From Iraq and Afghanistan, over the last quarter of a century, the foreign policy of the United States has been very much defined by efforts at nation-building.
These missions, grounded in the idea that democratic institutions, free markets, and strong civil societies can be engineered into existence, have had mixed results. This troubled history has led many to question the intellectual underpinnings of nation-building projects, including so-called modernization theory.
James Ryan is Executive Director of the Middle East Research and Information Project and Adjunct Professor of History and International Studies at Rowan University. His writing on Turkish history and politics has appeared in the Washington Post, New Lines Magazine, Public Books, and other outlets. He has a PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania.
