Security for a New Century

Policy Matters: Educating Congress on Peace and Security

"An Excellent resource guide for international issues." - United Nations Association of the United States  "I must commend you on writing such a thorough, informative, and applicable publication.  It will be a great resource for those who are looking on how to present their concerns before and hopefully better influence those on Capitol Hill." - Sage Newman, the Rand Corporation

In today’s post-9/11 world, our nation must move beyond the notion that military dominance is sufficient to prevail against threats to peace and security. Through Policy Matters, the Stimson Center hopes to inform and support Americans who would like their elected leadership to use all instruments of power at our nation’s disposal so that force is truly only used as an instrument of last resort. Policy Matters is a user-friendly “how-to” manual that sheds light on the institutional tendencies and structural limitations of the US Congress, and offers tips on how to effectively navigate them to get your voice heard.

“Security in a post-9/11 world requires a balanced toolkit, but we spend far more on our hard than on our soft power. Polls show that citizens support more balance, but in Congress, squeaky wheels get the grease. This handbook tells you what buttons to push to increase responsiveness. It is a real contribution to understanding our democratic processes.” - Joseph S. Nye, Jr., author of Soft Power: the Means to Success in World Politics

Policy Matters: Educating Congress on Peace and Security covers themes including:

• The support among the American public for positive US engagement in the world and the disconnect on this issue between the public and Congress;
• The importance of long-term, pragmatic and cost-effective solutions to today's challenges;
• How to devise a strategy for successful packaging and delivery of your knowledge/ideas in a time-constrained, polarized political environment; and,
• How to foster long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with your elected officials on Capitol Hill.

Click here to order or download Policy Matters.

Policy Matters Training Sessions

Following the overwhelmingly positive response to Policy Matters, a training curriculum based upon the recommendations of the book has been developed and integrated into Security for a New Century's outreach program. Each training session is conducted by either or both co-authors Lorelei Kelly and Elizabeth Turpen who both draw upon their long experience on Capitol Hill to offer insights and tactics for people interested in more effective advocacy strategies. Policy Matters training sessions have been held on several different occasions across the country, including: the Federation of American Scientists (Washington, DC); Naval War College (Newport, RI); 2005 Annual Meeting of the National Council for International Visitors (Washington, DC); Marc Linderberg Center for Humanitarian Action, University of Washington (Seattle, WA); Meridian International Center (Washington, DC); Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, PA); Peace Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI); and Refugees International (Washington, DC).

If you are interested in learning more about Policy Matters or the training sessions, please email info@stimson.org.

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