précis Magazine

Fall 2013
	précis Interview: Richard Nielsen, assistant professor of political science, MIT Richard Nielsen, assistant professor of political science at MIT, uses statistical text analysis and fieldwork in Cairo mosques to understand the radicalization of jihadi clerics in the Arab world. He sat down with précis to discuss current projects and courses he's teaching. Read more
	What kind of capitalism?By Ben Ross Schneider In the many intense debates over development in Latin America in recent decades, the question rarely arose, as it had in previous decades, as to what kind of capitalism existed or whether capitalism in Latin America was somehow different, says Ford International Professor of Political Science Ben Ross Schneider. Read an excerpt from his recent book. Read more
	Insurgent organizational structure and the control of collective violenceBy Alec Worsnop A central moment during the United States surge in Iraq came with the August 2007 stand down of Muqtada al–Sadr's Jaysh al–Mahdi (JAM). As a result, sectarian violence declined drastically as Baghdad became more stable.¹ However, few analysts in academia, the government, or the private sphere expected the ceasefire to hold. Read more
	Briefings The Center hosted a Starr Forum on the "Snowden Affair" on December 12; CIS and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars are collaborating on a $233 ,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help realize potential benefits and to address potential ecological effects of synthetic biology; Prodita Sabarini, a Jakarta-based journalist, has been selected as the 2013–14 Elizabeth Neuffer Fellow. Read more
	Activities The Center hosted multiple Starr Forums; As part of its Global Teaching Labs, MISTI will be sending more than 80 students to Israel, Mexico, Korea, Spain, Italy, and Germany; the Center hosted Jonathan Alpeyrie as an artist in residence; the Center hosted a seminar on "Survival Migration: Failed Governance and the Crisis of Displacement," by Alexander Betts; Brian Haggerty wrote an Audit on "Debating U.S. Interests in Syria's War."; MISTI was recently presented with the 2013 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award. Read more
	End Notes End Notes features the professional achievements of our scholars, students, and staff. This includes recent awards, speaking engagements, and publications. Read more