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Benjamin Herscovitch

Policy Analyst, Social Foundations Program

benjamin-herscovitch

Before joining CIS, Benjamin was a Desk Officer at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where he served on the Pakistan desk and worked on the department's public diplomacy programs. He also recently submitted a PhD thesis that advances a liberal theory of federalism. His academic research spans philosophy, political theory and political science, and he has published in all of these disciplines.

At CIS, Benjamin is working on social policy issues, including Asia literacy, multiculturalism and social mobility, and foreign policy.

Publications by Author

  1. A Fair Go: Fact or Fiction?

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 09 May 2013 | Policy Monographs

    The Australian ideal of a fair go is fact rather than fiction. By offering all individuals the opportunity to capitalise... Read More...

  2. REVIEW ESSAY: A Little Knowledge Makes a Poor China Choice

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 25 Feb 2013 | POLICY Magazine

    The China Choice: Why America Should Share PowerBy High White

  3. Australia and the Asian Ascendancy: Why Upskilling is Not Necessary to Reap the Rewards

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 19 Feb 2013 | Issue Analysis

    Government programs to upskill the Australian workforce for the Asian Century are a solution to a non-problem. With more... Read More...

  4. After the Riot: the Meaning for Multicultural Australia

    Benjamin Herscovitch, Jeremy Sammut, Peter Kurti | 11 Oct 2012 | Issue Analysis

    The riot on 15 September in the Sydney CBD by Muslim protestors has raised questions about the health of Australian multiculturalism.... Read More...

  5. BOOK REVIEW: The World America Made

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 22 Sep 2012 | POLICY Magazine

    The World America MadeBy Robert KaganReviewed by Benjamin Herscovitch

  6. Australia's Asia Literacy Non-Problem

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 05 Sep 2012 | Issue Analysis

    New large-scale Asia literacy programs are not necessary for Australia to prosper in the Asian Century. There are approximately... Read More...

  7. FEATURE: Liberal Values and the End of History

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 07 Feb 2012 | POLICY Magazine

    The Arab Spring’s call for the institutionalisation of liberal values is reason to pause and reconsider Francis Fukuyama’s... Read More...

  8. FEATURE: Democratic Accountability and the Australian Federal System of Government

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 22 Mar 2010 | POLICY Magazine

    With better design, federalism can still bring government closer to voters.

Opinion & Commentary by Author

  1. Nothing to fear from China's foreign policy

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 08 Jul 2013 | The Canberra Times

    Chinese President Xi Jinping knows Asian stability will only help his ambitions.

  2. The fair go is fact, not political platitude

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 16 May 2013 | ON LINE Opinion

    Australia's social escalator moves so quickly that the poorest Australians can find fortune in just a few years. With the... Read More

  3. Sorry, Mr Swan, the Australian fair go is still going strong

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 09 May 2013 | The Drum

    In the lead up to what is likely to be a budget bloodbath on 14 May, Treasurer Wayne Swan has come out swinging. Instead... Read More

  4. Without a no-fly zone, Syria will burn

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 06 May 2013 | ON LINE Opinion

    As news emerges that a fourth Australian has been killed in Syria, concerns are also mounting that the war-torn country is... Read More

  5. The magic pudding state

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 23 Apr 2013 | The Drum

    Australians want government to spend more money on us, but we do not want to hand any more of our cash over to the tax office.

  6. Don't let Iraq syndrome prolong the slaughter in Syria

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 27 Mar 2013 | The Drum

    The memory of the the rash military adventurism in Iraq is still fresh, but that must not prevent us from using force to... Read More

  7. Abundant Asian Century opportunities for an already Asia-savvy Australia

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 25 Feb 2013 | ON LINE Opinion

    Tapping into the Asian Century bonanza does not mean that Australia requires costly education and training programs.

  8. No need for Asian Century panic

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 21 Feb 2013 | The Drum

    Why the anxiety over readying Australia for the Asian Century?

  9. The case for complacency about Australia’s engagement with Asia

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 12 Feb 2013 | ON LINE Opinion

    Calls for Australia to embrace Asia are unfounded; our Asian embrace is already extensive and only getting deeper.

  10. We are many: the futile fight over Australian identity

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 24 Jan 2013 | The Drum

    Stop squabbling about what it means to be Australian. Our shared commitment to liberal democracy and individual freedom means... Read More

  11. Masses rapt in hippy values

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 22 Dec 2012 | The Canberra Times

    Christmas in Australia is drifting from tradition.

  12. Business didn’t wait for White Paper

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 09 Nov 2012 | The National Business Review

    We can expect meagre policy returns from the Asian Century White Paper.

  13. A cultural revolution to celebrate

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 27 Oct 2012 | The Spectator

    In a very real sense, Australia is already Asian.

  14. Worthy goal or costly mistake? Solving the UNSC equation

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 26 Sep 2012 | The Drum

    The reflected glory of the UNSC's multilateral diplomacy can't compete with the power of regional relationships when it comes... Read More

  15. We need more US influence in Asia, not less

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 25 Sep 2012 | Australian Financial Review

    We should not encourage a premature changing of the guards in Asia.

  16. English is the language of the Asian century

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 13 Sep 2012 | The Drum

    English is an Asian language in its own right, so we shouldn't be worried about how we communicate in the Asian century.

  17. Plenty of Australians speak Asian languages

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 07 Sep 2012 | The Canberra Times

    Multiculturalism means Australia is becoming increasingly Asia literate.

  18. Region needs US to counter rising Chinese power

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 24 Jul 2012 | The Canberra Times

    Containment versus accommodation is an exciting prism through which to view the rise of China.

  19. Why democracy is a victim of its own success

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 28 Jun 2012 | The Canberra Times

    Is Gen Y blase towards elected government because democracy has prevailed over its ideological adversaries?

  20. Sorry, Malcolm, Australia needs the US in the Asian century

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 13 Jun 2012 | The Age

    Now is the time for our friendship with America to prosper and thrive.

  21. No easy solutions in Syria

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 28 May 2012 | The Drum

    There are no easy options in the Syria situation.

  22. Reduced defence spending may well be sound public policy

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 21 May 2012 | The Canberra Times

    Australia is under US protection and the world is a more peaceful place now.

  23. War-war when jaw-jaw fails?

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 18 May 2012 | ON LINE Opinion

    Despite a United Nations and Arab League-sponsored ceasefire agreement and the deployment of growing numbers of UN observers,... Read More

  24. Liberal democracies do it their own way

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 27 Feb 2012 | The Newcastle Herald

    Arab Springs don’t bring Western clones

Ideas@TheCentre by Author

  1. Authoritarian China’s successes vindicate liberalism

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 05 Jul 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    Liberal reforms are still needed in China to unlock the entrepreneurial talents and ambition of the world’s largest nation.

  2. The Snowden scandal is a hollow victory for Beijing

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 21 Jun 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    The moral malaise at the heart of Washington’s intelligence apparatus seems mild when compared to Beijing’s use of surveillance.

  3. The classical liberal view from Beijing

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 31 May 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    With global leadership slipping away from the United States, will China seek to shape the world in the image of its brand... Read More

  4. Fair go fear-mongering flies in the face of facts

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 10 May 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    Swan’s fair go fear-mongering is unfounded. Australians from even the poorest and least educated families are entering... Read More

  5. Mature Chinese foreign policy makes Cold War mentality obsolete

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 19 Apr 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    Careful Chinese foreign policy will always seek to improve relations with Australia.

  6. The phantom coup and poll-driven politics

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 28 Mar 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    Pointing the finger at the apparent shortcomings of Australia’s political culture is a convenient explanation for the recent... Read More

  7. Placating China does us all a disservice

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 15 Mar 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    Australia and its Asian partners should consistently and carefully explain the rationale for a continuation of the US security... Read More

  8. We should avoid an unwarranted Asian Century cultural cringe

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 22 Feb 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    Australians apparently lack the sensitivity and understanding to effectively compete in Asian markets.

  9. Language policy gone loco

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 01 Feb 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    A target of 40 per cent of Year 12 students studying LOTE is loco.

  10. Election 2013 will take us back to 64 BCE

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 18 Jan 2013 | Ideas@The Centre

    We can expect to see fast and furious pledges of support for all manner of interest groups and causes during this year’s... Read More

  11. The morality of US military might

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 14 Dec 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Arguments for a US drawdown in the Asia-Pacific betray a lack of appreciation of the moral dimension of the US military presence... Read More

  12. And the winner is ... Robamamney!

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 09 Nov 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Romney might have lost the race to the White House, but much of his foreign policy platform will live on in the Obama presidency.

  13. Half-baked language policy is al dente

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 02 Nov 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    White Paper is a triumph for commonsense as a false victory for the Asia literacy lobby.

  14. A multicultural success story

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 28 Sep 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Australia’s culturally diverse society remains open and healthy.

  15. Importing Australia’s Asia literacy

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 07 Sep 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Extra spending to improve Asia literacy is unnecessary because Australia is already well-positioned to prosper as power moves... Read More

  16. Unempirical Asian languages alarmism

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 16 Aug 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Asian languages alarmism should not scare us into expanding current language education programs.

  17. The Asian languages non-problem

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 06 Jul 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Is Australia prepared for a world in which the greatest economic and military power speaks Mandarin instead of English?

  18. Australia’s Asian embrace

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 15 Jun 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    As profound as the changes heralded by the dawn of the Asian Century might be, it does not require a great nation-building... Read More

  19. Defence-lite is sound policy

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 18 May 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Notwithstanding chatter about a US-China confrontation, Australia remains safe under America’s security embrace.

  20. Tiger mothers and the social escalator

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 13 Apr 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Academic achievement relies more on the values and aspirations of fellow students, parents and teachers – not so much on... Read More

  21. 'Of its essence a great mistake'

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 23 Mar 2012 | Ideas@The Centre

    Canberra fails as a capital city.