Alex Etra: January-March 2007
Originally from Denver, Colorado (USA), I recently graduated with a B.A. in International Relations from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. My honors senior thesis, titled "International Structure: Monolithic or Multidimensional?" was an investigation of the concepts of power and polarity and their use in international relations theory, with a specific focus on identifying the polarity of the current international system.
I found that power and polarity are frequently misunderstood and misused concepts and that determining the number of great powers in the international system depends on the analyst’s understanding of national power, particularly whether primacy is placed on economic, cultural, or military capabilities. My data show that the current international system is unipolar if power is measured in terms of military capability, and perhaps surprisingly, remained unipolar during the Cold War (and until 2001) when economic measures of power are employed. My findings suggest the need for greater clarity in discussing the “balance of power,” as well as the necessity of moving beyond the debate about whether the post-Cold War international system is unipolar. Instead those interested in world politics should be asking questions such as, what constitutes national power in 21st century, how is it measured, and how long is unipolarity likely to last?My interest in and desire to visit India grew partly out of these intellectual questions but also my prior interest in learning from and immersing myself in cultures and civilizations that lie outside the “Graeco-Roman Tradition.” On a professional level I have come to India to gain a greater understanding of the Indian political system and the South Asia region, study the rapidly developing Indo-U.S. relationship, and build lasting friendships with Indian nationals who share my interest and optimism about our common future. On a more personal level, I hope to grow as a human being by challenging myself to learn from new and unfamiliar experiences. In the process I expect to learn a great deal about myself as well as the “Indian psyche,” and thus contribute in some small way to a better (and ever improving) Indo-U.S. relationship.