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44752. Aligned but not Allied: ROK—Japan Bilateral Military Cooperation
- Author:
- Jiun Bang
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Conflict and cooperation are constants in the discipline of international relations. In the case of the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) and Japan’s bilateral military relations, the overwhelming interest in what drives conflict has tended to overshadow any analysis of diplomatic cooperation. In fact, many have cited the lingering effects of the Cold War to be one of the key driving forces behind the dynamics surrounding the Korean peninsula,1 what Victor Cha calls, ‘a stickiness of Cold War thinking’2 that has perpetuated a discourse mired in the vocabulary of realism. Subsequently, realism has served as the default explanation for the rationale of interaction within the Northeast Asia region, with no rigorous empirical testing of whether those ‘truisms’ are indeed grounded in facts. Hence, the underlying motivation behind this paper started with questioning whether security, and thus, accordant cooperation in Northeast Asia was really driven by realism. Specifically, how much explanatory power do the various theoretical discourses have in accounting for the instances of bilateral military cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo?
- Topic:
- Security, Bilateral Relations, and Defense Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Japan, Asia, and South Korea
44753. From “Cardinal Sin” to Policy Agenda? The Role of Capital Controls in Emerging Market Economies
- Author:
- June Park
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Korea’s economic development since the 1980s has occurred in the context of capital controls and a strong governmental role in achieving sustained growth. The experiences of two financial crises—the Asian financial crisis (1997–98) and the global financial crisis (2008–09)—confirm the impression of a highly responsive state, although different pictures emerge as to how the Korean government sought to abolish or deploy capital controls in accordance with global consensus and intellectual trends in international political economy. Contrary to the policies of financial liberalization by the Korean government in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis, the Korean government shifted to a policy direction favoring capital controls following the global financial crisis, as seen in recent Group of 20 proclamations. However, given the necessity of capital inflows for an outward-oriented economy such as Korea’s, which is heavily dependent on foreign capital inflows for investment, it is questionable to what extent Korea can effectively take advantage of capital controls, what the goals of such controls should be, whether there will be strong political backing for implementation of such policies, and what political risks the current government faces in implementing new capital controls. This paper seeks to provide answers to these questions by examining Korea’s initiatives for capital controls in light of its history and the surge of capital inflows to emerging market economies since the global financial crisis.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Markets, and Domestic Policy
- Political Geography:
- Asia and South Korea
44754. Agencies, Roles and Their Choices: Reform of the Korean Legal Profession from 1995 to 2007
- Author:
- Yukyoung Choe
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Northeast Asian countries including Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, have recently considered adopting the U.S.-style legal education as a revolutionary remedy to dissolve chronic problems of the Pre-Reform system. Especially in Korea and Japan, reform of the legal professional training system underwent a profound transformation by switching their four-year undergraduate legal education system to a three-year postgraduate – the U.S.-style law school — legal education.1 Although the legal education system itself does not guarantee an advent of a law-governed society, the U.S.-style law school system provides symbolic meaning to Asian countries moving toward the rule of law, access to justice, and globalization.2 Despite seemingly unending controversies, both Japan and Korea implemented the postgraduate law school system in 2004 and 2009 respectively. They both have conformed to the globalization pressure, the public demands of establishing a law-governed society by expanding the size of their legal education, and increasing the number of practicing lawyers.
- Topic:
- Education, Law, Rule of Law, and Domestic Policy
- Political Geography:
- Asia and South Korea
44755. Another Energy Competition in Northeast Asia Coal Policies of South Korea and Japan in Comparative Perspective
- Author:
- Eunjung Lim
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Northeast Asian countries compete against one another in order to procure natural resources from abroad. Moreover, competition surrounding energy-related technologies is getting overheated in this region. It would be worth paying attention to energy competition between South Korea and Japan, so we can better understand energy security in Northeast Asia by comparing South Korea’s and Japan’s energy strategies. This paper examines how important coal is in the two countries’ economies and why coal has become so important . It also analyzes the similarities and differences of their coal policies, especially focusing on policy trends and prospects related to Clean Coal Technology. This paper will warn of another hot competition among the countries in this region and suggest multilateral cooperation.
- Topic:
- Natural Resources, Coal, Energy, and Competition
- Political Geography:
- Japan, Asia, and South Korea
44756. The Dollar’s Influence in East Asia: Benevolent or Overbearing? A Comparative Answer in the U.S. Economic Aid and the Dollar Standard
- Author:
- Gloria Koo
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- There is no doubt that the United States has been a dominant economic power in the world. U.S. troops are deployed in the various corners of the world, and their military presence is often a strong force in propping up the status quo or a peaceful co-existence, possibly and hopefully more peaceful than otherwise. The U.S. has held an important role in the international system as a military power. But also in an economic sense, the U.S. has been a dominant leader. As a major consumer market and an investor, U.S. influence on the global economy is significant to say the least. This is especially true in East Asia. Through military alliance and economic aid, the U.S. crafted close relationships with East Asian countries and influenced their domestic policymaking. For example, as a provider of military and economic stability, the U.S. wielded much influence on domestic macroeconomic policies of Korea and Taiwan during the early industrialization years of 1950s-60s. The economic aid came with conditions, and Korea and Taiwan complied. Although explicit economic aid stopped in the late 1960s, other forms of assistance, for example loans, grants and technology transfers continued, and more importantly security alliances remained strong. The U.S. still holds much influence over Korea and Taiwan, as a military ally and a major trade partner. In the present day, Korea and Taiwan closely peg their currencies to the U.S. dollar and hold large currency reserves in dollars. As a result, macroeconomic stability of Korea and Taiwan depends largely on the stability of the dollar. In this way, the dollar’s influence on Korea and Taiwan is quite significant. Similar to but also different from the way that Korea and Taiwan depended on U.S. economic aid, they again depend on the dollar to anchor economic stability.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Economics, Investment, Currency, and Economic Stability
- Political Geography:
- Taiwan, Asia, South Korea, and United States of America
44757. South Korean National Identity and its Strategic Preferences
- Author:
- Andrew Kim
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Natural disasters are known to draw nations closer together. The 2004 tsunami relief efforts of various states, especially the United States, were widely credited with improving relations with Indonesia. An outpouring of sympathy and, especially, a major assistance program, elicited public gratitude at a time of great need. Yet, heightened sensitivity in the aftermath of a tragic disaster holds the potential for negative sentiments as well. Readiness to believe that other nations regard the disaster as fitting punishment can translate into exaggerated reactions, especially in this age of Internet postings and blogs. In 2008, China suffered a major earthquake. In 2011, Japan experienced an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor leakages. South Korea is located between these two states, and the way its response to these devastating events were interpreted by its neighbors opens a window into its dynamic national identity and how such developments shape its strategic outlook.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Natural Disasters, and Identity
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, Asia, and South Korea
44758. Nothing to be Afraid of? North Korean Political Economy and Economic Reform
- Author:
- Ian E. Rinehart
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) President Kim il-Sung explained to his counterpart Erich Honecker, President of the German Democratic Republic, in 1977 that building socialism in the DPRK is the foundation for establishing a new social order in the entire nation.1 Socialist principles have guided the North Korean political economy since the country was established after World War II. The 1972 constitution repeatedly stressed the achievement of “true socialism” as a goal and declared that the DPRK “exercises the dictatorship of the proletariat.”2 In the North Korean system, urban residents received monthly rations for household goods distributed at nominal prices, while workers on agricultural cooperatives and state farms received consumer goods in return for agricultural output sold to the state at an artificially low price. The government’s top-down central planning set production-based targets for factories and farms.
- Topic:
- Economics, Political Economy, Politics, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Asia and North Korea
44759. North Koreans Have Cell Phones - Why cell phones won’t lead to revolution and how they strengthen the regime
- Author:
- Peter Nesbitt
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- Until the recent passing of Kim Jong-il, the world thought of North Korea as a Stalinist, Hermit Kingdom run by a crazy, nuclear weapon-building, grey jumpsuit-wearing dictator known as the Dear Leader. Yet, against a narrative of repression, torture, and brinksmanship, North Korea has dramatically expanded its mobile telecommunication infrastructure over the last three years. Most scholars agree that cell phones increase individuality while providing an opportunity for dissent. From the 2001 “text-message revolution” in the Philippines to the more recent role of cell-phones during the Jasmine Revolutions in the Middle East, mobile telecommunication has supported political upheaval and the overthrow of governments.
- Topic:
- Security, Science and Technology, Domestic Policy, Telecommunications, and Cell Phones
- Political Geography:
- Asia and North Korea
44760. Selling North Korea in New Frontiers: Profit and Revolution in Cyberspace
- Author:
- Jane Kim
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies
- Institution:
- Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
- Abstract:
- When the Internet became accessible to the international public in the 1990’s, it forever revolutionized the way people exchange information and communication. Demands for connection to the virtual world spurred global economic growth as new firms emerged to supply wanted products and services. And as commercial transactions became possible online, the Internet transformed into a legitimate economy, enticing highly authoritarian regimes such as China and Cuba.
- Topic:
- Authoritarianism, Internet, Economic Growth, Cyberspace, Telecommunications, and Information
- Political Geography:
- Asia and North Korea
44761. African Union Commission Consultation with African Union Member States on Transitional Justice
- Author:
- Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)
- Publication Date:
- 01-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)
- Abstract:
- This report is a reflection of a two-day expert consultation on Transitional Justice with African Union Member States organised by the Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), which took place from 12–13 September 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa. The aim of the consultation was to develop a clear and more coherent understanding of contemporary applications of transitional justice in Africa in light of the ongoing processes towards the development of an African policy framework on transitional justice.
- Topic:
- Transitional Justice, Violence, Reconciliation, and African Union
- Political Geography:
- Africa and South Africa
44762. Arab Uprisings: New Opportunities for Political Science
- Author:
- Eva Bellin, Lindsay Benstead, Nathan J. Brown, Nathan J. Brynen, and Melani Cammett
- Publication Date:
- 06-2012
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS)
- Abstract:
- The uprisings that swept the Arab world following the fall of Tunisia’s President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011 represented a stunning moment in the region’s political history. For political scientists specializing in the region, the events of the last year and a half represented an exhilarating moment of potential change but also an important opportunity to develop new research questions, engage in new comparisons, and exploit new data and information. The Arab uprisings challenged long-held theories dominant in the field, particularly about the resilience of authoritarian regimes, while opening up entirely new areas of legitimate social scientific inquiry. The Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS) was created in 2010 in part to build the capacity of Middle East experts to engage and inform policy-makers, the public sphere, and other political scientists about the region. On May 29 to 30, 2012, POMEPS convened a group of leading political scientists who specialize in the Middle East for its third annual conference at George Washington University to discuss the opportunities and challenges that the Arab uprisings pose to the subfield. Participants were asked: “What new and innovative research questions do you think have become particularly urgent, feasible, or relevant? How would those research questions fit into wider debates in the field of political science?” This special POMEPS Briefing collects nearly two dozen of the memos written for the conference. The authors are all academic political scientists and Middle East specialists who speak Arabic and have lived in and studied Arab countries for extended periods. They include scholars at all career levels, from senior faculty at top universities to advanced graduate students still writing their dissertations. The memos reflect on a wide range of debates and paradigms within political science, and taken together lay out an impressive set of marching orders for the subfield. Graduate students looking for dissertation topics and junior faculty looking for articles that might make a big splash take note.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Political Economy, Democracy, Arab Spring, Political Science, and Muslim Brotherhood
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Egypt, and United States of America
44763. Arab Uprisings: The New Salafi Politics
- Author:
- William McCants, Christian Caryl, Olivier Roy, Aaron Y. Zelin, and Monica Marks
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS)
- Abstract:
- Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Salafi, Spotlight, Syria, Tunisia POMEPS Studies 2 – Arab Uprisings: The New Salafi Politics The New Salafi Politics POMEPS Studies 2 – October 16, 2012 Few developments associated with the Arab uprisings have generated as much concern as the rapid emergence of Salafi movements into the public arena. The performance of al-Nour Party in Egypt’s parliamentary elections stunned many observers. Waves of attacks on Sufi shrines in Tunisia and Libya, denunciations of secular citizens, and loud calls for the imposition of sharia have raised fears at home and abroad. The violent protests over the anti-Islam YouTube film, the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and the emergence of Salafi-jihadist trends within the Syrian opposition have made these political concerns ever more urgent. Who are these new Salafi movements? How should we interpret their rise? This new POMEPS Brief collects more than a dozen recent ForeignPolicy.com essays on Salafis across the Arab world, including a detailed look at Salafi politics in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Bahrain, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. The picture that emerges is troubling — but also unexpectedly reassuring. These well-funded and well-entrenched sub cultures will likely continue to thrive in the open, contentious new Arab political realm. But how they will behave, the response they will generate from other political trends and societal sectors, and how they will approach political institutions remains very much in question.
- Topic:
- Salafism, Arab Spring, Syrian War, and Political Islam
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and North Africa
44764. The Arab Monarchy Debate
- Author:
- Marc Lynch, Daniel Brumberg, Michael Herb, F. Gregory Gause III, and Sean Yom
- Publication Date:
- 12-2012
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS)
- Abstract:
- It has been widely noted that monarchies have done better at surviving the Arab uprisings that began two years ago. Three Presidents (Ben Ali, Mubarak, and Saleh) have fallen, along with Muammar al-Qaddafi’s unique Jamahiriaya, while Bashar al-Assad’s Baathist presidential regime faces a mortal threat. For some analysts and academics, this pattern suggests a fairly obvious “monarchical exception” which demands explanation. In August, I launched a debate on Foreign Policy about whether and how monarchy matters in explaining the resilience of Arab regimes. I was not impressed. Against arguments that monarchies face some kind of unique legitimacy commanding the loyalty of their people, I noted that Arab monarchies have in fact faced significant popular mobilization over the last two years: Bahrain has had one of the most intense and protracted uprisings anywhere; Kuwait is facing the deepest political crisis in its post-occupation history; Jordan experienced unprecedented protests; Saudi Arabia has had a protracted challenge in its Eastern Province; Oman experienced unusual levels of protest; Morocco’s protest movement drove the king to adopt a significant (if underwhelming) constitutional initiative. I concluded, “the monarchies look like fairly typical Arab authoritarian regimes, surviving because they enjoy greater financial resources, less demanding international allies, and powerful media assets to perpetuate their legitimation myths.”
- Topic:
- Arab Spring, Political Science, Monarchy, and Gulf Cooperation Council
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Gulf Nations, and UAE
44765. Creating and wasting fiscal space: Zambian fiscal performance, 2002–2011
- Author:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis & Research (ZIPAR)
- Publication Date:
- 06-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- Following three decades of economic mismanagement and decline, Zambia has experienced sustained economic growth since the turn of the century. The combination of rapid growth, reduced public expenditure, increased mining taxation and debt relief helped the Government establish fiscal discipline and reduce fiscal deficits and debt to sustainable levels. As a result, fiscal space has grown significantly and Zambia is no longer aid dependent. In addition, lower domestic public borrowing has helped cut inflation and interest rates and has reduced crowding out of private sector borrowing. These developments would normally be expected to lead to significant poverty reduction. However, by 2010 there had been little improvement in poverty. This is partly due to fiscal space being wasted on ill-designed agriculture policies and uneconomic road paving projects of little benefit to the poor.
- Topic:
- Economy, Economic Growth, Fiscal Policy, and Management
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44766. The costs and pricing of tourism in Zambia: The case of Livingstone
- Author:
- Bernard Banda and Caesar Cheelo
- Publication Date:
- 11-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- Tourism is potentially one of Zambia’s best prospects for economic diversification and growth. The tourism sector has the potential to play an increasingly important role in stimulating economic growth by contributing to job creation, foreign exchange earnings, entrepreneurial development, infrastructural development, improvements to rural areas and communities, and more. There are questions, however, over the effectiveness of public sector policy and strategic interventions in fostering the realisation of the potential of tourism. In this regard, there are two opposing views of the realities of Zambia’s tourism industry. The operators argue that the business environment is exceptionally difficult in terms of both the odious costs of doing business and the variability of regulations in the industry. In sum, they say, it is a struggle to generate decent profits. Their critics, however, say that such claims are unfounded. They believe that the operators have been deliberately creating information asymmetries, causing immense loss of government revenue and benefitting from considerably higher prices for tourism service packages than do their competitors in the region. It is possible that both arguments contain some truth. Until we gain a better understanding of the cost and price structures and their differences with regional competitors, the mistrust between the government and the private sector will persist. This study seeks to make a modest contribution to informing tourism policy and strategies by taking a disaggregated look at the cost and price structures of tourism service operations in one of Zambia’s key tourism destinations and comparing them with the structures in a proximate competitor region. By benchmarking tourism services in Livingstone against those in Victoria Falls town (on the other side of the Zimbabwean border), it captures detailed data on prices, inputs (labour, main service ingredients), food and beverages, overheads and other establishment performance indicators. The services considered include: accommodation (hotels and lodges); food and beverages (restaurants, diners, pubs/bars, cafes, etc); adventure tourism (water rafting, water cruises, micro flights); and wildlife safaris (nature walks, game drives, safaris).
- Topic:
- Development, Tourism, and Economic Growth
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44767. Estimating Returns to Education in Zambia
- Author:
- Chrispin Mphuka and Joseph Simumba
- Publication Date:
- 12-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- This paper estimates private returns to schooling among individuals aged 25 to 40 years old residing in Zambia in 2010. Using Instrumental Variable (IV) approach based on Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) and Generalised Method of Moments (GMM), we estimate average returns to schooling in the order of 15.1 percent. Proximity to primary and secondary school as well as per capita household educa- tion expenditure at district level in 1991 served as instruments. These instruments correspond to the period when the wage earners in the 2010 Living Conditions and Monitoring Survey (LCMS) were in school. These results provide important infor- mation on incentives regarding accumulation of human capital, e¢ ciency of resource allocation in the education sector and the distributional consequences of di¤erences in human capital.
- Topic:
- Education, Human Capital, Schools, and Resource Allocation
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44768. Resource mobilisation and fundraising in basic schools: A case study of Copperbelt and North-Western province
- Author:
- Malunga Syacumpi
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- Like many other countries, Zambia removed a major barrier to access to primary education when it abolished user fees for Grades 1–7 in 2002. The resulting fall in basic schools’ income, however, has not been relieved by adequate government resources trickling down through the complex school funding system. In an attempt to address their funding problems, some schools have adopted fundraising ventures as a way of supplementing government resources. The successes and practicability of implementation of such ventures remain to be seen. There is a lack of information about the adequacy of such measures and no institutional framework to guide their implementation. This study explores the range of resource mobilisation and fundraising activities adopted by basic schools. It looks into how basic schools are raising funds and how these funds are being utilised based on a sample of 30 basic schools (15 each from Copperbelt and North-Western provinces). The research was conducted through questionnaires with head teachers and school accountants/bursars as well as interviews conducted at the provincial and district level.
- Topic:
- Education, Resource Management, Public Finance, and Schools
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44769. Constraints on the demand for youth labour in Zambia
- Author:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis & Research (ZIPAR), Grayson Koyi, Gibson Masumbu, and Albert Halwampa
- Publication Date:
- 12-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- Zambia is one of many developing countries struggling to create adequate employment opportunities for its people, especially in the formal economy. Unemployment is highest among youths (15–24 years old) and particularly affects those without skills. Unless the challenge of youth unemployment is met, Zambia could face rising poverty levels in the future. Based on a survey of firms in the mining and quarrying, manufacturing, and construction industries, this study analyses constraints on the demand for youth labour and identifies five broad policy areas in which the government could help make it easier for firms to absorb more young people.
- Topic:
- Development, Labor Issues, Youth, Mining, Manufacturing, and Unemployment
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44770. Understanding youth labour demand constraints in Zambia: The mining, manufacturing and construction sectors
- Author:
- Grayson Koyi, Gibson Masumbu, and Albert Halwampa
- Publication Date:
- 12-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- Zambia is among many developing countries struggling to create adequate employment opportunities for its people, especially in the formal economy. There is high youth unemployment, especially in urban areas where it has surged to 40.4% for females and 35.6% for males (CSO 2011, 95). Sender et al. (2005) attribute the high youth unemployment rates in Zambia to the socio-economic crisis of the past two decades and the young and increasing population that is producing an ever bigger youth labour force. Mayaka and Moyo (1999) further observe that youth unemployment mainly affects those without skills. A new challenge is the revised minimum wage legislation, which could influence youth employment levels if formal sector employers opt to lay off excess labour in order to contain labour-related costs of production. Unless the challenge of youth unemployment is met, Zambia could face rising poverty levels in the future. The new government has made pronouncements about expanding employment opportunities for youths, but without good data and information about labour demand dynamics, the government’s good intentions are likely to face severe challenges. Closing this knowledge gap is a necessary step in identifying corrective policy measures.
- Topic:
- Development, Labor Issues, Youth, Mining, Manufacturing, Unemployment, and Construction
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44771. What do the COMESA Customs Union and COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area mean for Zambia’s import trade and trade tax revenue?
- Author:
- Caesar Cheelo, Njeleka Malata, and Joseph Tembo
- Publication Date:
- 02-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
- Abstract:
- Zambia has participated actively in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional integration programmes. Within SADC it is now reportedly a full participant in the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA), granting duty-free and quota-free access to goods originating from the SADC region. It is also a founding participant in the COMESA FTA and is now looking ahead to participate in the establishment of the COMESA Customs Union. The country is also committed to participate in the recently announced Tripartite FTA, which will establish a free trade area and then eventually a customs union, consolidating the regional economic communities of COMESA, SADC, and the East African Community (EAC). Quite often the actual or potential short-term or transitional impacts of the tariff reforms associated with regional integration are not well known. This is the case with respect to Zambia’s commitments to further integration under the forthcoming COMESA Customs Union and Tripartite FTA. ZIPAR therefore undertook a study to assess the potential effects for Zambia of the forthcoming trade reforms implied in both the COMESA Customs Union and the Tripartite FTA. The study made two starting-point observations: on the one hand, the Tripartite FTA is expected to consolidate the internal markets of the three regional economic communities and facilitate duty- and quota-free trade within the common market, subject to rules of origin. This means the Tripartite FTA will define Zambia’s internal trade policy position with other member states. On the other hand, the COMESA Customs Union, with its Common Tariff Nomenclature, Common External Tariff structure and common Customs Management Regulations, will define Zambia and other COMESA Member States’ common external trade policy position. Given Zambia’s ratification of these trade arrangements, it is important for policy-makers to understand the significance of the trade policy reforms implied in both the COMESA Customs Union and the Tripartite FTA. This paper therefore seeks to determine the implications for Zambia of the trade reforms that the country will undertake. It applies the following methods of ex-ante analysis: (1) Import trade and tariff profiling using simple descriptive statistical analysis of trade for the period 2000-2010 and of tariff structures in 2010; (2) Analysis of required trade policy reforms; and (3) Analysis of revenue implications and economic effects using the World Bank’s Tariff Reform Impact Simulation Tool (TRIST). Trade and customs data as well as other data were obtained from authentic national and international sources including the Zambia Revenue Authority, COMESA Secretariat, Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Finance, World Trade Organisation and World Bank, among others. The paper’s reference period is 2010.
- Topic:
- Treaties and Agreements, Tariffs, Trade, and Customs
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
44772. SACU Revenue Sharing Formula: Towards a Developmental Agreement
- Author:
- Roman Grynberg and Masedi Motswapong
- Publication Date:
- 07-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis
- Abstract:
- The South African Customs Union (SACU) Revenue Sharing Formula (RSF) has been revised substantively twice; once in 1969 and in 1994-2002 since the creation of the customs union in 1910 and each time the changes in the treaty were a reflection of the historic changes occurring in Southern Africa. The apartheid regime created a RSF that served to increase the share of revenue of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (BLS), leaving the South African share as a residual of revenues. As this made South Africa a residual claimant it was unsustainable and required reform in the post-apartheid era. The 2002 formula increased the share to the Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BNLS) and removed South Africa as a residual claimant but did not change the fundamental economic relationship between members. While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supports orthodox fiscal adjustment imbalances this paper argues that the order of magnitude makes those adjustment implausible and a new political arrangement is needed between South Africa and Lesotho and Swaziland to create a viable way forward for Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is argued that even in the case of Botswana and Namibia a new developmental formula, based on investing SACU revenues for regional and national development projects is needed to relieve those countries that have suffered the effects of polarization.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Customs, and Revenue Sharing
- Political Geography:
- Africa and South Africa
44773. Massive Rice Offering in Wangdiphodrang in Zhabdrung Rinpoche’s Time
- Author:
- Dasho Karma Ura
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- A newly discovered book of 1679, perhaps the oldest extant land record, shows that there was a survey of taxable fields and taxable houses of Wangdi district (Shar mTsho brGyad kyi khral Zhing khral Khyim gyi Deb gTer) to collect rice taxes as fresh-harvest offering for blessing tithes (dbang yon thog phud).
- Topic:
- History
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Bhutan
44774. GNH, EI and the well-being of Nations: Lessons for public policy makers, with specific reference to the happiness dividend of tourism
- Author:
- Shaun Vorster
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- Happiness is one of 15 emotional intelligence (EI) competencies identified by Hughes, Patterson and Terrell (2005:18–19; also see Seligman, 2002; Bar-On, 1997; Bar-On, 2000). Contemporary EI literature largely focuses on the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels of EI, and their interconnections and interdependencies with the organizational/firm levels. Much emphasis is placed on the relationship between EI in the workplace (for example employee satisfaction/happiness) and organizational performance (for example company culture, return on equity, and efficiency) (Hughes et al., 2005; Goleman, 2000; Rajagopalan, 2009; Amy, 2007; Prins, 2006; JacksonPalmer, 2010; Zeidner, Matthews & Roberts, 2004). The individual-organizational level of analysis, though important, ignores the national and/or global level of analysis (exceptions include Donnelly, 2004; The Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998; Pankaj & Dorji, 2008). In this essay, it is argued that Buddhist economics and literature on gross national happiness (GNH) can inform our understanding of the relationship between happiness at individual and societal levels.
- Topic:
- Tourism, Public Policy, Happiness, and Gross National Happiness (GNH)
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Bhutan
44775. The ethics platform in tourism research: A Western Australian perspective of Bhutan’s GNH Tourism Model
- Author:
- Simon Teoh
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- This paper examines Bhutan’s unique development model based on a philosophy called Gross National Happiness (GNH) through tourism. The discussion is framed by Macbeth’s (2005) ethics platform in tourism research. The purpose of the paper is to investigate and understand a group of Western Australians’ perspective of Bhutan as a valued tourist destination and the likelihood of participants visiting Bhutan after understanding the GNH tourism model at a live display of Bhutanese culture. The aim is to report on three major findings of the case study (N=64) where: (i) 64% of respondents agreed that GNH is the best measure of a nation’s development; (ii) 98% of respondents agreed that happiness is important for the ‘well-being’ of a nation, and (iii) 89% of respondents indicated that they were more likely to visit Bhutan after attending the event. The implication of the study is to emphasize ethical positions that are useful as unique selling points for a tourism destination. The study on the GNH discourse contributes knowledge to tourism authorities and researchers by acknowledging that when Bhutan’s GNH model is in congruence with tourists’ personal values, it can lead to the likelihood of an increase in tourist visitation to Bhutan. A limitation of this study is the relatively small sample size and gender imbalance. Further research on other factors that might influence decisionmaking to visit Bhutan is proposed.
- Topic:
- Development, Tourism, Ethics, and Gross National Happiness (GNH)
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, Australia, and Bhutan
44776. In-service Training: Key to Enhancing Competence and Building Confidence for Job Performance of Gewog-level Extension Agents in Bhutan
- Author:
- Samdrup Rigyal
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- The study is aimed to measure the confidence levels of the extension agents under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests based in the gewogs for efficient job performance by identifying their perceptions on the various competencies. A total of nine out of the 20 dzongkhags comprising of 60 gewogs from four regions of the country were selected for the purpose of the study. A structured questionnaire-based survey was administered to 150 samples of extension agents at the gewog-level. The study showed that most of the competencies EAs considered important were also possessed by them and vice versa. However, the competencies considered important that were least possessed by EAs were particularly in vital areas, including technical knowledge and skill oriented competencies. The study indicated that EAs needed some form of training in all the 40 competencies of extension knowledge, skills and qualities measured. The technical knowledge competency stood out as the most important training need. The senior extension agents have lower level of confidence on various competencies as compared to their juniors. These differences in the competency levels could be attributed to the lack of consistent in-service training programme. The approaches and practices of delivering extension services are consistently evolving and curriculum of training institutions being improved based on new developments. The implementation of in-service training should be systematized and regularized or at least the frequency of in-service training should be increased in the future so that technical knowledge and skills of employed/senior extension agents in the field are consistently upgraded and their confidence levels on technical competencies further enhanced. In-service training was rated as one of the primary sources of information and knowledge for extension agents. The opportunities to participate in forums like workshops, seminars, conferences and meetings were also found very useful and knowledgeable. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests should accord the highest priority in increasing the frequency of providing in-service training particularly to senior extension agents and also give more opportunities to staff based in the dzongkhags/gewogs for participating in national/regional conferences and seminars.
- Topic:
- Government, Employment, Training, and Performance Evaluation
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Bhutan
44777. Ladakhi and Bhutanese Enclaves in Tibet
- Author:
- John Bray
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- Until the 1950s both Ladakh and Bhutan governed small enclaves of territory in Western Tibet. Ladakh’s enclave consisted of the village of Minsar (Men ser), near lake Manasarovar (Ma pham), and its surrounding land, while Bhutan governed the Darchen (Dar chen) Labrang and several smaller monasteries and villages near Mount Kailas (Gangs rin po che, Ti se). These enclaves were entirely surrounded by the territory of the Dalai Lama, but Ladakh (superseded by the government of Jammu and Kashmir after 1846) and Bhutan continued to raise revenue there for some 300 years. The status of these enclaves was ambiguous. By the 20th century both Kashmir/India and Bhutan claimed to hold their lands in full sovereignty. By contrast the Lhasa government acknowledged that Ladakh/Kashmir and Bhutan held certain rights, but it nevertheless tried to exercise its own authority as though the enclaves were no more than foreign-owned estates in Tibetan territory. These disputes were never fully resolved but came to an abrupt end in the 1950s when the Chinese government took over both sets of enclaves, without paying compensation either to Ladakh/Kashmir or to Bhutan. This paper is a preliminary discussion of the ambiguities surrounding the enclaves. It begins with an analysis of their common origins in the 17th century, and then discusses the disputes surrounding them in the 20th century, making particular reference to British records.1 The paper concludes with a discussion of the enclaves’ standing in the wider context of traditional and contemporary Himalayan politics.
- Topic:
- Politics, History, and Enclaves
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, Tibet, and Bhutan
44778. Population History and Identity in the Hidden Land of Pemakö
- Author:
- Kerstin Grothmann
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- This study explores the history of migration by different Buddhist peoples from eastern Bhutan, the neighbouring Tawang area and the Tibetan plateau to the ‘hidden land’ (Tib. sbas yul) of Pemakö, and the circumstances that induced migrants to leave their homelands. The descendants of these diverse migrants who settled in the southern part of Pemakö - the Tuting, Geling and Singa Circles of Upper Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh - became officially classified as the Memba and Khamba1 ‘Scheduled Tribes’ (hereafter ST) by the Indian administration during the early 1950s, in order to incorporate them all into the newly independant Indian state. These ST categories were constructed on the basis of supposed common group origins and spoken language, and thus convey the impression that Upper Siang’s Buddhist population consists of two different groups, both of which are internally homogeneous. However, both written sources of the British and post-independence Indian administration and my own fieldwork data demonstrate clearly that Pemakö’s Buddhist population traces its origins back to a wide variety of homelands. Moreover, the ST labels are themselves exonyms that carry certain stereotypes and negative notions, especially the label Memba. Thus, both the Memba and Khampa labels meet with disapproval by local peoples so labeled. The present study retraces the various migration histories and movements of Pemakö ancestor populations. This allows some preliminary explanation of the autonyms used by these migrants themselves, in contrast to the generic exonyms, such as Memba and Khampa, that external agents have applied to them. We can also demonstrate that, in large part due to the religious status of the region as a hidden land, Pemakö became an ethno-linguistic melting pot for migrants from many different places. This diverse group nevertheless developed a common Buddhist identity vis-à-vis their nonBuddhist neighbours, while simultaneously maintaining clear group boundaries among themselves according to place of origin and/or residence.
- Topic:
- Migration, Population, and History
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, Tibet, and Bhutan
44779. Under the Influence of Buddhism: The Psychological Wellbeing Indicators of GNH
- Author:
- Tashi Wangmo and John Valk
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- Measuring human well-being is important in determining whether people’s lives improve or worsen over time. Today many countries focus on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a basis to measure economic well-being, but focus on economic growth fails to capture the overall well-being of the people (Kusago 2007; Stiglitz, Sen, and Fitoussi, 2009). Alternative measurements such as Genuine Progress Index (GPI) and Human Development Index (HDI) have been introduced to measure the non-economic aspect of well-being. GPI and HDI include important factors that contribute to healthy living but are still calculated based on monetary values (Hargen 2002; Kusago 2007). Gross National Happiness (GNH) is the central development philosophy of Bhutan (Planning Commission 1999). This unique philosophy aims at maximising well-being and minimising suffering by balancing economic needs with spiritual and emotional needs. Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, coined the term “Gross National Happiness” in the late 1980s arguing that “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product” (as cited by Ura 2008, para.1). His vision was to create a GNH society: “an enlightened society in which happiness and wellbeing of all people and sentient beings is the ultimate purpose of governance” (as cited by Ura 2008, para.2).GNH is premised on the notion that happiness pursued and realised within the context of the greater good of society offers the best possibility for the sustained happiness of the individual. Yet, society as a whole cannot achieve happiness if individuals compete irresponsibly for it. To this end, GNH recognises that happiness ought to be realised as a collective goal; it cannot be left as an individual goal: “GNH stresses collective happiness to be addressed directly through public policies in which happiness is an explicit criterion in projects and programmes” (Thinley 2005, p.7). If a government’s policy framework and its goals are adverse to happiness, happiness will fail as a collective goal (Ura 2008). In the GNH context, a government concerned with the happiness of its citizens must create an enabling environment for people to achieve happiness. The Bhutan-Vision 2020 strongly reaffirms the notion of Gross National Happiness as the central development concept for the country.
- Topic:
- Development, Buddhism, Well-Being, and Gross National Happiness (GNH)
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Bhutan
44780. Culture, Public Policy and Happiness
- Author:
- Sangay Chophel
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- This paper explores the relationship between culture and happiness by analysing work from different disciplines as a way of shedding useful insight on policy issue. It discusses the role of public policy in furthering happiness. In addition, this paper discusses contemporary literature on identity, values, diversity, and public policy in relation to happiness and wellbeing, and corroborates some of the claims made in this paper by using the data from Gross National Happiness survey conducted in 2010 wherever it is applicable and warranted1. This paper makes limited use of the data insofar as it relates to culture and happiness under discussion in this paper. To make extensive use of the data is beyond the scope of this essay.
- Topic:
- Culture, Public Policy, Happiness, and Gross National Happiness (GNH)
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Bhutan
44781. Trend of Bhutan’s Trade during 1907-26: Export
- Author:
- Ratna Sarkar and Indrajit Ray
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Bhutan Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
- Abstract:
- Though the Bhutanese trade with India had been in a flourishing state during the sixteenth-nineteenth centuries, it got added impetus at the debut of the twentieth century because of successive international and domestic events in this Himalayan kingdom. Political activities around Bhutan, especially by Russia, made the British interested to forge a trade relation of India with that country. While an outside impetus had thus been burgeoning for her trade to make a break through, the election of the Tongsa Penlop, Ugyen Wangchuck in 1907 as the first King of Bhutan added further fuel to it as he was a supporter of trade and development in the domestic economy. It is, therefore, expected that trade flourished in Bhutan under the reign of King Ugyen Wangchuck (1907-1926). The objective of this article is to analyse this trend of trade in general, and that of export trade in particular. The organisation of the study is as follows. In section I we analyse the trend of merchandise export of Bhutan to British India during the reign of King Ugyen Wangchuck. Section II explains the destination of export trade of Bhutan. Section III makes an attempt to analyse the composition of exports. The main findings are summarised in section IV.
- Topic:
- History, Exports, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Bhutan
44782. Seeking Options for the Right to Truth in Nepal
- Author:
- Eduardo González Cueva
- Publication Date:
- 12-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)
- Abstract:
- This briefing paper sets out the obligations of the state and international best practice with respect to the right to truth, both as a key element of a transitional justice strategy and as a critical component of providing effective remedy to victims of gross violations of human rights and grave breaches of humanitarian law. It reiterates ICTJ’s long-standing belief that a truth commission is necessary in Nepal and that the search for the disappeared is an urgent obligation. The creation of effective truth-seeking policies and instruments is important due to elements of the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement and obligations contained in the 2007 Interim Constitution; but above all, it is essential as a means to realize the right to the truth. However, for truth-seeking to be successful, the instrument or instruments established to realize it must ensure its effectiveness.
- Topic:
- Transitional Justice, Human Rights Violations, and Truth and Reconciliation
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Nepal
44783. Understanding the IAEA’s Mandate in Iran: Avoiding Misinterpretations
- Author:
- David Albright, Olli Heinonen, and Orde Kittrie
- Publication Date:
- 11-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Institute for Security and International Studies (ISIS)
- Abstract:
- Much attention has focused on Iran's advancing nuclear program, on the peace and security concerns which that program has raised, and on the international policy debate over how to respond to that program. Far less attention has been paid to the various legal-sounding arguments used by Iran and a few academics to call into question the mandate of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to investigate and make determinations about actual or suspected violations of Iran’s legal obligations. Although arguments used by Iran and these academics to undermine the legitimacy of IAEA activities regarding Iran are patently false, they are nevertheless dangerous to both current and future nonproliferation efforts. Unless these arguments are clearly countered, and their fallaciousness clearly demonstrated for all the world to see, these arguments may decrease the chances of Iran agreeing to comply with its international legal obligations, could provide a fig leaf to those countries disinclined to hold Iran accountable, and might undercut the IAEA's and the United Nations Security Council's potentially pivotal roles in facilitating a peaceful resolution to disputes over the nuclear programs of Iran and future proliferators.
- Topic:
- Security, Nuclear Weapons, Nonproliferation, and Nuclear Energy
- Political Geography:
- Iran and Middle East
44784. North Korea’s Estimated Stocks of Plutonium and Weapon-Grade Uranium
- Author:
- David Albright and Christina Walrond
- Publication Date:
- 08-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Institute for Security and International Studies (ISIS)
- Abstract:
- For years, great controversy has surrounded North Korea’s uranium enrichment program (UEP). How large is it? Has it made weapon-grade uranium (WGU)? How much could it make in the future? But there are also broader questions. What is the role of the UEP in the larger North Korean nuclear program? Is the UEP program strictly oriented to make 3.5 percent low enriched uranium for a civilian light water reactor (LWR) under construction at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, as North Korea says? Is it to make WGU? Or could North Korea intend to further enrich uranium for use in the light water reactor to make plutonium for nuclear weapons? Although LWRs are not typically used to make weapon-grade plutonium, they can do so efficiently if the reactor core is specially designed. Finally, how should the United States respond to the UEP and the associated uncertainties in this program? This ISIS report attempts to answer these questions utilizing plausible scenarios about past and possible future operation of the centrifuge program that could result in the production of WGU and future operation of the LWR that could make weapon-grade plutonium. In doing so, the report seeks to organize the incomplete data and derive answers to the above questions that have policy relevance. The report’s results are necessarily preliminary because significant uncertainties exist about the number of North Korean gas centrifuge plants, their operation, and the amount and enrichment level of the enriched uranium produced in them. In addition, although North Korea has said that its Yongbyon LWR is for civilian purposes, this statement is unverified and doubts about its potential use are justified. This report is designed to be updated if and when additional information is obtained. This report presents and evaluates a wide range of information about North Korea’s plutonium and uranium enrichment programs. It identifies gaps in knowledge of these programs. For this report, ISIS developed a variety of estimates of North Korea’s current and future stocks of WGU and weapon-grade plutonium. Although the numerical possibilities are broad, most of the discussion focuses on the central estimates. These results are presented in terms of kilograms of these materials. This report, and in particular this summary, uses the convention of converting these numbers into nuclear weapon equivalents. Often the term “equivalents” is dropped. Such a conversion is necessary when both plutonium and WGU estimates are discussed, since it allows for a more meaningful discussion of the aggregate amount of both fissile materials.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, and Uranium
- Political Geography:
- Asia and North Korea
44785. Should Brazil be “Special” for Canada?
- Author:
- Jean Daudelin
- Publication Date:
- 07-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- After years of mutual neglect and sometimes outright tension, Canada’s relations with Brazil are smoother than ever. As Brazil emerges as a relatively powerful and influential global player, shouldn’t Canada try to build that increasingly fluid relationship into a strategic partnership, making Brasilia a key prong of its global policy? Looking at Brazil’s place in the world, and at the ways in which its foreign policy meshes – or not – with Canada’s, this paper argues that such an option has little appeal and in fact few chances of success. Brazil’s rise has its limits, and the country’s global reach and power remain heavily constrained. Beyond the Americas, and even within, Brazil’s power is very soft and could hardly be harnessed effectively by Canada. Moreover, the two country’s international agendas do not overlap much. In global governance circles, Brazil’s global star is on the rise just as Canada’s is in decline. On democracy and human rights, Canada is much more willing to put sovereignty between brackets, and in the face of nuclear proliferation, Brazil is much more critical of the asymmetry of the global regime and the advantage this gives to established powers. Crucially, Canada largely embraces globalization and sees Asia’s rise primarily as an opportunity, whereas Brazilians feel more threatened by it. In that context keeping things running smoothly, without dreams of “grandeur,” is the most that should be sought: normal is great, special would be too much.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Globalization, Bilateral Relations, and Partnerships
- Political Geography:
- Canada, Brazil, South America, and North America
44786. Defence After the Recession
- Author:
- David Perry
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- With unfortunate timing, the Harper government released a well-intended plan pledging “predictable, long-term funding”1 for the Department of National Defence (DND), mere months before the collapse of Lehman Brothers signalled the onset of a global recession. The Canada First Defence Strategy (CFDS) built on the defence budgetary renaissance begun under Paul Martin’s tenure as Prime Minister and promised the Canadian Forces the resources to project leadership abroad over the next twenty years. Economic circumstances quickly intervened, however, and in 2011 the government launched a Strategic and Operating Review (SOR) to reign in government programs. As a result, defence spending has peaked in 2011/2012 and will decline for the next three years. For DND, this fiscal retrenchment presents a significant problem. Although defence funding increased 54 percent nominally between 2003/2004 and 2010/2011, the CFDS was never adequately funded. While its capital investment plan was long rumored to be insufficient, the Report on Transformation 2011, led by Lieutenant General Andrew Leslie, acknowledged this openly.2 As a result, DND faces a perfect fiscal storm as its already inadequate funding is battered by deficit fighting measures and the results of the departmental Strategic Review announced in Budget 2011, which both take effect April 1, 2012.3 This combination of factors means the CFDS is likely no longer viable, at least in its original twenty year timeframe. Although a lack of detail makes the full impact of Budgets 2011 and 2012 difficult to discern, enough information is available to provide a preliminary assessment of the probable impact on the Canadian military.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Budget, Military, and Recession
- Political Geography:
- Canada and North America
44787. Asia-Pacific: Let's Get Back in the Ring
- Author:
- Hugh Stephens
- Publication Date:
- 02-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- At the November APEC summit, having cleared the way with President Obama, Stephen Harper publicly announced Canada’s formal interest in joining the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks. The US and others, while “welcoming” Canada’s interest, reiterated the high bar that new entrants (Mexico and Japan as well as Canada) will have to meet. The promise of the TPP is that it could form the basis for a much wider Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP), including China. Canada could have much more easily joined the TPP had it expressed interest back in 2008 when the door was open to expansion. At that time, Asia-Pacific was not on the radar in Ottawa, even for China which has now become a key country of interest for Mr. Harper. Canada has an Asia Pacific legacy that it has squandered through neglect. From the 1960s through early establishment of diplomatic relations with China in 1970, and beyond into the 1980s, Canada was considered, and acted like, a leader in the region. That interest seemed to peak, and then wane, after the 1997 Vancouver APEC summit. At the same time, the face of Canada was changing rapidly with a strong and steady influx of Asian immigrants. These cultural and ethnic ties have underpinned a new interest in doing business with Asia, but Canada has been slow off the mark. While we have negotiated free trade agreements with 9 countries in the past six years, not a single one has been in Asia. Meanwhile, Asia is rapidly integrating and establishing new architecture, from which Canada, alone among major Asia Pacific countries, is absent. The US is reaffirming its ties with Asia through security and trade ties. Australia is doing the same. Canada is endowed with the physical and human resources that should allow us to take full advantage of our place in the region. We can reestablish our credentials through a sustained leadership and a long-term strategy. There are signs that this may be happening. The time to do it is now.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Trade Policy, APEC, and TPP
- Political Geography:
- Canada, Asia-Pacific, and United States of America
44788. Oil to Cash: Fighting the Resource Curse through Cash Transfers
- Author:
- Todd Moss
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- Many of the world's poorest and most fragile states are joining the ranks of oil and gas producers. These countries face critical policy questions about managing and spending new revenue in a way that is beneficial to their people. At the same time, a growing number of developing countries have initiated cash transfers as a response to poverty, and these programs are showing some impressive results. In this paper, I propose putting these two trends together: countries seeking to manage new resource wealth should consider distributing income directly to citizens as cash transfers. Beyond serving as a powerful and proven policy intervention, cash transfers may also mitigate the corrosive effect natural resource revenue often has on governance.
- Topic:
- Development, Energy Policy, Oil, Poverty, and Natural Resources
44789. Where Have All the Donors Gone? Scarce Donor Funding for Non-Communicable Diseases
- Author:
- Rachel Nugent and Andrea B. Feigl
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- Health conditions in developing countries are becoming more like those in developed countries, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) predominating and infectious diseases declining. The increased awareness of changing health needs, however, has not translated into significant shifts in resources or policy-level attention from international donors or governments in affected countries. Driven by changes in lifestyle related to nutrition, physical activity, and smoking, the surging burden of NCDs in poor countries portends painful choices, particularly for countries with weak health systems that are struggling to manage persistent infectious disease burdens and to protect the poor from excessive out-of-pocket expenses.
- Topic:
- Development, Health, Poverty, Third World, and Foreign Aid
44790. The EU should not shy away from setting CO2-related targets for transport
- Author:
- Christian Egenhofer
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
- Abstract:
- Transport is the only sector in the EU in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Unless this trend can be reversed, the EU will have little chance of reaching its objectives in the context of global obligations on industrialised countries to reduce emissions between 80% and 95% by 2050 compared to 1990. Many different solutions exist, including, for example, new technology such as electrification of road transport, modal shift, optimising existing technologies and policy measures and more radical measures such as binding GHG emissions targets. While there is some merit to all of these approaches, this Policy Brief argues that current EU policy thinking is not (yet) bold enough to credibly tackle the GHG emissions challenge from transport.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Regional Cooperation, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Europe
44791. One question, any answers? The EU's role in solving the Kurdish question in Turkey
- Author:
- Johanna Nykänen
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- The Kurdish question in Turkey is one of the most pressing issues facing the EU in its near neighbourhood. It involves a rights-based dimension caused by the lack of cultural rights and freedoms for the Kurds, and a security dimension caused by the violent conflict between the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish military. It has the potential to destabilise Turkey as well as its Kurdish-inhabited neighbours of Iran, Iraq and Syria, with ramifications for Turkey's EU membership negotiations and the EU 's foreign-policy goals in the region. The EU is also directly intertwined with the issue, not least because of its large and active Kurdish diaspora. As such, the EU has a major stake in finding a solution to the question.
- Topic:
- Security and Ethnic Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Turkey
44792. International Journal of Korean Studies
- Author:
- Hugo Wheegook Kim
- Publication Date:
- 05-2011
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- There is a vast literature that examines the American containment approach to communism throughout the Cold War era. However, few authors focus on the flip side of U.S. Cold War policy: constraint. In addition to their distaste for communism, Americans also feared "rogue" anti-communist allies dragging the U.S. into a larger-scale war with their common communist enemies. This fear especially applied to the South Korean authoritarian state under Syngman Rhee, who harnessed rabid anti-communism both to legitimize his rule and to try to embroil the U.S. in further conflict on the Korean peninsula. In order to exercise greater influence over such "rogue allies" as Syngman Rhee's South Korea, the U.S. opted to pursue strong bilateral alliances in East Asia, where they feared entrapment the most. As a result, solid relationships like the U.S.-ROK alliance came to dominate the East Asian security architecture, leaving little space for East Asian multilateralism to take root.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Cold War, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- United States, East Asia, South Korea, North Korea, and Korean Peninsula
44793. Global Norm Diffusion in East Asia: How China and Japan Implement the Responsibility to Protect
- Author:
- Jochen Prantl and Ryoko Nakano
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- This paper addresses the problem of global norm diffusion in international relations with particular reference to the implementation of the Responsibility to Protect (RtoP) in East Asia. Exposing the limits of previous work on norm localisation, the authors propose a norm diffusion loop framework. Rather than understanding norm diffusion as a linear top-down process, the authors demonstrate that the reception to RtoP has evolved in a far more dynamic way which can best be described as a feedback loop. This paper first looks into the processes and causal mechanisms that helped to construct RtoP as an emerging transnational soft norm; then, it analyses the challenges of diffusing RtoP from the global to the regional and domestic levels; and, finally, it examines the variation of norm effects across states within the same region, focusing in particular on how RtoP has shaped Chinese and Japanese policy responses.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, and Power Politics
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, Israel, and Asia
44794. CTTA: Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis Year End Report 2010
- Author:
- Rohan Gunaratna Gunaratna
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- Transnational terrorism is likely to remain the most profound threat in 2011. Politically motivated groups that seek to legitimize their thinking and actions by using, misusing and misinterpreting the religious text , will continue to dominate the global threat landscape. While homegrown and group terrorism are likely to remain at the forefront, homegrown terrorism in particular will continue to be a formidable challenge for security. There will also be more pressure for Western military troops in Afghanistan, both in combat and support roles, to return home due to the decreasing public support for the war and domestic political considerations.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Terrorism, International Security, and Counterinsurgency
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan and Afghanistan
44795. Southeast Asia and the Outcomes of the COP16
- Author:
- J. Jackson Ewing and Irene A. Kuntjoro
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) concluded its annual meeting in December 2010, reaching agreements that are relevant for the climate strategies and policies of states and regions worldwide. This policy brief explores the deliberations and outcomes of this 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) as they relate to Southeast Asian responses to climate change at the community, state and regional levels. This brief proceeds in three sections. Section I reviews the diplomatic processes of the COP16, examining how they diverge from the approaches of the recent past, and critically assesses the agreements realised at the conference. Section II addresses the specific implications that these developments have for Southeast Asian countries and the region at large, paying particular attention to the unique vulnerabilities experienced to varying degrees throughout the region. Section III offers strategic recommendations relating to the current state of international climate negotiations and the existing policies and needs of Southeast Asian stakeholders.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Regional Cooperation, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United Nations, Mexico, and Southeast Asia
44796. Terrorist Awakening in Sweden?
- Author:
- Dr. Magnus Ranstorp
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- CTC Sentinel
- Institution:
- The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
- Abstract:
- For decades, sweden has been regarded as the relative backwater of international terrorism. Even Usama bin Ladin had mentioned Sweden as immune from terrorism in an al-Jazira broadcast in October 2004. This sense of immunity was shattered twice in December 2010. First, a suicide bomber struck in the Nordic countries for the first time ever on December 11. The Swedish security service, Säkerhetspolisen (SÄPO), had no record of the bomber before the attack, as he had studied and lived for a decade in the United Kingdom. At the same time, he admitted he had traveled to Iraq to perform jihad. Second, four Swedes were arrested later that month for planning to conduct a protracted Mumbai-style attack on the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Copenhagen, Denmark. The men were arrested after driving from Sweden to Copenhagen to execute the attack. Third, SÄPO produced a report on violent.Islamist extremism which outlined that it had identified about 200 extremists in Sweden; more than 80% were socially connected, and most lived inside the three major cities of Sweden, with more than half residing in Stockholm.
- Topic:
- Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, and Mumbai
44797. China and Inter-Korean Clashes in the Yellow Sea
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- International Crisis Group
- Abstract:
- The deadly provocations by North Korea in the Yellow Sea in 2010 – the Ch' ŏ nan sinking and the Yŏnp'yŏng Island shelling – drew condemnation and limited military responses by South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, but Beijing has been reluctant to go beyond counselling restraint to all parties. While declining to call Pyongyang to ac- count, it criticised Washington for stepped-up military exercises with allies in North East Asia. Beijing's unwillingness to condemn North Korea prevented a unified international response and undermines China's own security interests, as it invites further North Korean military and nuclear initiatives, risks increased militarisation of North East Asia and encourages an expanded U.S. military and political role in the region. Because it is seen as having failed to take greater responsibility to safeguard stability, China has also damaged its relationships in the region and in the West. The joint statement Presidents Hu and Obama issued on 19 January has helped, but China has ground to make up if it is to recover credibility as an impartial broker in the Six-Party Talks on North Korea's nuclear program.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution and Bilateral Relations
- Political Geography:
- United States, Japan, China, Washington, Israel, Beijing, Asia, and Korea
44798. The Gender and Climate Debate: More of the Same or New Pathways of Thinking and Doing?
- Author:
- Bernadette P. Resurreccion
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- Feminist and development advocates have recently taken international agreement framers to task for the paucity of gender perspectives when defining climate change agendas, a gap which has led to the emergence of 'gender and climate change' discourses. This paper aims to contribute to this growing concern with gender and climate change adaptation by: (i) briefly reviewing international agreements and advocacy literature in order to understand the conceptual antecedents underlying gender and climate change discourses and their respective deficits; and (ii) engaging with past and current theorisations on gender, adaptation and resilience which are relevant to a better understanding of the linkages among gender, climate change adaptation and human security. This paper argues that 'gender' and 'vulnerability' have to be viewed as complex social and human security processes that defy current simplifications based on fixed and essentialised traits and properties of women that characterised the earlier women, environment and development (WED) discourse. Current gender and climate change discussions often build on this earlier strand. An understanding of the complex linkages and processes of gendering and vulnerability is applied to recent climate change adaptation studies in Cambodia and Vietnam.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Environment, and Gender Issues
- Political Geography:
- Vietnam and Cambodia
44799. Why Do Some Oil Exporters Experience Civil War But Others Do Not? A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Net Oil-Exporting Countries
- Author:
- Matthias Basedau and Thomas Richter
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- German Institute of Global and Area Studies
- Abstract:
- According to quantitative studies, oil is the only resource that is robustly linked to civil war onset. However, recent debates on the nexus of oil and civil war have neglected that there are a number of peaceful oil-rentier states, and few efforts have been spent to explain why some oilexporting countries have experienced civil war and others have not. Methodologically, the debate has been dominated by research using either quantitative methods or case studies, with little genuine medium-N comparison. This paper aims to fill this gap by studying the conditions of civil war onset among net oil exporters using (crisp-set) Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA). Considering a sample of 44 net oil exporters between 1970 and 2008, we test conditions such as oil abundance (per capita) and dependence, the interaction of ethnic exclusion and oil reserve locations (overlap) as well as the type of political regime (polity). Our results point to a combination of necessary and sufficient conditions that has been largely ignored until now: low abundance is a necessary condition of civil war onset. Two pathways lead to civil war: first, a combination of low abundance and high dependence and, second, a combination of low abundance and the geographical overlap of ethnic exclusion with oil reserve areas within autocracies.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Energy Policy, Oil, War, and Natural Resources
44800. Playing Ostrich: Lessons Learned from South Africa's Response to Terrorism
- Author:
- Hussein Solomon
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- South Africa has come to occupy a central node in global terror networks in recent years. Despite growing evidence of the risks posed, South Africa has been slow to adopt and implement a more robust counterterrorism policy. Creating the political will to address this threat will require independent oversight of national intelligence efforts and an objective assessment of the terrorism risk in order to make counterterrorism a national priority.
- Topic:
- Security, Terrorism, and Counterinsurgency
- Political Geography:
- Africa, South Africa, London, and Zambia