It was nice not having to dress up and walk around in the heat this week. I thought government workers are all serious and solemn, but yet again my stereotypical view was broken. Then I realized that only the officials who are cheery and outgoing would want to speak to college kids.
The discussion we had about marginalization was very interesting. Throughout it I got the impression that many think being marginalized is always a bad thing. However, I think it is important that some people choose to be “marginalized.” Relating somewhat to the uninformed vs. not voting topic, it can be said that many people don’t vote simply because they don’t care. Those who don’t vote are marginalized because their voices weren’t heard, yet many of them chose to not vote. Everyone has an opinion. If all of us wanted to let the government know what we thought, massive traffic jams in D.C. the likes of which would make Beijing’s recent traffic jam look smooth would be the least of the capitol’s problems. There would be so many protests on all the issues you can think of that people would just stop caring about what each was doing. Because people are marginalized, the voices of the few are heard and change happens.
I chuckled in my mind when Dr. Peter Howard said that the IR theories are not really used in the Department’s day to day tasks. However, I did wander if as an official of the U.S. government that he wanted to keep U.S. intentions masked. Had he said that they mainly use realism, I would get the image of the U.S. not being benevolent and trying to assert power over the world as an imperialistic state. Had he said the U.S. uses liberalism, I would think the U.S. is out “saving the world” just for its economic benefit. I think it’s simpler to think the U.S. as a person as with all countries. People are naturally selfish and will look out for their own well-being before others. The U.S. asserts dominance both militarily and economically to hold onto its power. This is just like how most people would not want to be demoted in a job and make less money. The U.S. is like a C.E.O. who is facing competition from younger workers who are eyeing the top spot.
Mario, Interesting post! I just want to address two of your points which especially stood out:
ReplyDelete1. You seem to say that having marginalized groups are necessary so that "the voices of the few are heard and change happens." Although this may be true, as in the example of gay rights (i.e. laws vary by state and attract national attention), I think this concept also has an issue of chance involved. What if the marginalized groups are ignored, not because they choose to be, but because there are so many minority groups that they become "one"? Like the main group, what if they cause their own "traffic jams"? Even on campus, are there not multiple social justice groups which contend to get their voice heard?
2. It could be very probable that the U.S. did not relate to any one IR theory to keep its intentions masked. I had not considered that before, but it is so true that each theory has its own images associated with it. As Dr. Howard mentioned, he represented the U.S. ... This U.S. had to be seen as the typical "life, liberty, prosperity" ideal. There was no room for other connotations. Yet, with such a large American agenda, I am sure many IR theories are implemented.
-Rachael W.