Pre-admission reading list

[hupr]

I thought it might make for a nice thread to see what you guys are reading in preparation for next fall. As someone who enjoys both lists and books, I thought it might make for an interesting thread to see what everyone feels like they need to read before starting a doctoral program in poli sci.

As someone who's applying to the comparative politics subfield, I'm reading a lot of stuff in my geographical areas (as well as a couple of more general titles that I may not have time for come next fall), but I'd be interested to see what others are reading. Here are a few things on my list. What's a must read for you?

Timothy Longman - Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda

René Lemarchand - The Dynamics of Violence in Central Africa

Michael Gilsenan - The Lords of the Lebanese Marches

Stathis Kalyvas – The Logic of Violence in Civil War

Charles Tilly – The Politics of Collective Violence

James Scott - The Art of Not Being Governed

[balderdash]

I thought it might make for a nice thread to see what you guys are reading in preparation for next fall. As someone who enjoys both lists and books, I thought it might make for an interesting thread to see what everyone feels like they need to read before starting a doctoral program in poli sci.

As someone who's applying to the comparative politics subfield, I'm reading a lot of stuff in my geographical areas (as well as a couple of more general titles that I may not have time for come next fall), but I'd be interested to see what others are reading. Here are a few things on my list. What's a must read for you?

Timothy Longman - Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda

René Lemarchand - The Dynamics of Violence in Central Africa

Michael Gilsenan - The Lords of the Lebanese Marches

Stathis Kalyvas – The Logic of Violence in Civil War

Charles Tilly – The Politics of Collective Violence

James Scott - The Art of Not Being Governed

I see we have similar interests. I met Lemarchand a few weeks ago - the guy is an absolute boss. And the Kalyvas book is good, but dense. If you don't care about the specifics of his Greek case study, then you don't have to read about 75 pages of the book.

I'm actually going to go back and read the canonical IR texts - Mearsheimer, Morgenthau, Waltz, et cetera. I haven't read enough of them yet for someone looking to do a PhD with an IR focus. Other reading to do:

Cramer, Civil War is not a Stupid Thing

Straus, The Order of Genocide

[hupr]

I see we have similar interests. I met Lemarchand a few weeks ago - the guy is an absolute boss. And the Kalyvas book is good, but dense. If you don't care about the specifics of his Greek case study, then you don't have to read about 75 pages of the book.

I'm actually going to go back and read the canonical IR texts - Mearsheimer, Morgenthau, Waltz, et cetera. I haven't read enough of them yet for someone looking to do a PhD with an IR focus. Other reading to do:

Cramer, Civil War is not a Stupid Thing

Straus, The Order of Genocide

After reading Carmer's article on Homo Economicus going to war, I've also been meaning to read his book, but I haven't found a copy anywhere in the region. The Straus book is interesting and thorough, and if you haven't checked it out yet, Lee-Ann Fujii's book is a nice companion to it. I'm also glad to see that Straus has translated Chrétien's excellent primer on the Great Lakes. Does Lemarchand still teach at all? I was under the impression that he was out of the game. Where did you meet him?

I'm coming from a very diverse background that doesn't exactly include poli sci, so while I've read a lot of area-specific stuff, I'm less grounded in more theoretical works, at least those from the Anglo-Saxon tradition, but I imagine that if I get accepted anywhere, the first year will take care of that.

If it's not indiscreet, where have you applied? I have a feeling that we might be shooting for some of the same slots, although I'd like to work on the Middle East as well as Central Africa.

[balderdash]

After reading Carmer's article on Homo Economicus going to war, I've also been meaning to read his book, but I haven't found a copy anywhere in the region. The Straus book is interesting and thorough, and if you haven't checked it out yet, Lee-Ann Fujii's book is a nice companion to it. I'm also glad to see that Straus has translated Chrétien's excellent primer on the Great Lakes. Does Lemarchand still teach at all? I was under the impression that he was out of the game. Where did you meet him?

I'm coming from a very diverse background that doesn't exactly include poli sci, so while I've read a lot of area-specific stuff, I'm less grounded in more theoretical works, at least those from the Anglo-Saxon tradition, but I imagine that if I get accepted anywhere, the first year will take care of that.

If it's not indiscreet, where have you applied? I have a feeling that we might be shooting for some of the same slots, although I'd like to work on the Middle East as well as Central Africa.

Yeah, Homo Economicus was one of those things that made me go "gosh, I wish I'd thought of that first!" I haven't seen the Lee-Ann Fujii work, so I'll add it.

Lemarchand is Emeritus at Florida (I thiiiink FIU but I'm not sure), so I think he's done teaching except for guest lectures and such. He came and spoke at Cambridge back in December on a personal invitation, so I was lucky to have a chance to converse with him. It was one of those conversations where you know he's infinitely more informed than you, you know?

As for the application stuff, I'm interested in hearing from you as well, so I'll PM.

[catchermiscount]

You'll read what you need to read in grad school, and you don't have to be in a rush to be a miserable, poorly-rounded political science grad student before you actually become a miserable, poorly-rounded political science grad student. How about some book books? I went through the collected works of Gunter Grass prior to grad school. Nowadays I wish I had more time to read stuff like that---that is, stuff that actually makes me feel something.

Edited January 16, 2011 by coachrjc

[AuldReekie]

You'll read what you need to read in grad school, and you don't have to be in a rush to be a miserable, poorly-rounded political science grad student before you actually become a miserable, poorly-rounded political science grad student. How about some book books? I went through the collected works of Gunter Grass prior to grad school. Nowadays I wish I had more time to read stuff like that---that is, stuff that actually makes me feel something.

Perhaps you should think back to the time where you perhaps enjoyed reading about your subject?

[hupr]

You'll read what you need to read in grad school, and you don't have to be in a rush to be a miserable, poorly-rounded political science grad student before you actually become a miserable, poorly-rounded political science grad student. How about some book books? I went through the collected works of Gunter Grass prior to grad school. Nowadays I wish I had more time to read stuff like that---that is, stuff that actually makes me feel something.

Well, I actually did a graduate degree in comparative literature many moons ago, so I can say that fiction and poetry can also feel like work. But for the sake of balance, here are a few of the novels in my to-read pile:

Javier Marias - Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me

Abdelrahman Munif - Cities of Salt

Ali Badr - Papa Sartre

Miguel Syjuco - Illustrado

Thomas Pynchon - Inherent Vice

Nathan Englander - The Ministry of Special Cases

David Grossman - See Under: Love

[catchermiscount]

Perhaps you should think back to the time where you perhaps enjoyed reading about your subject?

I love reading about my subject to the point that I am willing to take the shine off of it by making it what I do for the better part of 60-80 hours per week. The point is: you're going to be getting married, and soon. Why not date a little first?

[Aunuwyn]

If any of you are planning on attending a positive science oriented department just read books for fun that you think you will enjoy, because none of the books listed will help you in any sort of way academically.

[balderdash]

If any of you are planning on attending a positive science oriented department just read books for fun that you think you will enjoy, because none of the books listed will help you in any sort of way academically.

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by "positive science oriented department," as this is a thread in the Poli Sci subforum. However, if you look to the top of the thread at the Africanist literature that was discussed, it's actually pretty influential work that are must-reads for specialists in the field...

As for reading exclusively academic stuff - I don't know about any of you, but I'm still working toward a related degree right now, so reading is pretty much guaranteed anyway. Even if it weren't, it's what I'm passionate about. Why would I read something less interesting?

[Penelope Higgins]

Just to add that if Kalyvas isn't 'positively oriented' I don't know what the term means. It's built around a formal model! And lots of 'positively oriented' political scientists (Kalyvas included) get the jumping-off points for building their models from the work of more qualitative or descriptive work.

-- and I should add that I am currently teaching the comparative politics survey course for grad students this semester, and I assign parts of several of these books for the course and on our comprehensive exam reading list for CP.

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by "positive science oriented department," as this is a thread in the Poli Sci subforum. However, if you look to the top of the thread at the Africanist literature that was discussed, it's actually pretty influential work that are must-reads for specialists in the field...

As for reading exclusively academic stuff - I don't know about any of you, but I'm still working toward a related degree right now, so reading is pretty much guaranteed anyway. Even if it weren't, it's what I'm passionate about. Why would I read something less interesting?

[hupr]

If any of you are planning on attending a positive science oriented department just read books for fun that you think you will enjoy, because none of the books listed will help you in any sort of way academically.

Ok, boss. So what, pray tell, are some titles that you would suggest? And for the record, I'm doing my best to avoid programs that are rigidly quant-based.

[Aunuwyn]

Ok, boss. So what, pray tell, are some titles that you would suggest? And for the record, I'm doing my best to avoid programs that are rigidly quant-based.

I'm just making a helpful suggestion from someone who is where you all want to be.

Try taking a look at the Strategic Logic of Political Survival by BDM^2

[balderdash]

from someone who is where you all want to be.

Actually, I don't think many of us want to be at Korbel. I don't mean that as an insult to the school. Rather, I think most of us in this subforum don't have much interest in the trajectory offered by professional schools (ie, aimed at producing diplomats, policy wonks, and such rather than academicians) such as yours.

[catchermiscount]

James Joyce is also excellent to try and chew through at times like these. Ulysses is completely trippy when you're in one of these "hurry up and wait" scenarios like so many of you currently find yourselves in.

Also, based on some people's posts in this and other threads, many would benefit from reading Araby---particularly the last line of the story. Don't be the boy weeping to the heavens, yeah? Nobody wants to be that dude.

Edited January 18, 2011 by coachrjc

[Aunuwyn]

nt

Edited January 18, 2011 by Aunuwyn

[Aunuwyn]

Actually, I don't think many of us want to be at Korbel. I don't mean that as an insult to the school. Rather, I think most of us in this subforum don't have much interest in the trajectory offered by professional schools (ie, aimed at producing diplomats, policy wonks, and such rather than academicians) such as yours.

I graduated from Korbel, I am not currently there. I am in a formal political science program. Of course, you would of been able to conjecture that from my reading recommendation if you were familiar with the academic literature.

[oasis]

I'm glad that you're so optimistic about being admitted - that is the operating assumption in having a "pre-admission" reading list, no?

I wish I shared your optimism, but at this point it would be like counting my chickens.

[wtncffts]

Well, I don't have a specific "pre-admission reading list", but if we're talking more generally about books on the 'to-read' pile (in my case, the books stacked beside my bed), let's see:

Leadership, Burns (re-reading this)

American Grace, Putnam and Campbell

Transforming Leadership, Burns

Washington, Chernow

Team of Rivals, Goodwin (re-read)

Bob Dylan in America, Wilentz

An Isaac Asimov robot novel

I literally looked to my right and listed what I saw. I've also ordered from Amazon a couple books which should arrive in a couple days: Divided Loyalties, by Brooke Jeffrey, about the Liberal Party of Canada from 1984 to 2008, and Dynasties and Interludes, by Leduc et al., a survey of Canadian federal electoral history. I'm pretty excited by both, they seem like good reads.

[hupr]

I'm just making a helpful suggestion from someone who is where you all want to be.

Actually, it seems more like you're trying to make a friendly thread into a pissing contest. And from, what, your first semester at school? Personally, I'm not interested in coming to an online forum for that sort of interaction.

Otherwise, if you're talking about The Logic of Political Survival, then yeah, I agree, that's a good one to have on the list. Any other suggestions along those lines are more than welcome.

About Ulysses, I spent a semester chewing, spitting and swallowing that book a decade ago. It's a fantastic read, but I suggest approaching it on the buddy plan since it can be kind of slow and lonely going by yourself. I doubt I would have finished it, much less re-read it, if I hadn't tackled it with classmates. In the end, though, it was definitely worth it.

[hupr]

An Isaac Asimov robot novel

When you're done with that, you should read Karel Čapek's War with the Newts. It's hilarious, and besides, he practically invented robots. Or at least the word.

[balderdash]

I graduated from Korbel, I am not currently there. I am in a formal political science program. Of course, you would of been able to conjecture that from my reading recommendation if you were familiar with the academic literature.

What's funny to me is that literally every post you make is intended to be inflammatory. For all of your proclaimed familiarity with the academic literature, you've missed out on the one essential attribute of all successful social scientists: humility. So good luck getting a job even if your doctorate is from Harvard. I'm sure everyone will want to hire an arrogant weasel as their colleague.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

I forgot to add an edited volume, The Lord's Resistance Army, by Allen and Vlassenroot. Beyond that, I need a few in-depth studies of particular rebel movements in the Great Lakes. Does anyone have recommendations on the RCD, FDLR, LRA, or ADF?

[hupr]

This may not be in-depth enough for you, but you might want to check out this article by Prunier if you haven't already read it. If my memory serves he discusses both the LRA and FDLR:

Rebel Movements and Proxy Warfare: Uganda, Sudan and the Congo (1986-99)Gérard PrunierAfrican Affairs

Vol. 103, No. 412 (Jul., 2004), pp. 359-383

He also did a great piece on the RPF in a collection about rebel movements that was published in Kamapala, I think. I can't remember the exact title but I'll post it if I come across it.

[Aunuwyn]

What's funny to me is that literally every post you make is intended to be inflammatory. For all of your proclaimed familiarity with the academic literature, you've missed out on the one essential attribute of all successful social scientists: humility. So good luck getting a job even if your doctorate is from Harvard. I'm sure everyone will want to hire an arrogant weasel as their colleague.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

I forgot to add an edited volume, The Lord's Resistance Army, by Allen and Vlassenroot. Beyond that, I need a few in-depth studies of particular rebel movements in the Great Lakes. Does anyone have recommendations on the RCD, FDLR, LRA, or ADF?

I don't think you know the proper characterization of a weasel. Weasels tend to dart in and out, hide, dissemble, and double cross people. I believe anything "inflammatory" I have said is upfront and direct, very un-weasel like. Further, I (and most professors) don't suffer fools lightly, and since they exist a plenty on this board and on the net you are witness to my much more aggressive argumentative tendencies. Finally, humility is a trait good for religious messiahs not successful people, and in the real world people who are intelligent and useful, not agreeable, get jobs.

Oh and to illustrate the naivety of this statement "For all of your proclaimed familiarity with the academic literature, you've missed out on the one essential attribute of all successful social scientists: humility," and to stay on topic with the thread; I invite you to read John Mearsheimer's piece The False Promise of International Institutions, and then the sequence of responses and his responses to them. You will quickly see that the Academy is not all the clouds and sunshine that you seem to think it is buttercup.

[wtncffts]

When you're done with that, you should read Karel Čapek's War with the Newts. It's hilarious, and besides, he practically invented robots. Or at least the word.

Thanks, I'll look into it. I love the works of Stanislaw Lem, especially the more humorous, satirical stories like The Cyberiad. Great stuff.