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38702. Annual Threat Assessment
- Author:
- Rohan Gunaratna
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- The year 2013 has been the most violent since the beginning of the contemporary wave of terrorism. Although Al Qaeda's core has decreased in size, the group has become even more influential. With its extraordinary presence on the web, Al Qaeda is guiding its associates to fight back. With the western drawdown from Afghanistan in 2014, the Taliban-led terrorist sanctuary will likely be reconstituted once again, threatening global stability and security.
- Topic:
- Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, Middle East, Canada, and Southeast Asia
38703. The European Convention on Human Rights, the EU and the UK: Confronting a Heresy
- Author:
- Andrew Williams
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- The orthodox view of the ECHR and its Court as regime in the context of both the EU and UK has been that it has considerable value albeit with systemic flaws. The purpose of this article is to challenge this orthodoxy. Four inter-related submissions are made: that the ECHR has failed human rights conceptually (1); 'good' or lauded decisions of the ECtHR cannot remedy or sufficiently counter-balance this conceptual failure (2); 'bad' decisions further expose and exacerbate the failure (3); the procedural problems of the ECHR regime may contribute to the underlying failure of concept but their resolution cannot solve it (4). These submissions are to provoke a more intense assessment of value and how such value could be enhanced. It may be too late to see any influence on the accession process but this does not reduce the relevance of the critique for the future of human rights in both the EU and the UK. Ultimately an approach to the ECHR system needs to determine whether it continues to be lauded or its influence resisted (thus seeking reform or replacement - the alternative candidates being the EU Charter and/or a national Bill of Rights) and retained only as an iconic scheme of moral importance.
- Topic:
- Human Rights
- Political Geography:
- United States and Europe
38704. The European Convention on Human Rights, the EU and the UK: Confronting a Heresy: A Reply to Andrew Williams
- Author:
- Stelios Andreadakis
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- This reaction piece responds to the article by Andrew Williams entitled 'The European Convention on Human Rights, the EU and the UK: Confronting a Heresy'. In his article, Williams contends that we should not further support the 'orthodox' view that the Convention (ECHR) has been very successful in protecting and promoting human rights across Europe, offering four submissions to that end. It will be argued that Dr Williams' submissions regarding the ECHR's success and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)'s role are not well supported and justified. The relationship between the ECHR and a future UK Bill of Rights will also be explored in the piece, as there is no sufficient link between the author's arguments about the ECHR regime and the UK legal system, making it rather artificial to refer to the UK as a possible model for human rights.
- Topic:
- Human Rights
- Political Geography:
- Europe
38705. Horizontal Review between International Organizations: A Reply to Abigail C. Deshman
- Author:
- Rosa Rafaelli
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- This short article aims to further the discussion over horizontal review between international organizations started by Deshman in her analysis of the role of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe after the H1N1 pandemic. The article compares the historical evolution of the European Parliament to that of the Parliamentary Assembly and examines how the EP's involvement with issues such as human rights and international relations served to build its identity, to gain international recognition, and to obtain more formal powers. It suggests possible additional reasons explaining the PA's willingness to perform horizontal review over action carried out by the WHO, and potential paths for future developments.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Human Rights
- Political Geography:
- Europe
38706. Horizontal Review between International Organizations: A Rejoinder to Rosa Raffaelli
- Author:
- Abigial C. Deshman
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- Dr. Raffaelli's Reply to my article highlights some very useful areas for further exploration in the realm of global administrative law and inter-institutional interactions. Calling this a rejoinder may be a bit of a misnomer since I believe we are actually in broad agreement. In the spirit of debate, I will first draw out one apparent point of divergence – whether this is actually an instance of horizontal review – before canvassing our substantive areas of agreement.
- Political Geography:
- Europe
38707. Traditional Knowledge Systems, International Law and National Challenges: Marginalization or Emancipation?
- Author:
- Gurdial Singh Nijar
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- Traditional knowledge systems of indigenous and local communities have been of immense value over millennia. They have filled the breadbasket that has fed the world, provided medicines that have healed the world, and provided for the sustainable management of resources, including biodiversity. In short, these knowledge systems have fed, clothed, and healed the world. They may yet hold the key to dealing with the risks posed by climate change. Yet today they are in danger of being marginalized. This article identifies the threats, the inadequacy of the international legal architecture, and the faltering national attempts to reassert their role. It identifies the varying interests and elements and assesses their influence in the marginalization and resuscitation of traditional knowledge systems; and finally argues for the emancipation of these systems and their restoration to the plurality of knowledge systems to provide sustainable solutions to natural resource management.
38708. Commentaries on the Law of Treaties: A Review Essay Reflecting on the Genre of Commentaries
- Author:
- Christian Djeffal
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- Commentaries on international law abound and proliferate. To reflect upon this trend in international legal scholarship, three commentaries on the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties are reviewed. They are compared with regard to the ways in which they deal with three pertinent issues in the law of treaties: the ascertainment of jus cogens norms, the notion of object and purpose and grounds of invalidity, termination, and suspension. As a scholarly genre, commentaries form part of the legal culture of legal systems. So the review discusses their function in the past, in the present, and in their possible future. Their roots lie in the schools working on Roman law in the Middle Ages. They gained importance for international legal scholarship when international law entered the process of codification. Today, commentaries fulfil several functions in international legal discourse, the most important of which is that they structure this discourse. Digitization will seriously impact on all fields of scholarly publishing. The review concludes by discussing the possible changes in this scholarly genre. Those are accessibility, layout, referencing, inclusion of other media, and the possibility of enhanced discourse within the commentary.
- Political Geography:
- Vienna
38709. Duncan B. Hollis (ed.). The Oxford Guide To Treaties
- Author:
- Tim Staal
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- In the words of editor Duncan Hollis, The Oxford Guide to Treaties 'is a big book' (at vii). Yet, it is relatively small and accessible considering its ambition to 'explore treaty questions from theoretical, doctrinal, and practical perspectives'.
- Political Geography:
- Vienna
38710. Globalization and Sovereignty. Rethinking Legality, Legitimacy and Constitutionalism
- Author:
- Gráinne de Búrca
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- The intersection of constitutional ideas and international law has been the subject of a significant wave of scholarship in recent years. This monograph, written not by a lawyer but by a political theorist at Columbia University, addresses these themes in an engaging and rigorous way. And although it is a deeply scholarly work, it is also very much a politically engaged book, grappling with many fundamental questions of international law and governance today while trying to argue for 'realistic-utopian' reform.
- Topic:
- International Law
38711. Sari Kuovo and Zoe Pearson (eds). Feminist Perspectives on Contemporary International Law: Between Resistance and Compliance? Gina Heathcote. The Law on the Use of Force: A Feminist Analysis
- Author:
- Loveday Hodson
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- Her normative prescriptions, in other words, by insisting on a framework of constitutional pluralism and rejecting other forms of legal pluralism, leave aside the many other powerful global institutions and bodies that generate rules and norms, other than the UN Security Council or other UN bodies on which the book concentrates. While it is clear that the UN is the predominant global security organization, and the one with military power at its service, there are also many other organizations and bodies which have morphed or are morphing, as Cohen puts it in the book, into global governance institutions. Yet the book's focus on the need for political communities which participate in an overarching 'political community of communities' seems to leave many of these other important sites of legal and political authority out of the picture, and to reject as inadequate some of the more modest but perhaps also more currently feasible legal reform proposals which have been made.
- Topic:
- Human Rights and International Law
38712. John Harrington and Maria Stuttaford (eds). Global Health and Human Rights: Legal and Philosophical Perspectives John Tobin. The Right to Health in International Law
- Author:
- Erika George
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- Two recent publications present a defence of the right to health as it is articulated in international law and also provide insights into the array of impediments to realizing the health right. Despite a perceived conceptual lack of coherence and a limited appreciation of its relevance among health care professionals identified in these two books, the right to health has nevertheless succeeded in capturing greater attention in global policy circles. Local health care system reform initiatives around the globe increasingly make reference to the right to health. Both books are particularly helpful additions to the literature in light of recent advances in the development of the health right. Yet, each offers a very different assessment of its present status and prognosis for its future development.
- Topic:
- Human Rights and Health Care Policy
38713. Panos Koutrakos. The EU Common Security and Defence Policy
- Author:
- Julia Schmidt
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- The European Union has gone through a profound development as an international crisis management actor. It was only in 2003 that the common security and defence policy became operational. Since then, the EU has conducted more than 25 civilian and military crisis management missions in many parts of the world. These missions are carried out in the name of the EU whose international legal personality has been formally recognized by the Treaty of Lisbon (Article 47 TEU). At the same time, the EU depends on capable and willing Member States to launch and to carry out an operation under the auspices of its common security and defence policy. The development of the EU as a military actor is remarkable in the light of the EU's historical evolution. In the 1950s, it started as a peace project that was based on economic integration. To prevent the emergence of a new war on the European continent, Robert Schuman proposed linking the coal and steel industries of France and Germany together 'within the framework of an organization open to the participation of the other countries of Europe'. Attempts to create a European army within the European Defence Community failed in 1954. Today, Europe has moved away from being merely a civilian power. When confronted with its inability adequately to respond to the Balkan crisis in its neighbourhood in the 1990s, the Cologne European Council of 1999 marked the birth of the EU's common security and defence policy. A process was put in motion that equipped the EU with the legal capacity and the civilian and military means to engage in 'missions outside the Union for peace-keeping, conflict prevention and strengthening international security' (Article 42(1) TEU). Civilian and military means may be used by the EU to fulfil the socalled Petersberg tasks, that include 'joint disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue tasks, military advice and assistance tasks, conflict prevention and peace-keeping tasks, tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peace-making and post-conflict stabilisation' (Article 43(1) TEU). In political statements such as the European Security Strategy the EU has expressed great ambitions as a global security actor and has spoken of its responsibility to contribute to international security.
- Political Geography:
- Europe
38714. Cashmere from Rachungkaru
- Author:
- Gregory Shaffer
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Abstract:
- Where there was only shadow and brownish red and reddish brown crumbling stone against the sky now a sheen descends the folding slopes.
38715. UNLOCKING THE ALAWITE CONUNDRUM IN SYRIA
- Author:
- Jomana Qaddour
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- Images and videos emerging out of Syria since 2012, becoming increasingly violent and sectarian along the way, showcased extremist groups and even children chanting things like, "Assad we will bring you down, and then we will come next for the [Alawites]!" Since 1971, the Alawite community (roughly 12 percent of Syria's 22 million people) has sheltered Hafez al-Assad, and subsequently his son, Bashar al-Assad, by providing the family with both loyal foot soldiers who have aided the Assad regime throughout the many domestic, political uprisings it has faced (in 1964, 1980, 1982, and now 2011) and with a bureaucracy that has legitimized their theft of public funds. The number of Alawite casualties increased over the course of the crisis, either fighting to protect Assad or because they are accused of aiding his regime, while a growing number have faced the grim realization that the Assad family is motivated by self-interest alone. While researchers cannot pinpoint exactly how many Alewites have died, many have documented the number of Syrian soldiers instead to obtain an approximation, and have indicated that between 11,000 Alawites and 41,000 Syrian soldiers have been killed.
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and Syria
38716. WHY TEHRAN WON'T ABANDON ASSAD(ISM)
- Author:
- Mohsen Milani
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- When the Arab Spring reached the Mediterranean shores of Syria in early 2011, there was an ephemeral exuberance that Bashar Assad's dictatorship would be replaced with a democratic order. Today, Syria has descended into an existential civil war among religious sects and ethnic communities. The country has transformed into a battleground for a proxy war among regional and global powers that pursue irreconcilable objectives. Balkanization of Syria appears underway as the government, the Kurds, and the opposition to President Bashar Assad's regime control different swaths of the country, while the civil war has ominously metastasized to Syria's neighbors. Alarmingly, a large number of foreign born jihadists and terrorists with possible links to al Qaeda have also flooded the country to foment mischief. Amidst all the destruction, the complex civil war has reached a stubborn stalemate with no breakthrough in sight.
- Topic:
- Civil War
- Political Geography:
- Arabia and Syria
38717. BRINGING THE UNITED STATES BACK INTO THE MIDDLE EAST
- Author:
- Shadi Hamid and Peter Mandaville
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- It has been all too common to criticize the Obama administration for a lack of strategic vision in responding to the Arab uprisings. While such criticism may be valid, it is time to move beyond critique and articulate not just a bold vision, but one that policymakers can realistically implement within very real economic and political constraints. During the remainder of its second term, the Obama administration has an opportunity to rethink some of the flawed assumptions that guided its Middle East policy before the Arab Spring—and still guide it today. Chief among these is the idea that the United States can afford to continue turning a blind eye to the internal politics of Arab countries so long as local regimes look out for a narrow set of regional security interests. With so much policy bandwidth focused on putting out fires, the United States has neglected the important task of thinking about its longer term engagement in the region. Crisis management is the most immediate concern for policymakers, but it's not necessarily the most important.
- Political Geography:
- United States, Middle East, Libya, Syria, and Egypt
38718. BALANCING WITHOUT CONTAINMENT: A U.S. STRATEGY FOR CONFRONTING CHINA'S RISE
- Author:
- Ashley J. Tellis
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- China's rise constitutes the most serious geopolitical challenge facing the United States today. On current trends, China could–many say will–develop a national economy larger than that of the United States as early as the end of this decade, at least when measured in purchasing power parity terms. China's national ambitions too are clear: at the very least, Beijing seeks to recover the centrality it enjoyed in Asian geopolitics until the coming of colonialism. Its economic renaissance since the 1980s has now positioned it to play a major global role that was simply unimaginable some thirty years ago. With its extraordinary military modernization program, Beijing has also made tremendous strides toward holding at risk the United States' forward deployed and forward operating forces in the western Pacific, thereby raising the costs of implementing U.S. security guarantees to its partners in the region. Its unique characteristics–being a continental sized power, possessing a gigantic and technologically improving economy, having a strategically advantageous location, and rapidly acquiring formidable military capabilities-add up quickly to make China a consequential rival to the United States, even if it differs from previous challengers in character, aims, and ambitions.
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, and Beijing
38719. Engineering Peace: The Critical Role of Engineers in UN Peacekeeping
- Author:
- Arthur Boutellis and Adam Smith
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- International Peace Institute
- Abstract:
- The UN Security Council mandates peacekeeping operations in some of the poorest, most conflict-prone areas of the world. These locations are often also extremely remote and nearly inaccessible. In this context, engineering is one of the most critical elements to the functioning of a UN peace operation; yet, it may be the least critically analyzed aspect of peacekeeping. During the start-up phase of a mission, engineers design, prepare, and build the camps that allow the mission to exist. Very little can be achieved in peacekeeping without sanitary and secure camps with electricity and passable roads or functional air strips. When there are engineering gaps coupled with major logistical challenges (as in the UN Mission in South Sudan), key elements of the mandate, such as the protection of civilians or support to the extension of state authority, become much more difficult, and sometimes impossible, to fulfill. During the mission consolidation phase, engineers can play a central role in the peacebuilding support tasks of a mission, working with the host country, UN agencies, and others to build capacity and deliver peace dividends.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, Security, Development, Peace Studies, Science and Technology, and Peacekeeping
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
38720. TIES THAT BIND: STRATEGIC STABILITY IN THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIP
- Author:
- Thomas Fingar and Fan Jishe
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- Conviction is widespread and increasing in both the United States and China—as well as many other countries—that the U.S.–China relationship is becoming less stable and more dangerous. We do not agree. Relations between Beijing and Washington in 2013 are more extensive, more varied, more interdependent, and more important to one another as well as to the global system than at any time in the past. But suspicion and mutual distrust persist and may have intensified. Yet, despite dramatic changes in the international system and the need to manage fleeting as well as persistent problems, the United States and China have maintained strategic stability for four decades. The relationship is less fragile and volatile than many assert, with strategic stability the result of multiple factors that reinforce one another and limit the deleterious effects of developments threatening specific "pillars" that undergird the relationship. Complacency and failure to address misperceptions and mistrust, however, will have unfortunate consequences for both sides.
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Washington, Beijing, and East Asia
38721. CHINA'S UNRAVELING ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
- Author:
- Jeffrey Reeves
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- The growing consensus among Chinese analysts, both in China and the West, that elements of China's contemporary foreign policy have been self - defeating is important but limited in two significant ways. First, it focuses on China's most divisive policy stances—such as its expansive territorial claims, disruptive diplomacy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), or growing use of unilateral economic sanctions. This focus on controversial policies, while important, ignores less litigious policies which are also now contributing to regional instability. Second, analysts who look at China's foreign policy largely confine their work to China's relations with large or medium powers—such as Japan, India, Vietnam, or the Philippines—or with regional organizations such as ASEAN. This focus ignores China's relations with smaller, developing states—such as Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, or Myanmar—which are, in many ways, the building blocks of China's periphery security.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, India, Mongolia, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar
38722. SIFTING THROUGH INTERDEPENDENCE
- Author:
- Thomas Wright
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- If there is one idea that has consistently influenced western foreign policy since the Cold War, it is the notion that extending interdependence and tightening economic integration among nations is a positive development that advances peace, stability, and prosperity. As a post-Cold War idea guiding U.S. and European foreign policy, there is much to be said for it. The absorption of Eastern Europe in both the European Union and NATO helped consolidate market democracy. Globalization led to unprecedented growth in western economies, and facilitated the ascent of China and India, among others, taking billions of people out of poverty. Access to the international financial institutions also offered emerging powers the strategic option of exerting influence through existing institutions rather than trying to overturn them. Some policymakers and experts believe that this process holds the key to continuing great power peace and stability.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Cold War
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Europe, and India
38723. JAPAN UNDER ABE: TOWARD MODERATION OR NATIONALISM?
- Author:
- Mike M. Mochizuki and Samuel Parkinson Porter
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- In July 2013, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, the Komeito, scored an impressive victory in the House of Councilors elections. Out of the 121 contested seats, the LDP won 65 and the Komeito 11. With this victory, the LDP-Komeitoruling coalition now controls 135 out of 242 seats (about 55 percent) in the upper house. This win follows the December 2012 triumph in the House of Representatives election, which brought Shinzo Abe and the LDP back to power by taking 294 out of 480 seats.
- Political Geography:
- Japan and China
38724. FIGHTING THE RESOURCE CURSE: UGANDA'S PIVOTAL MOMENT
- Author:
- Jack Mosbacher
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- On the eve of Uganda's 44th anniversary of independence in 2006, President Yoweri Museveni announced the discovery of oil in the Lake Albert rift on the western border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Touting an initial find of 300 million barrels of oil, Museveni called for a national day of prayer, thanking God "for having created for us a rift valley" and for giving Uganda's leaders "the wisdom.to discover this oil."
- Political Geography:
- Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo
38725. THE CONTINUING CHALLENGE OF DEMOCRACY IN THE AMERICAS
- Author:
- Eric Farnsworth
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- U.S. influence is waning in the Americas. Although Washington is currently engaged in a well-intentioned effort to reverse this trend, its agenda will have only limited impact over the longer term unless the United States changes the lens through which it views the region. Strategic thinking has essentially collapsed. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the international relations community in the United States moved on, leaving regional studies to development and social inclusion advocates. At the point in history when the United States should be reaping the reward of years of patient investment and hard work building democratic institutions and open markets in the region, we have either doubled down on, or pivoted to, other parts of the world. Now, instead, the United States must refocus its perspective within the region, or else its traditional leadership role will continue to erode. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are neither charity cases nor default partners in international affairs. It is time for a less romantic, more realistic approach to the Americas.
- Topic:
- International Relations
- Political Geography:
- America, Washington, and Caribbean
38726. LOOKING TOWARD 2014
- Author:
- Charles E. Cook
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Washington Quarterly
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- It is inevitable that U.S. presidential elections get considerably more attention domestically and around the world than mid-term elections, but the latter are still extremely important; their results drive in large part the ability of a president to succeed. President Obama will be entering the 2014 midterm election with his party holding a 55-to 45-seat majority in the U.S. Senate and a 17-seat deficit in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Political Geography:
- United States
38727. Japan's New Security Policy: Breaking Away from the Post–War Regime?
- Author:
- Bart Gaens
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- China is challenging the regional balance of power in East Asia through a military buildup and an increasingly assertive foreign policy. The US is forced to find the right balance between cooperating with China while benefiting from its economic rise, and countering China's regional reach by carrying out its self-declared "pivot" to Asia in spite of domestic and budgetary constraints. With just over one year in office, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has received wide domestic support for his ambitious plans to revive Japan's economy through his threefold policy of Abenomics. At the same time, however, he has implemented a number of significant policies in the defence and security sphere. In response to China's military rise, the Abe administration increased and recalibrated the defence budget. Furthermore, in order to reinforce the alliance with the US, the government approved the creation of a US-style National Security Council, passed a Secrecy Bill, and aims to reverse Japan's self-imposed ban on exercising the right to collective self-defence. Under the banner of "proactive pacifism", the Abe cabinet is seizing the momentum caused by the changing regional power dynamics in order to edge closer towards "breaking away from the postwar regime". A proposed revision of Japan's constitution, unchanged since 1947, symbolizes the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) objective to bring about a more autonomous role for Japan both in the security alliance with the US and as an international actor.
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, Defense Policy, Arms Control and Proliferation, Economics, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, and Asia
38728. The Failure of the Security Paradigm in Syria: The human security perspective
- Author:
- Ari Kerkkänen
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- Few would dispute the assertion that human security has failed in Syria. Authoritarian regimes in the Arab world have had well-documented deficits in human security emerging from coercive internal politics, a lack of respect for human rights such as freedom of expression, and limited freedom from fear and want. The concept of human security has developed mainly within the domain of UN development policy, but it has also made headway in security policy, being advocated as one approach in international crisis management and peacekeeping. Less attention has been paid to its adaptability in forming the basis for the internal security policy of any given state. The main argument of this paper is that human security principles can be the cornerstones of state security, potentially preventing, mitigating, and remedying security issues within a state that could lead to societal upheaval. The argument is presented by outlining some major developments in the history of modern Syria up to its present state of civil war. The paper shows that the security paradigm exercised in Syria has led to a double failure in which human insecurity has resulted in turmoil for ordinary people and has shattered the authoritarian governance. The paper suggests that the rebuilding of security sectors must be based on the principles of human security, not only in Syria but also in the Arab world at large.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Security, Human Rights, Governance, and Peacekeeping
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and Syria
38729. Stunted Growth: Why Don't African Firms Create More Jobs?
- Author:
- Vijaya Ramachandran, Leonardo Iacovone, and Martin Schmidt
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- Many countries in Africa suffer high rates of underemployment or low rates of productive employment; many also anticipate large numbers of people to enter the workforce in the near future. This paper asks the question: Are African firms creating fewer jobs than those located elsewhere? And, if so, why? One reason may be that weak business environments slow the growth of firms and distort the allocation of resources away from better-performing firms, hence reducing their potential for job creation.
- Topic:
- Economics, Industrial Policy, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Fragile/Failed State
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Israel
38730. Rethinking the Financial Design of the World Bank
- Author:
- Devesh Kapur and Arjun Raychaudhuri
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- Since their inception, through 2012, the institutions comprising the World Bank group have been involved in lending nearly a trillion dollars. In this paper, we focus on the IBRD, which is the core of the World Bank. The IBRD has the potential to continue to grow and be an important player in official financial flows, supporting critical long-term development projects with large social returns, in sectors ranging from infrastructure, social sectors, or environment.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Environment, Foreign Aid, Infrastructure, and World Bank
- Political Geography:
- Europe
38731. The Median Is the Message: A Good-Enough Measure of Material Well-Being and Shared Development Progress
- Author:
- Nancy Birdsall and Christian J. Meyer
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- We argue that survey-based median household consumption expenditure (or income) per capita be incorporated into standard development indicators, as a simple, robust, and durable indicator of typical individual material well-being in a country. Using household survey data available for low- and middle-income countries from the World Bank's PovcalNet tool, we show that as a measure of income-related well-being, it is far superior to the commonly used GDP per capita as well as survey-based measures at the mean. We also argue that survey-based median measures are "distributionaware", i.e. when used as the denominator of various widely available indicators such as mean consumption expenditure per capita they provide a "good-enough" indicator of consumption (or income) inequality. Finally, as a post-2015 indicator of progress at the country-level in promoting shared development and reducing inequality, we propose that the rate of increase in median consumption per capita after taxes and transfers exceed the rate of increase in average consumption in the same period.
- Topic:
- Development, Diplomacy, Poverty, and World Bank
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
38732. Estimating Illicit Flows of Capital via Trade Mispricing: A Forensic Analysis of Data on Switzerland
- Author:
- Alex Cobham, Petr Janský, and Alex Prats
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- This paper assesses the role of Switzerland as the leading hub for global commodities trading, in terms of the patterns of prices received by original exporting countries and subsequently by Switzerland and other jurisdictions. We find support for the hypotheses that (i) the average prices for commodity exports from developing countries to Switzerland are lower than those to other jurisdictions; and that (ii) Switzerland declares higher (re-)export prices for those commodities than do other jurisdictions. This pattern implies a potential capital loss for commodity exporting developing countries and we provide a range of estimates of that loss – each of which suggests the scale is substantial (the most conservative is around $8 billion a year) and that the issue merits greater research and policy attention. An important first step would be a Swiss commitment to meet international norms of trade transparency.
- Topic:
- United Nations
- Political Geography:
- Switzerland
38733. Estimating Illicit Flows of Capital via Trade Mispricing: A Forensic Analysis of Data on Switzerland
- Author:
- Alex Cobham, Petr Janský, and Alex Prats
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- This paper assesses the role of Switzerland as the leading hub for global commodities trading, in terms of the patterns of prices received by original exporting countries and subsequently by Switzerland and other jurisdictions. We find support for the hypotheses that (i) the average prices for commodity exports from developing countries to Switzerland are lower than those to other jurisdictions; and that (ii) Switzerland declares higher (re-)export prices for those commodities than do other jurisdictions. This pattern implies a potential capital loss for commodity exporting developing countries and we provide a range of estimates of that loss - each of which suggests the scale is substantial (the most conservative is around $8 billion a year) and that the issue merits greater research and policy attention. An important first step would be a Swiss commitment to meet international norms of trade transparency.
- Topic:
- Economics, Industrial Policy, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Developing World
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Switzerland
38734. Results-Based Payments Reduce the Real Costs of Corruption in Foreign Aid
- Author:
- Charles Kenny and William Savedoff
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- Why don't foreign aid programs simply pay recipients for attaining agreed upon results? The idea has been around for decades, but it continues to meet resistance. Some donors worry that programs that pay for outputs or outcomes would not be able to control how funds are used and would thus be vulnerable to corruption. This brief explains why results-based payment systems are actually likely to be less vulnerable to corruption than traditional input-tracking approaches by making the effects of corruption-the failure of programs to deliver results-more visible.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Development, and Foreign Aid
38735. Afghanistan: the view from Russia
- Author:
- Józef Lang
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- Russia's current and foreseeable policy towards Afghanistan is multi-vectored, complex and shows, at times, signs of incoherence. Russia views developments in Afghanistan as a strategic challenge and is expressing growing concern over the country's prospects for stability after the withdrawal of ISAF forces by the end of 2014. Russian decision-makers fear that a security vacuum emerging after the withdrawal could destabilise Central Asia and have a negative impact on Russia itself. At the same time, Moscow is concerned with Western military presence in the region, which it regards as interference in its neighbourhood. At tactical level, Russia also sees the situation in Afghanistan as an opportunity to secure its interests both regionally (consolidating its influence in Central Asia) and more widely (in terms of its relations with NATO).
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Security, Foreign Policy, Regional Cooperation, War, and Insurgency
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, Russia, and Central Asia
38736. Sochi: games with frontiers
- Author:
- Gerald Stang
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- Russia is often seen as a land of extremes – and the narratives for this month's Winter Olympics in Sochi reflect that view. From the record-length 65,000 km Olympic torch run (which included trips to outer space, the north pole and the bottom of the world's deepest lake) to the incredible $51 billion price tag and the Ian Flemingesque threat of attacks from black widow terrorists, the Sochi games have a distinctly Russian flavour. The Kremlin appears to have envisioned the games as a national triumph, not unlike the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with organisational, architectural and sporting successes that could unite the country. However, with global headlines dominated by stories of corruption, human rights abuses, anti-gay laws and the very real threat of terrorist attacks, one might be forgiven for wondering whether the Russian government regrets its decision to bid for the games.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, Security, Political Violence, Islam, and Insurgency
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, and Asia
38737. EU-Russia: overcoming stagnation
- Author:
- Nicu Popescu
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- For the best part of the last two decades, EU-Russia summits have alternated between being upbeat events where new grand integration initiatives were launched – the creation of four common spaces in 2005, the partnership for modernisation in 2010 – and rather unfriendly encounters where success was seemingly measured on how impolite the partners could be to one another.
- Topic:
- Economics, Energy Policy, International Trade and Finance, and Bilateral Relations
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, and Asia
38738. Japan's new approach to national security
- Author:
- Elena Atanassova-Cornelis
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- December 2013 marked an important turning point in Japan's evolving security and defence policies. While the debate about Japan's so-called security 'normalisation' has been going on now for more than a decade, by releasing three national security-related documents the conservative government led by Shinzo Abe since 2012 has dissipated any doubts that may still linger regarding the 'why, what and how' of Japan's national security.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy and Arms Control and Proliferation
- Political Geography:
- Japan and East Asia
38739. Quenching India's thirst for energy
- Author:
- Costanza Caputi
- Publication Date:
- 01-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- India's impressive economic growth and rapidly expanding population are fuelling the country's demand for energy, and increasingly, shaping India's external relations and foreign policy. In addition to altering regional dynamics in South Asia, this shift will have significant implications for global energy governance, as well as for climate change discussions.
- Topic:
- Demographics, Development, Emerging Markets, Energy Policy, and Natural Resources
- Political Geography:
- India
38740. Gezi Park Revolts: For or Against Democracy?
- Author:
- Atilla Yayla
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- The anti-government protests in Turkey emerged as a legitimate and even necessary reaction against police brutality to evolved into violent revolts targeting Prime Minister ErdoÄŸan. Since the initial protests, commentators sought to make sense of the phenomenon with reference to the Gezi youth. A closer examination, however, would reveal the Leftist-Kemalist aura of the protests that came under the tutelage of Taksim Solidarity, an umbrella organization of left-wing associations, and the Republican People's Party. Meanwhile, the general public kept its distance from the violent demonstrations. Not only AK Party supporters but also many liberals and secular-minded democrats found the developments alarming. While the protests marks a step forward for Turkey's once-apathetic opposition groups, their failure prevented a revival of authoritarianism.
- Topic:
- Development, Environment, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Turkey
38741. Political Culture and National Identity in Conceptualising the Gezi Park Movement
- Author:
- Tahir Abbas
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- This essay interprets the Gezi Park protests that began as a local resistance to government plans to level a public park but quickly escalated into a national outburst against government policies. How did the local events receive endorsements from different communities with otherwise ideological and cultural conflicts? This paper argues that political disenfranchisement intersected with society's aspirations with regard to dichotomies between conservatism and secularism, localisation and globalisation, and nationalism and majoritarianism.
- Topic:
- Globalization, Government, Islam, and Culture
- Political Geography:
- Turkey
38742. Ergenekon: An Illegitimate Form of Government
- Author:
- Markar Esayan
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- On August 5th, 2013, an Istanbul court reached its verdict in the Ergenekon coup plot trial, handing down various prison sentences to 247 defendants, including the former Chief of Military Staff and several high-ranking members of the military's command. Although the Supreme Court of Appeals has yet to make a final decision on the 6-year legal battle, the Ergenekon trial has already become part of the country's history as a sign that anti-democratic forces, many of whom date back to the final years of the Ottoman Empire, no longer have free reign. Notwithstanding its limited scope and other shortcomings, the court's decision marks but a humble beginning for Turkey's acknowledgement of the dark chapters in its history, as well as a challenging struggle to replace the laws of rulers with the rule of law.
- Topic:
- Government and Law
- Political Geography:
- Turkey
38743. Democratization and Relations with the EU in the AK Party Period: Is Turkey Really Making Progress?
- Author:
- Paul Kubicek
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- This brief commentary assesses the progress made by Turkey under the Justice and Development Party (the AK Party) toward European Union (EU) membership and democratization. While it acknowledges positive steps, it notes that the goals of EU accession and democratic consolidation remain elusive. One consideration is that the expectations or “goalposts” for both have moved so that, relative to the objectives of those supporting democratic freedoms and Europeanization, progress in Turkey has still been rather modest. While the democratization package of September 2013 offers some hope for democratization, it remains difficult to see substantial progress in terms of joining the EU.
- Topic:
- Development
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Turkey
38744. A New Challenge for Turkey: Civil War in Syria
- Author:
- Nursin Atesoglu Guney
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- The Arab Spring gave rise to a variety of transitions in the Middle East. Although initial developments in Tunisia and Egypt created optimism, tragic events in Egypt, Syria, Tunisia and elsewhere revived fears about a return to authoritarian governments, failed states and civil war. With no foreseeable change in the UN Security Council with regard to Syria, the country's neighbors, including Turkey, face the risk of instability. Although a recent agreement between the US and Russia marked a major step toward destrying the regime's chemical stockpile, it fails to address the conflict itself. As such, spillover effects continue to threaten Syria's neighbors. This paper highlights the critical nature of the situation and the international community's role in finding a solution.
- Topic:
- War and Communications
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Middle East, and Syria
38745. Military, Political Islam, and the Future of Democracy in Egypt
- Author:
- A. Kadir Yildirim
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- Egypt's democratization efforts require domestic and international considerations: Domestically, the country must focus on the economy at the expense of the military's political role: While military involvement in politics is crucial to democratization, improvements in this area represents an outcome, not the cause, of the process. Discussions should concentrate on protecting lower- and middle classes, generate prosperity and create common ground between democracy and class interests. At the international level, Egypt requires countries to support democratization efforts and condemn extra-democratic actions. Meanwhile, the prominence of Islamists causes concerns for Western governments with regard to the Peace Treaty and Israel's security.
- Topic:
- Security, Government, and Islam
- Political Geography:
- Israel and Egypt
38746. Insights for Egypt's and Tunisia's Islamists from Turkish Experience of Democratic Transition
- Author:
- Ahmet Uysal
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- Turkey is achieved a viable combination of Islam, democracy and development. After prolonged periods of political instability and interruptions in democratic rule, the Islamic-leaning AK Party government overcame the hurdles preventing it from reaching power in the early 2000s. It achieved a significant degree of democratization and economic growth without oil or foreign aid and repeatedly won elections ever since. As such, the party's success offers important lessons for Islamists in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco. The lessons of the Turkish experience are especially relevant in dealing with the opposition and democratization, as well as achieving stability and growth.
- Topic:
- Development
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia
38747. Euro-Turks in the Contemporary European Imaginary
- Author:
- Raymond Taras
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- Do perceptions of Muslim communities differ among receiving European societies? Are attitudes towards Euro-Turks more critical than other groups? Do Euro-Turks feel marginalized and recognize social distance from the majority? This paper presents data from cross-national research projects to assess the social distance between national majority and Muslim minorities, in particular Euro-Turks. It also considers the extent to which religion, ethnicity, and culture help shape Islamophobia and anti-Turkish attitudes. Social distance is not treated as a proxy variable for discrimination or exclusion, but it serves as an indicator of the possible marginalization of Euro-Turks. Further, increasing social distance between majority and minority Muslim groups may also serve as a reliable indicator of a Europe in crisis, confronting its multiple conflicting identities.
- Political Geography:
- Europe
38748. Constitutional Amendments Under the Justice and Development Party Rule
- Author:
- Vahap COSKUN
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- Turkey's 1982 Constitution does not reflect the values of modern constitutionalism. Originally, the Constitution maintained a state-centered, authoritarian character and failed to meet society's expectations. Pro-reform parties sought to replace the Constitution to address various societal demands. The AK Party also identified the drafting of a new Constitution as a primary objective and attempted thirteen amendments. There were two main motivations behind the amendments: Turkey's EU membership bid and frequent constitutional crises. In this sense, the amendments promoted individual rights and liberties in Turkey. The Constitution today is a legal text that underwent major changes over the years to establish more effective safeguarding mechanisms for individual rights and liberties. Turkey's need for a new constitution, however, remains alive.
- Topic:
- Reform
- Political Geography:
- Turkey
38749. The Turkish Economy During the Justice and Development Party Decade
- Author:
- Erdal Tanas Karagol
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- During the 1990s, political uncertainties in Turkey had negative effects that left the economy vulnerable to public and foreign debt due to high inflation, high budget deficit and high current account deficit. Coalition governments failed to address these problems. Following its rise to power in 2002, the AK Party developed a new perspective for the economy, politics and foreign policy collectively referred as the New Turkey. The government emphasized fiscal discipline, structural transformation and privatization. During this period, Turkey rapidly recovered from the negative effects of the 2001 financial crisis and reached a steady growth rate. The country also survived the 2008 global crisis with minimum damage. The government seeks to meet its targets for the centennial of the Republic's establishment.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Development, Economics, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Turkey
38750. Civil-Military Relations During the AK Party Era: Major Developments and Challenges
- Author:
- Muge Aknur
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Insight Turkey
- Institution:
- SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
- Abstract:
- The remarkable transformation of Turkish civil-military relations since the AK Party's rise to power has not led to total democratization in this area. Although EU reforms reduced the military's formal and informal powers and trials about contemporary and historic coup cases might indicate that the military has been subordinated to civilian authority, achieving democratic civil-military relations would require a balance of power between civilians and the military: While the military must relinquish its role as the country's guardians, civilians must work to regain the trust of military officers that they lost through the Ergenekon and Balyoz cases. Perhaps then Turkish civil-military relations can reach a democratic level, promoting democratic consolidation in the country.
- Topic:
- Development
- Political Geography:
- Turkey