The Duck of Minerva

Peter Henne

Peter Henne is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Global and Regional Studies Program at the University of Vermont. His research focuses on global religious politics and the Middle East. His first book, Islamic Politics, Muslim States and Counterterrorism Tensions, was published in 2017 by Cambridge University Press and he is currently working on a book analyzing how states try to use religion in foreign policy. His scholarly research has been published in International Journal of Religion, International Studies Perspectives, Journal of Church and State, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, Politics and Religion, Religions, States and Societies, and Terrorism and Political Violence. In addition to the Duck, he has written for the Washington Post's Monkeycage, Political Violence at a Glance and The Huffington Post.

Recent Posts

I can’t believe I need to explain why the Houthis aren’t heroes

I can’t believe I need to explain why the Houthis aren’t heroes

by Peter Henne | 16 January, 2024 |

International relations discourse tends to be a bit wonkier than domestic American political debates. While this leads to the frequent lament, from voices like Dan Drezner, that American voters don't care about international relations, it also insulates us from the more frustrating aspects of American politics. IR scholars don't usually have to deal with knee-jerk activisty hot takes. Well, we do now. Apparently leftists think the Houthis--a militant group based in Yemen--are admirable anti-imperialist activists. This is because they've been attacking international shipping in protest of...

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The misuse of the Christmas story, and why it matters for international relations

The misuse of the Christmas story, and why it matters for international relations

by Peter Henne | 27 December, 2023 |

A controversy broke out the weekend before Christmas, when Fr. Edward Beck, a Roman Catholic priest, claimed Jesus was a "Palestinian Jew" while discussing the current war between Israel and Hamas. Some may dismiss this as a disingenuous conservative freak-out; for example, the article I linked to was in the New York Post and figures such as Stephen Miller and Erick Erickson were among the outraged. This would be a mistake. Fr. Beck was inaccurate, and such inaccuracies actually make it harder to build peace in the region. History and Christmas Americans are used to fights over the "true...

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When is it ok to express concern about persecuted Christians?

When is it ok to express concern about persecuted Christians?

by Peter Henne | 18 December, 2023 |

The ongoing war in Gaza has stretched on for over two months after the horrific October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel, which resulted in Hamas killing over 1000 Israelis and kidnapping over 200. Israel's subsequent airstrikes and ground invasion have killed over 10,000 Palestinians (with the Hamas-run Gaza Health Authority report numbers approaching 20,000). With the war now drawing close to Christmas, some are paying attention to the status and responses of Palestinian Christians. Christians make up a small minority of Palestinians, with only about 1,000 in the Gaza Strip and about...

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I guess the UN Secretary General is suddenly concerned about human rights

I guess the UN Secretary General is suddenly concerned about human rights

by Peter Henne | 7 December, 2023 |

The foreign policy world was abuzz this morning with the news that Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter over the Israel-Hamas conflict. This allows the Secretary General to bring an issue before the Security Council, and call on them to act. Many are cheering this, seeing it as a way to stop this conflict, but Guterres' record should leave some wary. What is Article 99? Article 99 in the UN Charter allows the UN Secretary General to "bring to the Security Council's attention any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."...

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Are forced migration crises moral or institutional?

Are forced migration crises moral or institutional?

by Peter Henne | 17 November, 2023 |

Forced migration--the movement of people for reasons beyond their control--has become a global crisis. According to both the UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council, over 100 million people were displaced by the end of 2022, a 19 million increase over 2021. There are two sides to this crisis. One is the push factors: the conditions leading individuals to flee. These include conflict, repression, gang violence, climate change, and economic distress. The other is how migrants' hoped-for destinations receive them. More often than not, receiving countries make it difficult for migrants to reach...

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6+1 questions about Religious Appeals in Power Politics

6+1 questions about Religious Appeals in Power Politics

by Peter Henne | 31 October, 2023 | ,

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE BOOK AND WHAT ARE ITS COORDINATES? Peter S. Henne, Religious Appeals in Power Politics, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2023 WHAT'S THE ARGUMENT? Religious appeals—references to religious standards and symbols by states used to justify policies or critique rivals—are a potent but unwieldy tool in international power politics. States will often turn to religious appeals when forming international coalitions or trying to break apart rival coalitions. Unfortunately, they tend to be an unpredictable tool, often backfiring on the states using them and causing more...

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The beginning of the end for Netanyahu/the persistence of Israel-Saudi negotiations

The beginning of the end for Netanyahu/the persistence of Israel-Saudi negotiations

by Peter Henne | 10 October, 2023 |

This is just a short follow-up to my post yesterday with a few predictions. First about Netanyahu's future. Prior to Hamas' attack over the weekend, much discussion about Israel focused on the right-wing Netanyahu government, his continuing corruption trial, and his efforts to reduce the power of Israel's courts. For those who oppose Netanyahu, they fear he will emerge from this crisis strengthened. There are reasons to expect this. Hamas' attack could create a rally round the flag effect that benefits Netanyahu, just as support for George W. Bush increased after the 9/11 attacks. And...

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Some just want to watch the world burn

Some just want to watch the world burn

by Peter Henne | 9 October, 2023 |

During a pivotal scene in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne talks with his butler/confidante Alfred about The Joker. Wayne suggests he can make sense of The Joker's motivation as a first step towards stopping his rampage. Alfred tells a story about an operation from his paramilitary career, in which a bandit leader was stealing precious jewels the government had handed out and tossing them in a river. Alfred suggest this was because some don't have a clear goal behind their violence; in his words, "some men just want to watch the world burn." I thought of this as I watched the...

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How do we get people to care about migrants?

How do we get people to care about migrants?

by Peter Henne | 15 August, 2023 |

Earlier this week, a boat carrying migrants fleeing Afghanistan sank in the English Channel, killing six. Earlier this month, 41 died after a ship sailing from Tunisia sank near Italy. There are many more examples of such tragedies I could point to, and, sadly, there will be many more in the future. These are not acts of God, like hurricanes or earthquakes. They are created, both through the conflict and repression producing the crises and the inaction of those who could protect these people. Long-serving Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte recently announced he would leave politics after his...

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Be wary of those calling for bans on blasphemy

Be wary of those calling for bans on blasphemy

by Peter Henne | 20 July, 2023 |

On Wednesday, protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, setting part of it on fire. This was in retaliation for the burning of the Quran during protests in Sweden. In response, the UN Human Rights Council called for restrictions on "anti-religious expression." Some may welcome this as a means to limit religious strife and stop Islamophobia, but they should be wary. These calls, in addition to being ineffective, often represent political calculations more than sincere religious concern. Blasphemy and free speech In late June an Iraqi Christian who fled that country staged a protest...

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