As of this afternoon, at least I can say that I have decided on the topics for my last three papers of this year. Together, they should be about 9000 words and based on me reading at least six books, plus articles and individual chapters.
- What impact did the ending of the overseas colonial empires have on the nature and conduct of international relations? Have subsequent wars been consequences of decolonisation?
- What are the causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict and why has it proved so resistant to resolution?
- How has the international trade regime come to encompass ‘beyond the border’ issues – such as human rights and the environment? What does this imply for developed and developing countries?
At present, Dr. Hurrell seems more focused on preparing for a trip and a grant proposal than on pressing me to finish these. That’s both a blessing, because it takes pressure off during the time that will be my last chance to see many friends this year, and a curse, because it draws out this term into what would otherwise be the summer.
A few properly tottering stacks of books around the room should be a good source of motivation.
What are the causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict:
The creation of Israel.
and why has it proved so resistant to resolution?
Because Israel is still there.
Went to see a speech on 2. at Wadham the other week. The speaker had been working in and on the conflict for 30 years – he started out trying to write a history of events and realised after 10 years that no one definitive account of the casues was possible.
The talk I emailed you about on 31 May by Tony Klugg, senior
policy advisor at the Middle East Policy Initiative Forum and vice chair of the Arab-Jewish Forum, in fact.
Antonia,
That sounds interesting. As for Anonymous, that’s probably a tolerable eight word summary.
Avi Shlaim’s “War and Peace in the Middle East” is probably a really useful volume for this topic. It’s short, comprehensible, and fairly authoritative.