Belfer Center Newsletter Spring 2011

The Spring 2011 issue of the Belfer Center newsletter features recent and upcoming activities, research, and analysis by members of the Center community on critical global issues. This issue highlights the Belfer Center’s continuing efforts to build bridges between the United States and Russia to prevent nuclear catastrophe – an effort that began in the 1950s. Today, the Center’s U.S.-Russia Initiative to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism is working with Russian counterparts to intensify action against nuclear terrorism and to safeguard the next wave of global nuclear energy expansion. This issue also features three new books by Center faculty that sharpen debate on critical global issues. The books are God’s Century, by Monica Duffy Toft, The New Harvest, by Calestous Juma, and The Future of Power, by Joseph S. Nye. Also adding to global discussions are Richard Clarke's Cyber War and Nelly Lahoud's The Jihadi's Path to Self-Destruction. 

In this issue, we spotlightHenry Lee, director of the Belfer Center’s Environment and Natural Resources Program (ENRP) who was recently promoted to senior lecturer in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School. William Clark, faculty chair of ENRP, said Lee is “the key reason we are more than the sum of the parts.” Lee, he said, has “worked ceaselessly…to build the connections – among the faculty, from faculty to potential sources of support, from the work we do to the work of policy and practice, and to our students.” We also highlight Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, senior fellow with the Center who previously was the primary person in government whose job was to track al Qaeda’s efforts to secure nuclear weapons. In our Q&A feature, Mowatt-Larssen offers his views on al Qaeda’s intention to attack the U.S. as well as his thoughts regarding the role of intelligence in today’s world and how it can be improved.

Advancing Dialogue on U.S. Russia Relationship, Preventing Nuclear Terrorism

• Belfer Center Still Building New U.S.-Russia Bridges

Power & Policy: Debating Positions of Power

• Belfer Center Launches Virtual Forum: Power & Policy
• Views on Egypt: What’s Next?
• Recent Events Call Attention to Nye’s New Book: The Future of Power
• Toft: Why Religion Wields More Political Influence Today
• U.S. and China Should Avoid “Thucydides Trap”

Informing Discussions on Energy and Climate, Innovation and Collaboration

• Workshop Aims to Hasten Transformation of Energy System
• Stavins Notes Successes of Cancun Climate Meetings
• Study Finds Emerging Countries to be Large Players in Global Energy R&D
• Juma: Africa Can Feed Itself in a Generation

Highlights and Spotlights

• Spotlight: Henry Lee, Environment and Natural Resources Program
• Q&A: Rolf Mowatt-Larssen
• Middle East Initiative Celebrates 10-Year Partnership with Kuwait Foundation

Featured Fellows

• Jacqueline (Jill) Hazelton: Does Counterinsurgency as State-building Work?
• Diana Buttu Explores Dynamics of Palestinian Life under Occupation
• Michael Sechrist Researches Vulnerabilities of Information Networks
• Fellows at Work and on the Move

News and Notes

• From the Director: Graham Allison on JFK’s inaugural challenge
• Marc Grossman Named to Succeed Holbrooke
• Newsmakers
• Belfer in Brief
• Center Books Sharpen Global Debate on Critical Issues
• Hot Off the Presses: Richard Clarke's Cyber War and Nelly Lahoud's Jihadi's Path to Self-Destruction
• International Security: Journal Highlights