and lived experiences related to the cultural protocol of Kapu Aloha among Kanaka Maoli who participated in the Mauna Kea blockade and government officials involved in permitting Indigenous land for …