Announcing the Albies

As the end of the year approaches, it’s time to look back and master the fine art of holiday letters think about "best of 2009" lists.   And, to be sure, this past year was an eventful one for the global political economy.  Trying to make sense of the past twelve months is a tricky business, ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and the author of The Ideas Industry.

As the end of the year approaches, it's time to look back and master the fine art of holiday letters think about "best of 2009" lists.   And, to be sure, this past year was an eventful one for the global political economy.  Trying to make sense of the past twelve months is a tricky business, even in a world of real-time instanalysis.  When intelligent zombies Salma Hayek-worshippers future historians try to make sense of what happened and why, what can we say are the five things that are worth reading? 

As the end of the year approaches, it’s time to look back and master the fine art of holiday letters think about "best of 2009" lists.   And, to be sure, this past year was an eventful one for the global political economy.  Trying to make sense of the past twelve months is a tricky business, even in a world of real-time instanalysis.  When intelligent zombies Salma Hayek-worshippers future historians try to make sense of what happened and why, what can we say are the five things that are worth reading? 

If David Brooks has his Sidney Awards, let’s call these the Albies, after this guy

Unlike Brooks, I’m not limiting myself to magazine articles.  I’m talking about any book, journal article, magazine piece, op-ed, or blog post published in the 2009 calendar year that made you rethink how the world works in such a way that you will never be able "unthink" the argument. 

The Albies will be announced at the end of this week, and I already have a pretty good idea of some of the winners.  At present, not all choices are fixed or frozen, however.  So consider this post an opportunity, and provide your suggestions (with links) in the comments. 

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and the author of The Ideas Industry. Twitter: @dandrezner

More from Foreign Policy

A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.
A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.

No, the World Is Not Multipolar

The idea of emerging power centers is popular but wrong—and could lead to serious policy mistakes.

A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.
A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.

America Prepares for a Pacific War With China It Doesn’t Want

Embedded with U.S. forces in the Pacific, I saw the dilemmas of deterrence firsthand.

The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.
The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.

America Can’t Stop China’s Rise

And it should stop trying.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on prior a meeting with European Union leaders in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on prior a meeting with European Union leaders in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.

The Morality of Ukraine’s War Is Very Murky

The ethical calculations are less clear than you might think.