Harold K. Jacobson Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Harold K. Jacobson (1929–2001) was a prominent scholar in the field of international relations. Although he published works on a variety of topics, he is best remembered as a pioneer in the study of international environmental policy. A native of Michigan, he studied at the University of Michigan and Yale University, from which he received a doctorate in political science in 1955. In 1957 he joined the faculty of the department of political science at the University of Michigan, where he worked until his death. He was known by all simply as “Jake.”

Jacobson had wide-ranging interests, and his research and teaching covered such fields as decolonization, international conflict, international law, international negotiations, international organization, and international political economy. He wrote, edited, or coedited twelve books and produced numerous scholarly articles. Among his major works are Networks of Interdependence (1979), an optimistic assessment about the prospects for international organizations and a more integrated international system, and the coedited Double-edged Diplomacy (1993), which highlighted the role of domestic politics in international negotiations. Arguably his most important work is Environmental Protection: The International Dimension (1983, co-written with David Kay), which was the first book to offer a systematic approach to the study of international environmental policy by examining international environmental agreements. Jacobson’s approach emphasized the role of international governmental and nongovernmental organizations in shaping the adoption and implementation of environmental policy, the latter of which he noted was always more of a problem. He was not only a social scientist well-schooled in the methods of behavioralism, but also an advocate, as his works reflect his normative commitment to human rights, environmental protection, and international cooperation.

Due to Jacobson’s teaching and research, he assumed many prominent positions and won numerous awards. He served as director of the Center for Political Studies and the Institute for Social Research, both at the University of Michigan; as president of the International Studies Association from 1982 to 1983; and as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also held numerous leadership positions in the American Society of International Law. In 1989 he became the founding chair of the (International) Human Dimension of Global Environmental Change, and for his groundbreaking work with that organization he received an Award for International Scientific Cooperation from the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1995, a rare achievement for a social scientist. From 1994 to 1996 he served as the lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, working with many international organizations, including the United Nations, on global environment issues. One of his final works, Engaging Countries: Strengthening Compliance with International Environmental Accords (1998), emerged out of his advocacy work on this issue.

Bibliography:

Jacobson, Harold K. Networks of Interdependence: International Organizations and the Global Political System. New York: Knopf, 1979.
Jacobson, Harold K., and Robert Cox. The Anatomy of Influence: Decision-making in International Organization. New Haven, Conn.:Yale University Press, 1973.
Jacobson, Harold K., and David Kay. Environmental Protection:The International Dimension. Totowa N.J.: Allanheld, Osmun, 1983.
Jacobson, Harold K., and Edith Brown Weiss, eds. Engaging Countries: Strengthening Compliance with International Environmental Accords. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1998.

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