Walk *and* Chew Gum
July 28, 2023 - Feminist foreign policy isn't idealistic. It's necessary.
This is our last newsletter for the summer. Team Interruptrr is taking a break for August through the first week of September (through Labor Day in the US). We’ll be back on September 15. 😎🏖
BUT, this isn’t my last missive to you. I will be sending around a survey over the next week or so, to gauge your thoughts about the newsletter and what you’d like to see more of, or less of!
In the meantime, my parting thought for the summer….
Feminist foreign policy has been gaining traction over the past few years. I’ve been part of a movement in the US to follow Sweden, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Chile, and others to push for the adoption of a feminist foreign policy (FFP).
I’ve talked about FFP before. I wanted to take the time to dive into it some more, since there is still a lot of confusion about what it is — and what it isn’t.
Contrary to its namesake, feminist foreign policy is not exclusively about women and girls, nor is it merely a plea for a seat at the proverbial table (though it does advocate for that). It’s about climate change. It’s about eliminating poverty. It’s about improving global health and addressing global health issues. It’s about cooperation and understanding. And, yes, it’s about ensuring national security.
Taking a look at what’s dominating headlines, this seems urgent and necessary.
Policymakers in Washington will tell you that what is urgent and necessary is the rise of strongmen and the decline of democracy, with endless pleas about what to do to preserve it. It’s Putin! It’s Erdogan! It’s Xi! The reality is, Putin, Erdogan, Xi, and others are merely symptoms of a larger problem that plagues international affairs: the failure to think about progress and prosperity through well-being, mutual benefit, and community rather than the singularity of GDP and growth. Foreign relations needn’t be zero-sum.
Unfortunately, it is, thanks to corporations. Business has played an outsized role in foreign policy, particularly in the West and the US since the end of World War II. I’ve previously touched on the role that British Petroleum played in prompting the CIA to overthrow the democratically elected leader, Mohammad Mossaddegh in Iran in 1953. Mossaddegh nationalized Iran’s oil, which pushed out BP. United Fruit called on the Eisenhower White House to intervene to stop Guatemala’s president, Jacobo Árbenz, after Árbenz pushed for land reform that would have required the company to pay more in taxes and give up land. (Can you tell I’m a professor?🤓)
Fast forward to today, where retailers across the board are eager to expand their reach, tech companies such as Facebook and the social media platform formerly known as Twitter have impacted and continue to impact world events — from genocides and uprisings to elections, and world leaders are desperate to show how much a nation’s economy expanded. Look, we're bigger!
It’s why we pay lip service to the gross actions out of China, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and India, while turning our heads as the EU pays off Tunisia and Turkey to keep migrants, and Mali and Uganda change laws to benefit those in power; why we are twiddling our thumbs as the Arab League brings Syria’s Assad back in from isolation and shrug our shoulders while El Salvador’s leader, Nayib Bukele crows about jailing people en masse and laughingly calls himself “the world’s coolest dictator.”
Beltway pundits will tell you that this is politics.
The truth is, it’s about the inability to see beyond the bottom line and consider community. They can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.
The bottom line is necessary. Innovation and entrepreneurship are what helped America become the superpower that it is. I’m a big advocate of both and will defend free enterprise as well as investing in research and development along with small businesses. What I have a harder time defending are the companies that push for market access at the expense of all else and leaders who believe that success and power is rooted in GDP.
Feminist foreign policy is an effort to correct this wrong and put all of us back on a track where we’re thinking in multitudes about the complex and increasingly complicated world we live in — and through the narrow lens of a single country or economic gain. It’s not a gain if people are losing.
If this sounds pie-in-the sky idealistic, it is. I’d be the first to say that while corporate interests drive US foreign policy, they operate in a national security apparatus that, at best, cannot see the wider picture. At worst, it is an apparatus that lacks the infrastructure, knowledge, and experience to balance economic growth with societal well-being — and the courage and will to change it. The urgent truth is: we need to change it.
As America’s relative power declines and other countries advance, the world order is rapidly changing — away from the idealism that America once promulgated. Some are adopting the zero-sum, it’s a dog-eat-dog world perspective. Others are moving in the direction of adopting feminist foreign policies and advocating for more cooperation and understanding. And it’s happening quickly. It’s urgent that we’re on the right side of this new reality. — Elmira
Elsewhere in the World.....
On our radar...
Niger Coup
On Thursday, in Niger, a group of soldiers detained the country’s president, Mohamed Bazoum, and announced a takeover of the government. Ana Faguay on what you need to know about the coup in the west African nation, the continent’s 7th since 2020. (Forbes)
Watch: And here is why we should care about what’s happening in Niger: US security works in Niger on counter terrorism efforts. FPI Fellow Kamissa Camara talked to Stephanie Sy to explain. (PBS Newshour)
Israel judicial overhaul
Israel’s parliament narrowly passed a judicial overhaul this week, sparking widespread anger and protests. What exactly is it? Ellen Ioanes explains. (Vox)
Israel’s judicial overhaul will leave a lasting impact on Netanyahu’s legacy. Frida Ghitis breaks it down. (CNN)
What does Israel’s judicial overhaul mean for Palestinians? Yasmeen Serhan on the court’s record on Palestinian rights, which is mixed. The court has both enabled and hindered Israel’s settlements. (Time)
One of the factors that has driven Netanyahu to get behind the judicial reform is to keep his corrupt ass out of prison. Except, as Lily Galili notes, he is now a prisoner of his own government. (Middle East Eye)
Other things that caught our eye….
Women Deliver is a NYC-based advocacy organization that champions gender equality. Its annual conference took place in Kigali, Rwanda last week. Our sisters-in-arms on Feminist Foreign Policy represented. Read this statement of intent on “Feminist Informed Policies Abroad and at Home.” (African Arguments)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is slowly walking back his promise that every player at the Women’s World Cup would receive at least $30,000. 🤦🏻♀️ Minky Worden highlights this and other examples of inequality in Women’s football. (HRW)
Also, we’re huge Minky Worden fans.
US
Once upon a time, the US pushed for China’s development and integration into the international global order. Today, it has become not only its rival but a counterweight to democracy. It’s time for the US to break with China, argue Gabriela Rodriguez and Oren Cass. (Foreign Affairs)
American icons: Barbie and Oppenheimer attempt to atone for the complicated legacies of both figures. Only one succeeds, says Jennifer Williams. (Foreign Policy)
Africa
Sorry, I have to wash my hair that night. In Russia, Putin is hosting the second Russia-African Summit. Except very few African leaders have shown up. Anna Gordon details how Putin has alienated the leaders on the African continent. (Time)
Conflict has been raging for 100 days in Sudan with no signs of peace in sight. Virginia Pietromarchi breaks down what we need to know as the fighting continues. (Al Jazeera)
In June, the US government stopped its food aid program to Ethiopia, in an effort to pressure the government into reforms. Raimy Khalife-Hamdan weighs in on the cruelty of stopping food aid to a population who are extremely food insecure. (Inkstick Media)
In Mali, the military government adopted a new constitution that gives the president sweeping new powers. Many fear this will threaten the move towards a civilian government. Natasha Booty and Mark Pivac explore what the new constitution means for the future of the country. (BBC)
There are a few new categories for the 2024 Grammys, including “Best African Music Performance,” but how are we to put a whole continent of diverse music into one category? Shamira Ibrahim says that they can’t and this shows the Academy’s further decline in concern for talent and merit. (Africa is a Country)
Asia
Where in the world is China’s foreign minister? Not in his office. After weeks of not being seen, China has removed Qin Gang as the nation’s top diplomat — and everything else that has to do with him. Why? Simone McCarthy investigates. (CNN)
Where did Chinese President Xi Jinping’s favorite prodigy, his now former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, go? Yuchen Li and Srinivas Mazumdaru aren’t sure, but they are here to give us the low down on the well-known “wolf warrior.” (DW)
The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, declared a landslide victory in elections on Sunday — though these elections were anything but fair. Sen has indicated he will soon cede power to his eldest son, Hun Manet. Frances Vinall clues us in on who Hun Manet is. (Washington Post)
Manipur, a state in northeast India, has been overwhelmed with ethnic clashes since early May and the Indian government has failed to respond. Why? Patricia Mukhim on how Modi’s long silences speak volumes. (Al Jazeera)
Thailand is not ready for change yet, says Aim Sinpeng. Though Pita Limjaroenrat’s Move Forward party won in May’s election, he has failed to secure the support to form a government. Singpeng outlines the challenges and what’s to come. (Nikkei Asia)
The Americas
In Mexico, populist President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s six year tenure will come to an end next June. Voters will be looking for a third way between the incumbent and the technocracy of old, writes Vanessa Rubio-Márquez. (Chatham House)
Venezuela also holds elections in 2024. A popular rival to the incumbent Nicolás Maduro, María Corina Machado, has been barred from running from office. Who is Machado and how will her ban impact the opposition's chances of unseating Maduro? Vanessa Neumann, Peter Siavelis, José Cárdenas, and Michael Skol are here to fill us in. (The Dialogue)
Europe
Though the final results from Spain’s elections on Sunday are not final, what is clear is that the country is not looking to adopt a far right government again. Beatriz Ríos and Anthony Faiola on the vote that had a high turnout (amid the heat). (Washington Post)
Greece is hotter than hot — it’s unbearable. Some of us, who are experiencing another extreme, heavy rains, may look with a jealous eye, but Helena Smith’s chronicle of current Grecian daily life will make you grateful for the rain. (The Guardian)
Following another incident of Quran burning in Sweden, Ellie Geranmayeh and Hamzeh Hadad discuss how Europeans can ease tensions with Muslim-majority nations. (ECFR)
More than two-thirds of Brits support a second referendum on EU membership. But is there any way back for the UK? Katelyn Greer doesn't think there is. (The Hill)
Middle East
Women are saving Gaza’s fishing industry under apartheid. Maha Hussaini shows us how. (Middle East Eye)
Yemenis are divided along many lines – ethnic affiliations, geographical location (north vs. south), proxy supporters (Saudi Arabia and Iran). To add complexity, these lines are also often changing, writes Eleonora Ardemagni, who helps put it into perspective. (Middle East Institute)
The LGBTQ community is under attack in Jordan, reports Hanna Davis. Anti-LGBTQ activists call for criminalizing homosexual couples, along with Islamist political parties calling for the removal of the community. (Al-Monitor)
Science and Climate Change
The Canadian wildfires continue to trouble US cities — and national security. Alice Hill and Tess Turner point out the fires’ effects on military training and resources. The US military’s number one enemy should be climate change. (Just Security)
He’ll go his own way. China’s president said that his country wouldn’t be influenced by outsiders regarding greenhouse gas emissions, stepping back from the Paris Agreement. It’s all bad news for climate change, says Diana Furchtgott-Roth. (National Review)
What does life on Earth look like after us? Isobel Cockerell interviewed the writer Adam Kirsch on his new book “The Revolt Against Humanity: Imagining a Future Without Us.” (Coda Story)
Links We Loved....
Traveling this summer? Check out this 13-minute airport yoga so you can feel refreshed before getting on the plane
Looking to travel to East Asia for summer festivals? Check out the top 14 destinations for summer festivals in Tokyo!
Check out this visual that explores how many hit songs are written by all women teams (we'll give you a hint: not many). 🙄😠
Job Opportunities
Alight, a terrific organization that works with migrants and displaced people worldwide, is hiring for a United States Executive Director. You get to work with the amazing Jocelyn Wyatt. This position is not assigned a location - but Elmira has been to their NYC offices and they are NICE.
Editorial Team
Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief
Editors:
Samantha Felman
Anouk Jouffret
Pin-Shan Lai
Catherine Lovizio
Noa Schmid
Emily Smith