We’ve talked a great deal about the nation-state, and the realist belief that it is the be-all and end-all of world politics. But the nation-state itself is relatively plastic. The New York Times ran a post today that has a series of interactive maps about nation-states that could fall apart and the new nation-states that might emerge. It is a fascinating series of maps and analysis that I recommend highly.
Diplomacy is usually the practice of saying bad things nicely (telling someone to go to hell, but make them look forward to the trip). The new President of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, however, believes in rather blunt talk. His critique of American foreign policy is unsparing and deserves to be taken seriously.
Iran has announced that female college students will be prohibited from majoring in 77 different majors, including accounting and engineering. The decision offends the liberal, Western view of non-discrimination, but is consistent with the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It will be difficult to assess what the reaction within Iran will be to this decision.
World Politics News 
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