Wisdom Actors, part 2

In the fascinatingly instructive Book of Daniel, we see many of the ideas and norms of the wisdom tradition applied by its main actor during his long and distinguished political career. There are more clues concentrated in this one book about a wisdom-based praxis in politics and government than in any other piece of ancient wisdom literature that I know about. And these can be surprising finds when considered through the lens of wisdom. The features covered in this article explore Daniel’s education in wisdom and his religion, as well as his politics, sticking points, and style of communication in his relationships with kings and top government officials.

Neoconservatism

This is the third in a series of articles at the International Relations 101 section of the website, on “understanding international relations and foreign policy decision making.” These articles seek to make this complex, multi-dimensional arena accessible to people outside the halls of power. The series also pulls duty as a necessary backdrop for understanding the wisdom-based alternative approaches to the field that are being developed by The Wisdom Project.

Rami Khouri (interview)

Rami Khouri, a Palestinian-Jordanian, has some wise words for Americans who are trying to come to grips with life in the Middle East. Khouri is a prominent and well-respected journalist and internationally syndicated columnist. He was editor-in-chief of The Jordan Times and is now editor-at-large of the Beirut, Lebanon-based The Daily Star, the largest English language newspaper in the Middle East.

A shorter and differently emphasized version of this interview, “The Christian Message in Lebanon,” appeared in Christianity Today, August 2007.

Michael Schluter (conversation)

Charles Strohmer talks with Michael Schluter, The R Man, about transforming inter-community and international relations.

This conversation was originally published in Openings #18, April-June, 2004

Wisdom-based foreign relations

Seeing International Relations and Foreign Policy through Different Eyes
Five Norms of Wisdom for Thinking about More Cooperative Relations between the United States and the Muslim Middle East

This article was written to offer political and religious leaders, their advisors, and other specialists, such as at think tanks, some ideas to mull over about wisdom-based foreign policy decision making for U.S. – Middle East relations. I’ve drawn it together from some chapters of the book I’m writing, so the material has not been made very public until now. It is hoped that it will draw visitors and readers comments and perspectives. It’s a bit of a different way of reasoning about constructing international relations.

Bibliography

This is a list of books I have relied on over the years, as of the summer 2010, for my research on international relations and foreign policy and my work on developing wisdom-based approaches to U.S. – Middle East relations. Apologies for not breaking these classifications into smaller ones, but the titles should make their subjects clear. Books on Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are in “The Middle East.” Books about al Qaeda are in “War or Terrorism.” In due course I hope to find time to list other sources that have been essential, from formal reports, journal articles, interviews, and so on.

Democracy in Afghanistan?

In January, 2004, President Bush said, “A democratic Afghanistan will serve the interests of all the Afghan people,” and their “new constitution marks an historic step forward,” one that will help the nation “build a free and prosperous future.” Since then Americans have come to understand that democracy building in Muslim lands may give rise not to Western-style liberal democracies but to Islamic democracies.

First published in Sojourners Online, 3-29-06.

Changing Tough Hearts & Minds

Is rational dialogue with a terrorist possible? More significantly, can the mind of a person committed to terrorism be changed? There are some surprising conclusions coming from the field.