DOCSLIB.ORG

Battlefields and Boardrooms: Women's Leadership in the Military and Private Sector

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Battlefields and Boardrooms: Women's Leadership in the Military and Private Sector Battlefields and Boardrooms JANUARY 2015 Women’s Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector By Nora Bensahel, David Barno, Katherine Kidder, and Kelley Sayler Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the many people who contributed their time and energy to help bring this report to publication. We would like to thank our CNAS colleagues senior fellow Phil Carter and research intern Sam Arras for their important contributions throughout the development of the report. We thank Dafna Rand for managing this report’s publication and for her substantive editorial comments. We thank all of our other CNAS colleagues who provided valuable feedback on draft versions of the report. Outside of CNAS, we thank Lewis Runnion and Bank of America for their gener- ous support for this project. We thank the organizers and sponsors of the Cornell University Women Veterans Roundtable, the U.S. armed forces, and several Fortune 500 companies for generously sharing their expertise, insights, and people for interviews. We particularly thank the current and former executive level women leaders we interviewed for this report. We also thank the dozens of dedicated professionals from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, active and retired, who shared their insights and perspectives. We offer a special thanks to Liz Fontaine for her creative layout design. The authors alone are responsible for any error of fact, analysis, or omission. Cover Image U.S. Army Spc. Rebecca Buck, a medic from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, provides perimeter security outside an Iraqi police station in the Tarmiya Province of Iraq, March 30, 2008. (TECH. SGT. WILLIAM GREER/U.S. Air Force) TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary 5 II. Introduction 7 III. Women in the Workforce: 50 Years of Growth 8 IV. Comparing Career Challenges and Opportunities 13 V. Recommendations 27 VI. Conclusion 33 Appendix: Military Service Member 40 Demographic Profile in 2012 JANUARY 2015 Battlefields and Boardrooms Women’s Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector By Nora Bensahel, David Barno, Katherine Kidder, and Kelley Sayler Battlefields and Boardrooms JANUARY 2015 Women’s Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector About the Authors Nora Bensahel is a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. David Barno is a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Katherine Kidder is a reseach associate at the Center for a New American Security. Kelley Sayler is a reseach associate at the Center for a New American Security. 2 | BATTLEFIELDS AND BOARDROOMS: WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN THE MILITARY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR By Nora Bensahel, David Barno, Katherine Kidder, and Kelley Sayler Battlefields and Boardrooms JANUARY 2015 Women’s Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan marks the close of the first era where women rose through the military ranks into significant leadership roles. As the first female graduates of the service acad- emies from the class of 1980 approach the 35th anniversary of their commissioning, the moment offers an opportunity to reflect upon the individual and institutional characteristics enabling the rise of women into senior leadership roles across the services. Similarly, significant changes in legislation and social trends throughout the 1970s produced an expanding cohort of female executives within the private sector. While their experiences are clearly different from those of their military counterparts, comparing the experiences of women in these two distinct communities permits an assessment of the challenges and opportunities that women face throughout their careers that lead to or hinder their success – and, ultimately, the success of their institutions, by enabling them to draw on the full By Nora Bensahel, David Barno, Katherine range of the nation’s talent. Kidder, and Kelley Sayler While the number of women in senior leadership positions has increased greatly during the past 35 years, their numbers at the top remain small. Despite significant institutional changes, only four women have ever attained the rank of four-star general or admiral, and women serve as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of only 26 Fortune 500 companies. In addition to challenges at the high- est levels of leadership, women at all levels of the military and private sector share a number of challenges related to retention and promotion, parenthood and family, compensation and nego- tiation, mentorship and career advancement, and workplace climate. Both groups stand to benefit from comparing their experiences – to uncover common challenges, address obstacles to success, and identify organizational best practices. Additionally, some of the challenges facing women in the military and the private sector serve as | 5 Battlefields and Boardrooms JANUARY 2015 Women’s Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector leading indicators for the workforce as a whole. A Recommendations for the Private Sector growing body of literature on the millennial genera- • When surveying applicants and employees, ask tion indicates that the career preferences of both whether they have served in the military, not male and female employees are shifting. Studies whether or not they are veterans. indicate that even more than financial compensa- • Assign newly employed veterans both veteran tion, “work/life balance is one of the most significant and non-veteran mentors. drivers of employee retention.”1 This means that addressing the challenges that women face will • Improve the onboarding process for veterans. likely benefit both male and female employees. • Help educate non-veteran employees about the military/veteran experience. Recommendations for Both the Military and Private Sector • Provide phased transitions into work in the • Improve leadership training and development private sector. programs for women at the early stages of their • Promote access to Employee Assistance careers. Programs (EAPs). • Actively solicit feedback from women, particu- larly junior women, about how to address the challenges they face, and implement some of their recommended solutions. • Establish a public dialogue between the most senior military and private sector women on improving women’s leadership and career development. • Jointly conduct leadership and skills programs for female high school and college students. • Help female veterans transition effectively and fairly to the private sector. • Improve data collection about retention and attrition of talent. • Include men in the solution, through initiatives like the UN’s HeForShe campaign. Recommendations for the Military • Ensure that the first women to serve in combat positions are set up for success. • Expand the current test programs for military sabbaticals. • Consider more formal mentorship programs for women. • Conduct detailed exit interviews with departing leaders. 6 | II. INTRODUCTION current and retired general and flag officers as well as chief executive officers and other leaders in the Women are an ever-increasing presence in the U.S. private sector in order to compare their experi- military. While largely limited in their roles and ences as they rose to the highest levels of their functions in generations past, expanded opportu- respective institutions. nities for women in the military and the demands of more than 13 years of war have seen a historic rise in both the absolute number and proportional Most scholarship on female representation of women in each of the nation’s services, and thus in the female veteran popula- leaders focuses on workforce tion. As America’s veterans return home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, female veterans will integration or gender issues; face special challenges in transitioning out of the this report focuses on women services and into the private sector. But these chal- lenges will occur in an environment that also poses as leaders. broader challenges for female leaders of all types. The two communities have much to learn from each other. This report examines the career paths of pro- Like women in the military, women in the private fessional women through the ranks of the U.S. sector world have seen an expansion in oppor- military and private sector. In particular, it empha- tunities in the last four decades. Today, women sizes the experiences of women in the officer corps, are the CEOs of 26 Fortune 500 companies – up and focuses largely (though not exclusively) on from one in 1972 – and continue to increase their female officers in the Army, as their career paths numbers among executive positions that were once and evolving roles were most heavily influenced 2 the sole province of men. As with their military by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Where data counterparts, these women have faced signifi- is available, the analysis of women in the private cant challenges in moving to the top ranks of the sector focuses largely on the career paths of senior private sector and remain underrepresented there women in Fortune 500 companies, while placing despite steady improvements. their experiences in the larger context of profes- Much attention has been paid to gender dynam- sional women. The report outlines the challenges ics in corporate America in recent years, but the and opportunities that professional women (and literature leaves a significant gap with respect to their employers) face across sectors, drawing out the experiences of women in the military. Most lessons learned and best practices and identifying scholarship on female leaders focuses on workforce where reform is necessary. integration or gender issues; this report focuses on women as leaders. It builds upon the exist- ing literature, bridging the gap between military and civilian professional women’s experiences. Additionally, this report integrates findings from extensive group and individual interviews with women in both the private sector and the mili- tary at each stage of their careers. We interviewed | 7 Battlefields and Boardrooms JANUARY 2015 Women’s Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector III.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Tell Me How This Ends Military Advice, Strategic Goals, and the “Forever War” in Afghanistan
    JULY 2019 Tell Me How This Ends Military Advice, Strategic Goals, and the “Forever War” in Afghanistan AUTHOR Mark F. Cancian A Report of the CSIS INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAM JULY 2019 Tell Me How This Ends Military Advice, Strategic Goals, and the “Forever War” in Afghanistan AUTHOR Mark F. Cancian A Report of the CSIS International Security Program Lanham • Boulder • New York • London About CSIS Established in Washington, D.C., over 50 years ago, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to providing strategic in sights and policy solutions to help decisionmakers chart a course toward a better world. In late 2015, Thomas J. Pritzker was named chairman of the CSIS Board of Trustees. Mr. Pritzker succeeded former U.S. senator Sam Nunn (D-GA), who chaired the CSIS Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2015. CSIS is led by John J. Hamre, who has served as president and chief executive officer since 2000. Founded in 1962 by David M. Abshire and Admiral Arleigh Burke, CSIS is one of the world’s preeminent international policy in stitutions focused on defense and security; regional study; and transnational challenges ranging from energy and trade to global development and economic integration. For eight consecutive years, CSIS has been named the world’s number one think tank for defense and national security by the University of Pennsylvania’s “Go To Think Tank Index.” The Center’s over 220 full-time staff and large network of affiliated scholars conduct research and analysis and develop policy initiatives that look to the future and anticipate change.
    [Show full text]
  • Trump's Generals
    STRATEGIC STUDIES QUARTERLY - PERSPECTIVE Trump’s Generals: A Natural Experiment in Civil-Military Relations JAMES JOYNER Abstract President Donald Trump’s filling of numerous top policy positions with active and retired officers he called “my generals” generated fears of mili- tarization of foreign policy, loss of civilian control of the military, and politicization of the military—yet also hope that they might restrain his worst impulses. Because the generals were all gone by the halfway mark of his administration, we have a natural experiment that allows us to com- pare a Trump presidency with and without retired generals serving as “adults in the room.” None of the dire predictions turned out to be quite true. While Trump repeatedly flirted with civil- military crises, they were not significantly amplified or deterred by the presence of retired generals in key roles. Further, the pattern continued in the second half of the ad- ministration when “true” civilians filled these billets. Whether longer-term damage was done, however, remains unresolved. ***** he presidency of Donald Trump served as a natural experiment, testing many of the long- debated precepts of the civil-military relations (CMR) literature. His postelection interviewing of Tmore than a half dozen recently retired four- star officers for senior posts in his administration unleashed a torrent of columns pointing to the dangers of further militarization of US foreign policy and damage to the military as a nonpartisan institution. At the same time, many argued that these men were uniquely qualified to rein in Trump’s worst pro- clivities. With Trump’s tenure over, we can begin to evaluate these claims.
    [Show full text]
  • Read the Transcript
    A Deeper-Look: How military and development actors share the battlespace February 2020 Patrick Fine and Lieutenant General David Barno, USA, Retired Page 1 of 19 [Music] Patrick Fine: As we enter the 2020s, we see a world of growing great power competition where the effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent and where non-state actors threaten sovereign states and national governments. We've seen more migration than ever before in history over the last few years, something we've explored in depth in previous podcasts, and we're seeing how these same factors fuel conflict and threaten longstanding international arrangements. Voiceover: A Deeper Look. Exploring what works and what doesn't in development, and the changes we can make together to turn ideas into action. Patrick Fine: Welcome, listeners. I'm Patrick Fine, CEO of FHI 360 and host of A Deeper Look. This season, we're taking a deeper look at the trends, ideas and forces that will shape the future of development. Today, I'm joined by Lieutenant General David Barno to explore how evolving security challenges will shape the way we think about and address human development needs. General, welcome to the podcast. Gen. David Barno: It's great to be here, Patrick. Patrick Fine: General, even as the world has grown more prosperous, we're seeing complex human development challenges, particularly in places affected by conflict. In our last episode, we had Masood Ahmed from the Center for Global Development, and he observed that a rising tide has lifted many boats, but there are places where the tide does not reach and those are characterized by fragility, instability, and conflict.
    [Show full text]
  • Lessons-Encountered.Pdf
    conflict, and unity of effort and command. essons Encountered: Learning from They stand alongside the lessons of other wars the Long War began as two questions and remind future senior officers that those from General Martin E. Dempsey, 18th who fail to learn from past mistakes are bound Excerpts from LChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: What to repeat them. were the costs and benefits of the campaigns LESSONS ENCOUNTERED in Iraq and Afghanistan, and what were the LESSONS strategic lessons of these campaigns? The R Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University was tasked to answer these questions. The editors com- The Institute for National Strategic Studies posed a volume that assesses the war and (INSS) conducts research in support of the Henry Kissinger has reminded us that “the study of history offers no manual the Long Learning War from LESSONS ENCOUNTERED ENCOUNTERED analyzes the costs, using the Institute’s con- academic and leader development programs of instruction that can be applied automatically; history teaches by analogy, siderable in-house talent and the dedication at the National Defense University (NDU) in shedding light on the likely consequences of comparable situations.” At the of the NDU Press team. The audience for Washington, DC. It provides strategic sup- strategic level, there are no cookie-cutter lessons that can be pressed onto ev- Learning from the Long War this volume is senior officers, their staffs, and port to the Secretary of Defense, Chairman ery batch of future situational dough. The only safe posture is to know many the students in joint professional military of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and unified com- historical cases and to be constantly reexamining the strategic context, ques- education courses—the future leaders of the batant commands.
    [Show full text]
  • Future of Defense Task Force Report 2020 Cover Photo Credit: NASA Future of Defense Task Force
    draft Future of Defense Task Force Report 2020 Cover photo credit: NASA Future of Defense Task Force FUTURE OF DEFENSE TASK FORCE September 23, 2020 The Honorable Adam Smith Chairman House Armed Services Committee 2216 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable William “Mac” Thornberry Ranking Member House Armed Services Committee 2216 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry: Thank you for your support in standing up the Future of Defense Task Force. We are pleased to present you with our final report. Sincerely, Seth Moulton Jim Banks Chair Chair Future of Defense Task Force Future of Defense Task Force Susan Davis Scott DesJarlais Member of Congress Member of Congress Chrissy Houlahan Paul Mitchell Member of Congress Member of Congress Elissa Slotkin Michael Waltz Member of Congress Member of Congress Future of Defense Task Force Table of Contents PROLOGUE ............................................................................................... 1 TASK FORCE MEMBERS ........................................................................ 3 FINDINGS .................................................................................................. 5 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................... 13 EVIDENCE .............................................................................................. 21 EMERGING
    [Show full text]
  • The Seven Deadly Sins of Defense Spending
    RESPONSIBLE DEFENSE SERIES JUNE 2013 The Seven Deadly Sins of Defense Spending By David Barno, Nora Bensahel, Jacob Stokes, Joel Smith and Katherine Kidder About the Report “The Seven Deadly Sins of Defense Spending” is part of an ongoing program called Responsible Defense at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). The program examines how the United States should maximize its national security in an era of defense spending reductions. The program published its first report, “Hard Choices: Responsible Defense in an Age of Austerity,” in October 2011 and its second report, “Sustainable Pre-eminence: Reforming the U.S. Military in a Time of Strategic Change,” in May 2012. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the many talented people who contributed to this report. We thank Michèle Flournoy, Rudy DeLeon, Russell Rumbaugh, Todd Harrison and Travis Sharp for serving as reviewers. We also thank Matthew Leatherman and Howard Shatz for their thoughtful insights. We thank Shawn Brimley for providing editorial guidance throughout the process. We thank Phil Carter, Jason Combs, Kelley Sayler and April Labaro for their research contributions. We thank Liz Fontaine for imparting her creativity to the report’s design, and we thank Kay King and Will Shields for helping to spread our message. Their assistance does not imply any responsibility for the final product, which rests solely with the authors. A Note about Funding Some organizations that have business interests related to the defense industry support CNAS financially, but they pro- vided no direct support for the report. CNAS retains sole editorial control over its research and maintains a broad and diverse group of more than 100 funders including foundations, government agencies, corporations and private individuals.
    [Show full text]
  • Revitalizing America's Military Officer Corps
    FEBRUARY Keeping The Edge: 2010 Revitalizing America’s Military Officer Corps Edited by Dr. John A. Nagl and Brian M. Burton Contributing Authors: Brian M. Burton; Dr. John A. Nagl; Dr. Don M. Snider; Frank G. Hoffman; Captain Mark R. Hagerott, USN; Colonel Roderick C. Zastrow, USAF Acknowledgments We would like to thank our colleagues at the Center for a New American Security for all of their assistance and support during this process. Dr. Kristin Lord and Garrett Mitchell provided excellent organizational and editing recommendations during the writing process. Liz Fontaine was invaluable in translating the draft text into a high-quality final product. We benefited tremendously from the research support provided at all stages of the project by Joseph S. Nye, Jr. Research Intern, National Security Interns Nick Masellis, Seth Rosen, Maile Yeats and Iranga Kahangama. This report is the outcome of consultation and cooperation with numerous military officers and other students of the military profession. We are very grateful for the generous support of the Smith Richardson Foundation, which made this project possible. We especially thank the contributors to this monograph, Captain Mark Hagerott, USN; Frank Hoffman; Dr. Don M. Snider; and Col. Rod Zastrow, USAF. We also greatly appreciate the participation of numerous others in our working groups, whose thoughtful discussion informed our recommendations. Finally, we acknowledge the helpful insights and comments on draft versions of this report provided by Col. Ross Brown, USA; Col. Joe Buche, USA; Commander Herb Carmen, USN; Lt. Col. Jeffery Goodes, USMC; Vice Admiral (ret.) Kevin Green, USN; Lt. Col. Kelly Martin, USAF; Tom Ricks; Rear Admiral James “Phil” Wisecup, USN; Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Grading the Army's Choice of Senior Leaders by George John Fust III
    Grading the Army’s Choice of Senior Leaders by George John Fust III Department of Political Science Duke University Date: _______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Peter Feaver, Supervisor ___________________________ Martin Dempsey ___________________________ Richard Kohn ___________________________ Kyle Beardsley Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Political Science in the Graduate School of Duke University 2018 ABSTRACT Grading the Army’s Choice of Senior Leaders by George John Fust III Department of Political Science Duke University Date: _______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Peter Feaver, Supervisor ___________________________ Martin Dempsey ___________________________ Richard Kohn ___________________________ Kyle Beardsley An abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Political Science in the Graduate School of Duke University 2018 Copyright by George John Fust III 2018 Abstract This study seeks to determine how the Army institutionally selects its 3 and 4- star officers. The central focus, What patterns are evident in the output of the Army’s 3 and 4- star selection process? has three main findings: 1. The Army has institutional preferences, 2. Multiple paths are possible to the senior leader level, 3. The Army’s most preferred path is operational and command experience. These findings were the result of a comprehensive analysis of a database developed utilizing the standardized resumes of 3 and 4-star generals who have served or retired after 1985. The database, along with the results presented here can help determine if the Army is selecting the right senior leaders and meeting its senior leader development goals.
    [Show full text]
  • Civil and Military Relations Gap America’S Disconnect with Its Military
    US ARMY WAR COLLEGE INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND COUNTERTERRORISM CIVILIAN RESEARCH PROJECT CIVIL AND MILITARY RELATIONS GAP AMERICA’S DISCONNECT WITH ITS MILITARY COL MICHAEL S. MCFADDEN UNITED STATES ARMY CIVIL AND MILITARY RELATIONS GAP AMERICA’S DISCONNECT WITH ITS MILITARY by COL MICHAEL S. McFADDEN UNITED STATES ARMY June 2017 CIVILIAN RESEARCH PROJECT United States Army War College (Class of 2017) Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism Syracuse University CIVIL AND MILITARY RELATIONS GAP ABSTRACT Many scholars in the field of civilian and military relations focus on a gap between senior civilian and military leadership. In this paper, I will focus on that gap as it pertains to the American population and the disconnect that exists with the people who serve in our Armed Forces. Three significant factors are contributing to this disconnect; representation of the population in uniform, social and cultural gaps, and politics in military service. Narrowing the patterns we recruit affects the geographic and economic composition of our military members, distinguishing them from their civilian counterparts. From a cultural perspective, the norms of the military are often at odds with those of the younger generation, the very audience the military needs to target to maintain a viable force. Along with an unbalanced representation, the growing role of politics and the uniform has the potential to widen an already existing gap in the civil military relations in our nation. Closing the gap will require a reconsideration of the all-volunteer force, who and how we recruit, and how we are re-connecting our service members with society.
    [Show full text]
  • BOOK REVIEW ROUNDTABLE: Surveying H.R. Mcmaster's
    BOOK REVIEW ROUNDTABLE: Surveying H.R. McMaster’s “Battlegrounds” March 8, 2021 Table of Contents 1. “Introduction: Defending the Free World in the Post-Trump Era,” by Jim Golby 2. “Competitive, Competent, Conservative: Internationalism After Trump,” by Michael Singh 3. “Battlegrounds: The Fight for American Foreign Policy,” by Emma Ashford 4. “The Power of Values: The Free World’s Strategic Advantage in Great- Power Competition,” by Daniel Twining 2 Texas National Security Review 1. Introduction: Defending the Free World in the Post-Trump Era By Jim Golby H.R. McMaster is one of the most distinguished and rightly heralded soldier-scholars of his generation. With his appointment to the role of assistant to the president for national security affairs, he was also thrust into the role of statesman in the midst of one of the most controversial administrations in recent history. McMaster’s appointment also raised some civil-military concerns. The three-star general was only the third active-duty military officer to fill this highly political role and one of a handful of appointees dubbed the “adults in the room,” who many Americans hoped would serve as a check on President Donald Trump’s worst tendencies. Against this backdrop, it is understandable that McMaster didn’t want to write a tell-all memoir about his White House tenure that focused primarily on his experiences and interactions with Trump. Already the author of an acclaimed civil-military history of the Vietnam War, McMaster instead staked out a more ambitious task: I wanted to write a book that might help transcend the vitriol of partisan political discourse and help readers understand better the most significant challenges to security, freedom, and prosperity.
    [Show full text]
  • The Strategic Costs of Civilian Harm Applying Lessons from Afghanistan to Current and Future Conflicts Authors
    June 2016 The Strategic Costs of Civilian Harm Applying Lessons from Afghanistan to Current and Future Conflicts Authors Christopher D. Kolenda Senior Military Fellow at King’s College London, and President and CEO, Kolenda Strategic Leadership LLC. Chris was recently Senior Advisor on Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Department of Defense senior leadership, and served four tours in Afghanistan. From 2009 he was selected by the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy to develop a new U.S. strategy for the conflict; he drafted the groundbreaking McChrystal assessment and counterinsurgency guidance. He since served as senior advisor to three ISAF Commanders. Rachel Reid Policy and Advocacy Manager, Middle East, North Africa, Southwest Asia, Open Society Foundations. Reid was previously at Human Rights Watch, where she was based in Afghanistan from 2007-10, with a strong focus on civilian casualties. Prior to her move into human rights work, Reid spent more than a decade in foreign affairs with the BBC. Chris Rogers Senior Policy Analyst, Middle East, North Africa, Southwest Asia, Open Society Foundations. Rogers was previously a researcher with the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) in Afghanistan and Pakistan, investigating and reporting on civilian harm from military and counter-terrorism operations in the region. Marte Retzius Research Assistant. Retzius worked as a research assistant for Kolenda Strategic Leadership. She has a Master’s in Conflict, Security and Development from King's College London and a bachelor's degree in Social and Political Sciences from the University of York. II. Executive Summary I. Foreword 1 I. Foreword 8755. That is the address.
    [Show full text]
  • US Nation-Building in Afghanistan
    US Nation-Building in Afghanistan CONOR KEANE US Nation-Building in Afghanistan Why has the US so dramatically failed in Afghanistan since 2001? Dominant explanations have ignored the bureaucratic divisions and personality conlicts inside the US state. This book rectiies this weakness in commentary on Afghani- stan by exploring the signiicant role of these divisions in the US’s dificulties in the country that meant the battle was virtually lost before it even began. The main objective of the book is to deepen readers’ understanding of the impact of bureaucratic politics on nation-building in Afghanistan, focusing primarily on the Bush administration. It rejects the ‘rational actor’ model, according to which the US functions as a coherent, monolithic agent. Instead, internal divisions within the foreign policy bureaucracy are explored, to build up a picture of the internal tensions and contradictions that bedevilled US nation-building efforts. The book also contributes to the vexed issue of whether or not the US should engage in nation-building at all, and if so under what conditions. Dr Conor Keane has degrees in law and politics, and a doctorate on nation- building in Afghanistan from Macquarie University. His research interests include counter terrorism, state building, bureaucratic politics and US foreign policy. He has published several articles on these topics in journals such as Armed Forces & Society and International Peacekeeping. US Nation-Building in Afghanistan Conor Keane First published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2016 Conor Keane The right of Conor Keane to be identiied as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
    [Show full text]