Director’s Note ~ Volume 14 / Spring 2011
In the field of chemical engineering, where I began my academic life, one of the well-known quips is the definition of a “simple” chemical reaction—to wit, a reaction that has not been studied too closely. In the world of international affairs, something rather similar might be said about such words as democracy, freedom, or leadership, all of which figure prominently in the 2011 edition of the Bologna Center Journal of International Affairs and, as will become evident to the reader, none of which is a concept easily pinned down.
The Journal staff has chosen the concept of leadership as this year’s theme, and the rich collection of articles you will find in these pages makes certain things clear, but not simple. first, the term leadership can only be understood and judged in a systemic context: for example, who the followers are and how followership is organized in particular political, social, and economic circumstances, from single interest groups to nations developed and developing to supranational entities; what mechanisms of communication are effective in the group being led; and, perhaps most importantly, the dynamics of the time—the needs, the urgency, the challenges, and the state of play.
Second, and not surprisingly, it is easier to analyze what has (or has not) worked than it is to foresee what will (or will not) work when it comes to leadership or leadership style. However, this does not make such analyses less valuable, as the thoughtful papers in this collection demonstrate. Through the lens of leadership, we see the global challenges of our era—the emergence of new powers and power structures, the political experiments, the environmental challenges, and the continuing struggles against poverty, disease, and hunger. These challenges are still unresolved more than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, in a world where the nature and consequences of globalization continue to evolve.
This Journal follows the tradition of presenting the work both of graduate students and established scholars. As such, it embodies an important dimension in the dialogue that is at the heart of a SAIS education and that is a source of constant satisfaction for those of us who teach at SAIS. The Journal is entirely a student enterprise. The editorial staff issues the call to authors, selects the papers, and edits and assembles the final product. In doing so, it engages the Bologna Center’s students and faculty, enriching the educational experience for all of us. The result is a volume that is a useful and significant contribution to the literature. This is the fourteenth year in which the Journal has been published. It has become a tradition at the Center and a source of pride to all of us.
It is a personal pleasure for me to introduce you to this year’s volume, which I hope and fully expect you will find enlightening and engaging.
Kenneth H. Keller
Director and Professor
April 2010
