The Duck of Minerva

Brian Rathbun

Rathbun is a professor of International Relations at USC. Brian Rathbun received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 2002 and has taught at USC since 2008. He has written four solo-authored books, on humanitarian intervention, multilateral institution building, diplomacy and rationality. His articles have appeared or are forthcoming in International Organization, International Security, World Politics, International Studies Quartlery, the Journal of Politics, Security Studies, the European Journal of International Relations, International Theory, and the Journal of Conflict Resolution among others. He is the recipient of the 2009 USC Parents Association Teaching and Mentoring Award. In 2019 he will be recognized as a Distinguished Scholar by the Diplomatic Studies Section of the International Studies Association.

Recent Posts

Taking David Cameron to School……(Literally. This guy is stupid.)

by Brian Rathbun | 17 August, 2011 |

I get most of my European news from the Financial Times, which I admit does make for a somewhat skewed perspective on British politics. You all do still wear top hats and monocles, right? But apparently Britain's Prime Minister is promoting, earlier than expected in the wake of the London riots, a tax credit for married or co-habiting couples with the belief that a two-parent family makes for a more stable home and fewer young thugs (or righteous freedom fighters railing against the system, either way) looting cell phone stores in the future. Politicians are so stupid. Let's take it for...

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Are You Ready for Some Football…..Analogies?

by Brian Rathbun | 14 August, 2011 |

Recently I offered an "argument" about what conservative males find attractive about Sarah Palin -- her attractiveness -- and I provided some "evidence" by reference to the parallels between pretty female candidates and women sideline reporters with two XXs (Chromosomes, you creeps! Get your mind out of the gutter!). I made the claim that Bachmann's support rested more on her craziness than her beauty, but then I found this. I am recalibrating my argument..... But I want to push the analogy further, and ask -- who gives a f*#k about the Iowa Straw Poll? Why, when Michele Bachmann wins, do...

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The Similarity between ‘Feminist’ Politicians and Female Sideline Sports Reporters — They’re Hot

by Brian Rathbun | 9 August, 2011 |

Like Megan, I think that Naomi Wolf's post on Al Jazeera is dumb, dumb, dumb. Wolf gets it completely wrong because the whole popularity of Palin and Bachmann (particularly the former) is a function not of feminism, but of the 'new chauvinism.' What do I mean by that? The feminist movement has of course radically transformed American society. Women have broken into some of the last bastions of male dominance -- the sports locker room and the newsroom. But we aren't going to let them in if they aren't hot..... Stay with me. Don't get offended. When I say we, I really mean conservative males,...

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And the winner of Televangelist or Presidential Candidate Is….

by Brian Rathbun | 9 August, 2011 |

Babbler! Who guessed C. A is Joel Osteen, purveyor of the prosperity gospel -- God wants you to make money. He seems like a nice enough chap, not mean-spirited, but as a former Catholic, I still have a good deal of alms for the poor in me. I don't like conspicuous consumption; it seems sinful. But it is a perfect mix for social conservatives who don't want to be taxed! B is Billy Graham from the 1970s. Everyone knows Billy Graham. C is Rick Perry. He said all faiths were welcome, then starts in on the "living Christ" with references to the crucifixion. Seems likely to be a deal-breaker for a...

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It’s Time to Play: Presidential Candidate or Televangelist??!!

by Brian Rathbun | 7 August, 2011 |

Can you identify which of these prayers was offered by Texas Governor Rick Perry in his prayer rally in Texas today? Yes, the Rick Perry who might run for President. The politician who, if he did run, it would be his nomination to lose. And which are those of prominent televangelists? Bet you can't! Please respond below in the comments section with your guess, and I'll report the results soon. No cheating! Wouldn't it be fun to have a preacher for a President? Hurray!Your choices:A) Lord God, I would ask that not one person leave here without knowing your son Jesus as their Lord and Savior....

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Friday Anti-Nerd Blogging

by Brian Rathbun | 5 August, 2011 |

NEEEEEERRRRRRRRDS!I am concerned that readers of the Duck are getting the wrong impression about the contributors to the site. I for one was never a nerd. Anyone who knows me will know of my athletic prowess, having piloted my high school football team to the state championship in my freshman year. This academic thing was my back up after I blew out my knee my junior year. Standing at 6'5" with a rocket for an arm, I was a certain top draft pick.All of this talk of video games, fantasy and science fiction distracts us from two much more important, non-nerdy things -- sports and costume...

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It’s All My Fault

by Brian Rathbun | 2 August, 2011 |

One should not blog in anger. In an effort to make my points, I think I overstated my case and offended some people, which I did not intend to do. Wait. Isn't that what blogging is all about? Maybe I did intend to do that.Seriously, if I were to amend this, I would make a number of changes.First, it is not that second-hand sources are bad and inherently inferior to primary sources. They are absolutely necessary. There is a bit of a division of labor between historians and us, as we are more often looking at the forest for the trees, or to mix ecological metaphors, trying not to get lost in...

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It’s All Our Fault

by Brian Rathbun | 1 August, 2011 |

I've had it. Recently I was asked to review a book that will not be named for a journal that will not be mentioned. It was by an author with a pretty good reputation with an excellent press on a subject that I am well informed on. (I won't mention names. Dan can take him or her to the woodshed later.) I thought I would be doing the field a service and forcing myself to read what I thought would be an entertaining book that I might not otherwise have the time to read. The problem: it is f&ck*ng mess.Actually that really isn't the real issue. The real problem is that I am absolutely positive...

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Stuff Political Scientists Like #7, International Relations edition: Isms

by Brian Rathbun | 26 July, 2011 |

Lest you ask, I do understand the irony of me writing this particular post and risking being a one-hit blogger with the continuation of this series. But I haven't read a single Harry Potter book, so there is not much I can do. Enjoy!If you show up at the bar at a conference of international relations scholars, you will immediately stumble upon a conversation about paradigms or ‘isms.’ You will quickly learn that almost all of those same scholars hate the isms and believe the field would be better off without them. Yet this conversation is the same one that has occurred at every hotel bar at...

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Stuff Political Scientists Like #6 — Soaking and Poking

by Brian Rathbun | 12 July, 2011 |

This one was inspired by Kate Weaver, and her dirty, dirty mind. Sometimes numbers just won't do. Political scientists occasionally require real-world knowledge and must come to terms with face-to-face human interaction. They have to do field research. Political scientists like to soak and poke.Stop that. Don't make this sexual. Get your mind out of the gutter. This is serious business. There is no room for juvenile humor in a discussion of political science methodology. The boys at PSJR will get upset.Political scientists who do field research believe that the world is like first grade....

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