Ken Jowitt
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Ken" Jowitt is an American
political scientist. He is currently the Pres and Maurine Hotchkis Senior Fellow at Stanford University
's Hoover Institution
and the Robson Professor of Political Science
at the University of California, Berkeley
, positions he has held since 2001 and 1995 respectively.
, approximately thirty miles north of New York City
. After graduating from Columbia University
in 1962, Jowitt pursued post-graduate and doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley
, earning his Master's in 1963 and his doctorate in 1970. Jowitt also spent some of his post-graduate life in Romania
during the Ceauşescu
regime, where he studied the political and cultural dynamics of post-Stalinist Communist Europe.
, the University of California-Berkeley.
Focusing on social theory and comparative politics, Jowitt specializes in the study of post-Stalinist Eastern Europe
and Communist studies. He has published numerous essays, articles, books, and scholarly theses related to these and other Cold War and post-Cold War era subjects.
One of Jowitt's more notable scholarly works is "New World Disorder: The Leninist Extinction," a collection of essays written between 1974 and 1990 that focuses on the nature of Communist regimes. The last three essays argue against a popular early '90s philosophy that espoused Western triumphalism, and the essays dispute the "end of history" theory propounded at the time by former neoconservative scholar Francis Fukayama.
He also contributed an essay, entitled "In Praise of the Ordinary: An Essay on Democracy," to Adam Michnik
's anthology, "Letters from Freedom."
, and criticizing—both in print and during public debates—writers such as David Frum
, who has articulated a desire for the United States to change the Middle East
into a more pluralistic, democratic region.
Although he initially supported the invasion of Iraq
in 2003, he has since become one of the most persistent critics of what he views as an unwillingness on the part of the Bush administration
to implement a "realist" foreign policy, especially with respect to the Middle East and the ongoing War on Terror
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political scientist. He is currently the Pres and Maurine Hotchkis Senior Fellow at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
's Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
and the Robson Professor of Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, positions he has held since 2001 and 1995 respectively.
Biography
Jowitt was born and raised in Ossining, New YorkOssining (town), New York
Ossining is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 37,674 at the 2010 census. It contains two villages, the Village of Ossining and part of Briarcliff Manor, the rest of which is located in the Town of Mount Pleasant....
, approximately thirty miles north of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. After graduating from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1962, Jowitt pursued post-graduate and doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, earning his Master's in 1963 and his doctorate in 1970. Jowitt also spent some of his post-graduate life in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
during the Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
regime, where he studied the political and cultural dynamics of post-Stalinist Communist Europe.
Professional career
He has been a professor at UC-Berkeley since 1968. Among other honors and forms of recognition, he won the University Distinguished Teaching Award in 1983, and has been the recipient of two Stanford Hoover fellowships. From 1983 to 1986 he was dean of undergraduate studies at his alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, the University of California-Berkeley.
Focusing on social theory and comparative politics, Jowitt specializes in the study of post-Stalinist Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
and Communist studies. He has published numerous essays, articles, books, and scholarly theses related to these and other Cold War and post-Cold War era subjects.
One of Jowitt's more notable scholarly works is "New World Disorder: The Leninist Extinction," a collection of essays written between 1974 and 1990 that focuses on the nature of Communist regimes. The last three essays argue against a popular early '90s philosophy that espoused Western triumphalism, and the essays dispute the "end of history" theory propounded at the time by former neoconservative scholar Francis Fukayama.
He also contributed an essay, entitled "In Praise of the Ordinary: An Essay on Democracy," to Adam Michnik
Adam Michnik
Adam Michnik is the editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza, where he sometimes writes under the pen-names of Andrzej Zagozda or Andrzej Jagodziński. In 1966–1989 he was one of the leading organizers of the illegal, democratic opposition in Poland...
's anthology, "Letters from Freedom."
Recent history
However, Jowitt is primarily known for taking what some would consider a qualified, anti-Wilsonian stance with respect to the Global War on TerrorWar on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
, and criticizing—both in print and during public debates—writers such as David Frum
David Frum
David J. Frum is a Canadian American journalist active in both the United States and Canadian political arenas. A former economic speechwriter for President George W. Bush, he is also the author of the first "insider" book about the Bush presidency...
, who has articulated a desire for the United States to change the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
into a more pluralistic, democratic region.
Although he initially supported the invasion of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in 2003, he has since become one of the most persistent critics of what he views as an unwillingness on the part of the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
to implement a "realist" foreign policy, especially with respect to the Middle East and the ongoing War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
.
External links
- Conversation with Ken Jowitt Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley
- Rage, Hubris, and Regime Change
- Really Imaginary Socialism
- Communism, Democracy, and Golf
- New World Disorder: The Leninist Extinction
- Why the Bush Doctrine Makes Sense
- Toward a New Foreign Policy