Comparing Northern Ireland with other cases of ethnic conflict
Comparison between cases of ethnic conflict usually encounters scepticism. Unhappy nations like unhappy people, feel themselves to be unique. However analogies with other places have had a place in Northern Ireland. In general, these analogies appealed more to nationalists than it did to the unionists. It was only after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985 did unionist attitudes change
Review – The Role of France in the Rwandan Genocide
Kroslak contests that France was not only involved in events through passivity, but actually enabled the genocide through its support for the Hutu regime before, during and after the killing. Overall, this study represents an estimable and rigorously researched contribution to the subject, though, as this essay will unearth, there are some problematic elements to the book.
To what extent has the War on Terror helped secure the US and its Western allies from terrorism?
American efforts have not been directed at addressing the roots of terrorism. To the contrary, the US has instead focused on fighting the symptoms of terror, which resulted in a highly offensive approach which directly fostered hatred towards the US among Islamic communities.
Review – A Second Look at Huntington’s Third Wave Thesis
It is worth taking a second look at Huntington’s thesis considering the controversial democratisation attempts pursued by the US in the early years of the 21st Century.
Humanitarian Intervention and Ontological Security
A state engages in humanitarian actions not just to show the world that it is compassionate and civil, but rather that it accepts its moral obligation to do so. During times of crises, a state puts its ontological security aside and acts on the needs of the disaster area. This is prevalent in the state’s speech, where it decrees that all of its measures will be acted upon quickly and for the benefit of it citizens. The humanitarian act is not a result of a past shameful action, but rather a pure and compassionate act in which the state undertakes morally
The Tea Party’s Foreign Policy
The first American Tea Party movement which gave us the American Revolution had huge international implications although like the current one it was initially overwhelmingly focused on narrow economic issues, especially taxation and the fear of big government. The question some are beginning to ask is: what are the likely international implications of the current American Tea Party?
Review – Geopolitics of the World System
Cohen’s Geopolitics of the World System examines the dramatic changes wrought by ideological and economic forces unleashed by the end of the Cold War. Cohen considers these forces in the context of their human and physical settings and explores their geographical influence on foreign policy and international relations.
The new Russian military doctrine: more of the same?
The long-awaited publication of the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation in February 2010 was the result of years of debate within the Russian military and political establishment. It outlines a post facto legitimization of Russia’s role in the August War against Georgia in 2008 and of other initiatives adopted by Moscow in the field of international security in the new century
How Iran Adapts Itself to International Sanctions: Asianization of Trade and Economic Regionalism
The recent round of crippling and comprehensive sanctions on Iran will inevitably adversely affect the government’s economic manoeuvrability, but taking their toll first and foremost on the people, the sanctions are likely to fall short of curbing the country’s nuclear activities or changing its domestic and international behaviour
A Green Dictator?
International relations scholars are self-described pessimists — at least the realists among us speak in this way. However, it would appear IR realists are not alone, at least on the question of international cooperation on climate change.
