International Security

Venezuela’s Threats to U.S. Economic Security

Frances Arias • Feb 9 2009 • Essays

The United States is currently feeling the pinch when it comes to purchasing oil. Though there is research being done to find alternative measures, until then, the United States must continue to purchase oil abroad. One of its main exporters is Venezuela. Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, since coming to office has made it a point to undermine the United States and its influence in the Latin American region. Is there a possibility that Venezuela could potentially stop its oil exports to the United States?

European Security & Defense as a Model for East Asia & Africa

Victoria Lennox • Sep 9 2008 • Essays

The European security regime cannot serve as a model for East Asia, as this region is conditioned by markedly different institutional, political, economic, and cultural factors that are manifest in strong preferences for informal, incremental and bilateral frameworks based upon the principles of non-interference, consensus-building, power-balancing and bandwagoning. Nevertheless, the OSCE pillar of the European security regime may be a more appropriate model for Africa.

Does Russia take Internal Challenges to its Security Seriously Enough? The Case of Economic Instability

Justa Hopma • Aug 27 2008 • Essays

This essay focusses on the Russian energy sector and the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). These issues reflect Russia’s struggle with liberalization, necessary for increasing revenues and sustaining economic growth. The analysis demonstrates that Russia takes its internal security seriously in word and deed but challenges to economic stability remain.

What are the Risks of Securitizing Infectious Disease Pandemics such as HIV-AIDS and SARS?

Junio Valerio Palomba • Jul 19 2008 • Essays

Framing infectious diseases as an existential threat entails a whole series of consequences. Some of them concern the nature of the diseases, which are increasingly presented and perceived as a menace to peace and stability rather than a simple but serious medical condition. Others are related to the way these diseases should be treated and by whom, with an increasing role acclaimed both by state and international actors.

Is the ‘new regionalism’ of Importance to East-West Security?

Vera Michlin • Jul 19 2008 • Essays

This work will look at the idea of regionalism and its link to security. It will argue that that Eurasia, in terms of security, consists of a regional security complex. However, looking at the current conditions in the sub-regions of Eurasia, recent experiences emphasize the weakness of regionalism. Regional security is more capable of identifying threats than constructing viable mechanisms and institutions to tackle them.

What do you Consider to be the Most Significant Security Threat Facing Human Society Over the Next Half Century and how Should it be Dealt with?

Junio Valerio Palomba • Jun 30 2008 • Essays

From a simple positivist position, it is relatively straightforward to claim that – in a not so distant future – the most significant threats to the human society will be environmentally related. It is difficult to conceive another set of problematics that could rival the global scale and potential magnitude of the consequences provoked – for instance – by a constant rise in the sea levels or by a substantial reduction in the global availability of water.

NATO in Afghanistan: Fighting to Define its Future

Adam Groves • Jun 18 2008 • Essays

Almost sixty years after it was first formed, NATO has changed a great deal from the organisation which once prepared to fight the Red Army in Germany’s Fulda Gap. This essay will argue that the alliance is now fighting fto define its future, in Afghanistan.

An Examination of the Personality Types of Three Intelligence Leaders Within the British Intelligence Community

Oliver Lewis • May 25 2008 • Essays

This study examines officials within the British intelligence community – Nicholas Elliott, Maj. Gen. Sir Kenneth Strong and Dame Stella Rimington – to ascertain any commonalities in the traits and type of their personalities. Being psychologically-informed, the study employs the Five-Factor Model and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator on the leader’s autobiographies to identify the primary motivational traits to inform their categorisation into a personality type. While none of the leaders share a single personality type, there are considerable commonalities in trait behaviour and positioning on the MBTI dichotomies. Furthermore, there emerge common trait dimensions shared by successful intelligence leaders (INTJ): Guarded social engagement (Introverted), creativity and intellect (Intuition), rational impartiality (Thinking) and systematic, efficient administrative ability (Judging).

Ethno-Politics, Mobilization and Violence in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country

Pavlos Ioannis Koktsidis • May 14 2008 • Essays

The conflicts in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country have attracted a great deal of research on the macro-political, economic, social and conflict management parameters but there has been little research on the evolution and changing nature of ethno politics in regards to the radical ethno nationalist parties; namely Sinn Fein and Herri Batasuna

Do Nuclear Weapons still have a Role in International Relations in the Post-Cold War Era?

Martin Taggart • May 10 2008 • Essays

This essay questions the role of nuclear weapons in international society through an analysis of their function as a deterrent, nuclear terrorism and proliferation.

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