Editor's Note

It’s been quite a semester. After every instance of turmoil and trauma, “dialogue” offers itself up as a panacea. The word is everywhere, especially now. The desire to transcend differences through discussion and peaceful communication is a powerful one, but by itself, dialogue means nothing. The tenor of the conversation—its richness, its nuance, its integration of the personal and the factual—is as important as the effort toward dialogue itself; perhaps more important. Though the December issue of the Columbia Political Review is not a direct response to this semester’s events, it is an attempt to take ourselves—and our thoughts—seriously. I hope that you’ll agree that our writers have neither diminished big issues nor subjected minor ones to unnecessary scrutiny, that our earnest effort at dialogue has succeeded, and that we’ve paid attention to what we say and how we say it. But whether you agree or not, I urge you to join our discussion. - Mark Krotov