What options are available now or in the future for students interested in a public policy career? How do they train, network, and advance in the field? Students, parents, professors, guidance counselors, and department chairs are often frustrated by the absence of a solid, readable book on policy careers and options. This book presents the career stories of twenty scholars and policy practitioners who have worked in Congress, the State Department, the CIA, Defense, international agencies, think tanks, the media, and major law firms—all of whom have been influential in shaping public policy—to give readers an accurate and realistic view of life outside the academic world. No other book provides this type of solid advice for young policy professionals and for older scholars considering career changes. As such, it is vital reading in guidance and department collections, and an essential addition to the personal bookshelves of individual students, scholars, and researchers.
Over the course of its history, the United States has taken great interest in the affairs of its neighbours to the south. From the Monroe Doctrine to Grenada to illegal immigration, America has been and continues to be an active force in the lives of Caribbean and Central American nations. In recent years, the relationships have taken an economic turn as witnessed by several pacts like the Caribbean Basin Initiative and NAFTA, meant to balance the US-dominated relations with these closely-packed countries. In addition, the US has had an enigmatic history with Mexico, involving issues like immigration, drug smuggling, and human rights. The public friendship between Presidents George W Bush and Vicente Fox increased optimism for smooth resolutions of US-Mexican financial and political concerns. However, some friction has remained over American border and security worries, water-usage disputes, and the continual problem of narcotics trafficking. This book compiles a series of analyses of the varied initiatives and governmental actions linking the US to its nearest southern neighbours. present status, and evaluated for potential outcomes. Such comprehensive studies combined in one book make for a necessary resource in attempting to assess the future course of relations among the Americas.
Thoroughly grounded in Mexican history and based on extensive field research, this introduction examines the roots of Mexico's contemporary political culture and its democratic transformation. Now in its fifth edition, Politics in Mexico has been completely updated and revised to cover the 2006 presidential elections. This edition features new data and tables based on original survey research that strengthens existing coverage of women, religion and politics, decision-making, political participation, citizen socialization, voter behavior, federalism, and electoral politics.
The so-called war on drugs has been going on in the United States since 1880, when opium was prohibited from shipment to America from China. The array of public policies and programs dealing with drugs received an official designation in 1971 when it became the war and drugs. Sadly, the war has mostly turned out to be a skirmish most of the time. Government funding and coordinated actions have been spotty since 1971. The programs continue in the areas of enforcement, treatment and education with mixed results. This new book frames the important issues in the war and drugs.
This reference book presents the important issues of contemporary Mexico within the backdrop of its historical background and augments it with an informative analysis and comprehensive bibliography, Mexico, with over 100,000,000 people finds itself with a new and activist president Vincente Fox, the first non-PRI president, along with a good relationship with President George W Bush, formerly the governor of nearby Texas. Mexico is an active participant in NAFTA, a founding member of the WTO, and involved and substantive reforms both in the political as well as economic areas and an oil-exporting country to boot.