Is it possible to democratise the European Union?
Certain dates in European history are taken to be the significant historical events which changed the course of the continent forever. 1648, and the Treaties of Westphalia; 1815, the Concert of Europe; 1945 the end of the Second World War and 1989, the fall of Communism – these are the events that are attributed to the makeup of modern Europe. But what of the years 1957, 1992, and 2009?
Islamic Identities in Post-Soviet Russia: Realities and Representations
In Russia, depictions of Muslims tend to be generalised, and in extreme cases are depicted as violent extremists with desires to convert the world to fundamentalist Islam
The Israeli use of Economic Peace as a Peace Building Tool for the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Israel’s pursuit of economic peace is, in reality, a policy of economic pacification. There is a real danger that Economic Peace can be used to frame peace-building away from political diplomacy. Neglecting the political aspects of peace building and favouring economic pacification will only lead to a resurgence of violence in the future.
The Obstacles in the Creation of a Common EU Energy Policy
At a time when energy is becoming one of the critical issues in the world, there is a great need for such a powerful entity as the EU to speak with one voice and develop a common energy policy. But the main obstacle for a genuine development of a common energy policy is the strong differences between member states preferences for a common energy policy
The European Union and Transatlantic Relations
The responsibility of the EU Presidency is first and foremost to play the role of a chairperson, and to listen to the views of different member states. The question is whether member states, during their Presidencies, give priority to their own national interests or to the EU as a supranational institution.
The Division of Palestine in 1947: Personal Policy or Strategic Interest?
The decision by the United Nations to partition Palestine in 1947 was a major watershed in Middle Eastern history. Not only did it lead to the creation of the state of Israel, a Zionist aim since the eighteenth century, but it set in stone a conflict which still to this day remains unresolved.Although the decision aimed to appease both Jews and Arabs, who laid differing ideological claims to the same territory and, as James L. Ilsley stated, was the ‘best of four unattractive and difficult alternatives,’ it failed.
Guilt and Predation: Europe’s Relations with the Former Colonial World
Whilst the EU has always looked to the future with regards to its outlook and policy directions, there can be no escaping the colonial legacy that Europe forged for itself in the period leading up to the creation of the ECSC in 1947. Special relations exist between each colonial power and its former territories. As a result, this necessitates special relations existing between the EU and former territories of its members
Stereotypical Images and Enemy Perceptions in the Greco-Turkish Conflict: Is it Possible to Change Stereotypes?
The Greco-Turkish conflict is a product of long-standing traumatic experiences that are based on Stereotypical Images of the Enemy. Both share a complicated mechanism that promotes patriotism by systematically devaluing the “other” via selective education, literature and the media
USA: Status Quo or Revisionist Power?
Although the United States’ irrational, and at times, imperialistic actions are seen to be out of the desire to spread American ideals, the superpower in reality is more concerned about the preservation of the global order. The fact that the United States is concerned over not only the security and peace of the world but the betterment of mankind is precisely the reason why the United States is allowed to call itself a status quo power.
The importance of water politics in the Israel-Palestine conflict
Water has always been a very important factor in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Given the importance of agriculture for both economies, whoever had access to water would obtain access to land once they managed to cultivate it. The Jews used this as a strategy for land appropriation before the official creation of Israel, but after 1948, water politics transformed to attain other national goals.
