Source Notes 13

How to Enter the Global Green Economy (Foreign Policy in Focus, 06/16/2008)

Summary:

On June 16, 2008, Foreign Policy In Focus reported that the main problem with the United States starting high-speed rail projects is that American companies have very sparse representation in the civilian high technology industry.  This article presents another reason for why the U.S. Department of Transportation might not invest heavily in high-speed rail: brand loyalty.

Topic:

High-Speed Rail Policy

Category:

Academic Research

What is it?

a think tank article

Title:

“How to Enter the Global Green Economy”

Publication Information:

The name of the publication is Foreign Policy In Focus.  The article was published on June 16, 2008 in Washington D.C.

Author:

Jonathan Rynn

Location:

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5299

Accessed:

February 11, 2009

Support:

Earth Policy Institute, an environmental organization in Washington D.C.

Seymour Melman, a former professor of Industrial Engineering at Columbia University

The Earth Policy Institute boasted that Denmark provides 20 percent of its electricity from wind turbines.  The late Seymor Melman’s ideas about American engineers switching from military to civilian technology were referenced.

Audience and Agenda:

Foreign Policy In Focus has a controlled readership of 1,400.  The main readers are people well-informed on matters of international relations.  They use this source for analysis of U.S. foreign policy in commentaries, briefs, and reports.  They expect objective, in-depth documents that give a closer view into America’s foreign policy.

The Arca Foundation, CarEth Foundation, Compton, Colombe, Connect US, The Ford Foundation, HKH, Janelia, Park Foundation, Presente, Samuel Rubin Foundation, Town Creek, and the UN Foundation fund Foreign Policy In Focus and thus the article.  They are seeking an audience interested in what other countries are doing, and how the United States can learn from their examples.  They are trying to make the United States a more involved, advanced, and peaceful global partner.  An editor at Foreign Policy In Focus authorized the creation of the article.

Usefulness:

This document was created by an environmental non-profit think tank advocating an increase of American investment in high technology.  Sustainability is increasingly becoming an issue that can sway the opinions of politicians.

It is trying to address a very specific readership of experts in international relations.  It is also those experts that will have the most influence on politicians.

It is making the argument that America needs to shift investment and engineering knowledge from military to civilian uses.  Obama’s administration has already planned to take money from the military, considering the United States’ impending withdraw from Iraq.  With less money from one less war, there will be more to invest in civilian technology.

The article leaves out any alternative explanations for why America has fallen behind in high technology except that it has been investing too much in military technology.  Of course, the “defense” budget takes up the second highest proportion of the United States’ income.  It also leaves out information on whether train and renewable technology in other countries has been effective.  That’s probably because the source doesn’t focus specifically on high-speed rail.

Focusing in high-speed rail technology, this source relates to Source Notes 26, Source Notes 20, and Source Notes 18.

Works Cited:

“CSA Illumina.”  ProQuest.  <http://www.csa.com/>

“About Us.” Foreign Policy In Focus.  <http://www.fpif.org/fpifinfo/4432>

“Ulrichsweb.com.”  Ulrich’s Periodical Directory.  <http://ulrichsweb.com/ulrichsweb/>

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Filed under: Academic Research